The Truth About Skin Care

"Some people are effortlessly glamorous and sexy. For me, a lot of that stuff is difficult." Still, her skin-care regimen sounds pretty easy: "I just wear a lot of sunscreen. That's it. Nothing more. I'm just lucky my grandma gave me great skin."

The Truth About Skin Care - Did You Know?

1. Skin gets bored too. You know how the same lipstick doesn't look good after awhile? The same goes for your skin-care products. "Skin stops responding to the active ingredients," say Philadelphia-based dermatologist Dr. Chrysalyne Schmults. After about six months of useage of a mositurizer or spot treatment, the products are no longer as effective. You can fix this by using a glycolic acid scrub to loosen the top layer of your skin so that the products can penetrate.

2. Wash once and rinse once. People are so obsessed with things being clean. But did you know that cleansers can strip natural oils and increase flakiness and irritation to the skin? Skip the scrub in the morning and just rinse. Use a cleanser at night to remove the makeup and pollution build up.

3. You don't need all those products! Don't spend all your money on one product per need. Invest in double-duty products. For example, get a product that has both SPF and an antioxidant to protect the skin from the sun and help fight aging. Also, did you know that an anti-aging retinol cream can be used as a spot treatment to zap zits too?

4. Margaritas by the pool? That's a no-no. The chemicals in fruity alcoholic beverages can react with the skin under sun exposure. This can cause reddish brown spots (phytophotodermatitis). This is the same with wearing perfume in the sun (so spray where your skin won't come into contact with the rays).

Carrie Underwood on Skin Care:
"I had a couple of freckles on my face that I didn't like, so I had them removed," admits the 24-year-old country star. "And I remember one kid said, 'Now I can't play connect-the-dots on your face anymore!' I'll never forget that."

5. Sequences! Improper use of a skin care product may reduce its effectiveness. The proper order: cleansing, spot treatment, SPF lotion, makeup. Acne cream does not work if it cannot penetrate the skin. Also, allow some time for the SPF lotion to absorb before applying makeup.

6. Sleeping Beauty or sleeping for wrinkles? Sleeping with your face flat on the pillow can cause pillow lines. These lines are caused by the breakdown in the skin's elasticity. Instead, sleep on your back with your neck slightly elevated by a pillow. This position also wards off puffy eyes. Tips: Use a sateen pillowcase. The silkier the fabric, the less wrinkles.

7. Sun Screen or Sun Block? Sunscreen has chemical blockers (avobenzone and oxybenzone) that may irriate sensitive skin. Sunblocks use a physical sun protector such as titanium diozise and zinc oxide (ingredients in mineral makeup) - refer to the mineral makeup article for more info. ALWAYS wear SPF regardless of the weather! Simply put by Dr. Jessica Wu, "There are different types of sun damage… rough texture, wrinkles, and brown spots. You can start immediately by using the right sunscreen. It’s like when you stop smoking; your lungs start to repair themselves right away. Similarly, sunscreen will repair your skin the minute you start using it - brown spots will fade and texture will smooth out." Click here to learn more.

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