Expert Skin Care

Renowned beauty expert Laura Mercier, author of The New Beauty Secrets, shares easy morning and nighttime routines for a gorgeous, glowing complexion. Plus, the short list of products you need.

Regardless of your age, your face can fare very well with a few targeted items, listed as follows:

• Moisturizer with SPF for day
• Moisturizer without SPF or a night cream for night
• Eye cream (unless you're a teenager)
• Serum or a solution-oriented layering product
• Makeup remover
• Cleanser
  

1. If you've cleansed properly the night before, you don't need to wash your face when you wake up. Splashing your face with water is just fine, although I personally like using a light cleanser. It makes my skin more supple and opens the pores so they can absorb moisturizer.

2. Apply your serum or treatment product if directions specify daytime and nighttime usage.
3. Apply your moisturizer with SPF or you can use a separate sunscreen if you're going to be exposed to very strong sun. If you want to wear makeup over your sunscreen, make sure it's a lightweight sunscreen. Some sunscreens are not compatible with makeup, and it's difficult to apply products on top of them.
4. Apply your eye cream under your eye only. It's not necessary to use it on your eyelid in the morning, and it will interfere with any eye makeup you are wearing.
   

1. Before you go to bed, you must wash your face. Otherwise, you're asking for blackheads, breakouts, and flare-ups. Do you really want to fall asleep with all that accumulated dirt, pollution, bacteria, and makeup on your face? This is something I've always been very good about. During my wilder days, when I'd come home at six in the morning after dancing all night, I'd always wash my face. I couldn't stand the idea of my dirty face touching my pillow. If washing your face every night isn't a habit for you already, it will become one over time, just like brushing your teeth.
   
   If you're not wearing much makeup, use a cleanser that doubles as a makeup remover. Make sure it's a cleanser for your skin type and one that doesn't contain too much fragrance and detergent. You don't need those things when you just want to clean your face. If you are wearing makeup, use a specific remover and some quality cotton pads to get everything off, especially your eye makeup.


2. Follow with a cleanser for your skin type and pat your face dry.
3. If you're using a serum or special treatment product, then the time to use it is after cleansing. (If you prefer, you can skip this step and move right to moisturizing.) Generally, serums go under your moisturizer. Use a few drops or as much as directed and smooth onto your skin. Unless directions specify that you must use day and night, you can reserve this step for your P.M. routine and use once a day.

4. Moisturize with a cream or lotion that's SPF-free (you certainly don't need SPF at night!) or a night cream. Don't slap the cream onto your face, neck, and chest; really massage it in. That doesn't mean using half the contents of the jar, but taking the time to literally push the amount of product you need for your skin type into your pores while they are still open and boost the circulation to your face in the process.
5. Apply your eye cream gently around your entire eye area, including your eyelid, but be careful not to get it into your eye. Again, take the time to really work it into your skin. Look for an eye cream that is packed with benefits, not one that simply moisturizes.