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.

Aging may be natural but that doesn't mean you have to give in to it. You can still look good as you grow older. A big part of that is having skin which looks younger. How do you do that? Well, you can start by checking out the raw diet and how that can help your anti-aging efforts.

Cleansers

There are a lot of different cleansers that you can make your selection from. The important thing is to know your skin type and to get a cleanser that is compatible with that. If you have sensitive skin, for instance, you should not use fragranced cleansers as they may irritate it. Likewise, if your skin is dry skin don’t go for a cleanser that contains alcohol and will therefore dry it out further. If your skin is oily you will want to avoid heavy, oily cleansers.

A good think to look out for in a cleanser is alpha hydroxy. This substance sends signals to your body to encourage the production of collagen and elastin, both of which are great for reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Also, think about buying a cleanser that exfoliates too as well as giving your skin more moisture. Both of those things will help you to keep your skin looking younger for longer.

Anti-Aging Wrinkle Cream Products

There are a lot of anti-aging wrinkle cream products available to buy these days so deciding which one is right for you can be a difficult decision to make. However, you will know if you have found the right one as you will see it working almost immediately. Don’t think you have to wait a month for anything good to come out of using an anti-aging wrinkle cream but they should also give you great long-term benefits too. The best thing to do when looking for one of these creams is to find one with a money-back guarantee. That way, if the first anti-aging wrinkle cream doesn’t work for you, you can always look for another one and you won’t be out of pocket.

Non-SLS Soaps And Shampoos

We’ve been waiting for non-SLS products for a long time. Some of us just don’t know that we have! SLS is the abbreviation for sodium lauryl sulfate. Yeah, now you know why we called it SLS! Well, all you really need to know is that it is one of the bad guys. It is a powerful chemical de-greaser so it can certainly clean your skin. The problem is that while SLS is washing away all the dirt and grime from your skin, it is toxic and some have even blamed this chemical for causing further skin problems and even baldness.

On the other hand, you could promote faster hair growth by using shampoos which don’t contain SLS so it’s worth taking a look at the list of ingredients on the label to avoid this little nasty. Check this out for both shampoos and soaps.

Most people forget that the skin is an organ – our largest organ, in fact. Once you remember that, it should emphasize to you the need to take good care of your skin. Do everything you can to protect it. Use antioxidant skin-care products and do the best you can to ward off the signs of aging for as long as you can.

Don’t forget organic products. You can get some fabulous organic anti-wrinkle products and cleansers. That way, by choosing organic, you know you are steering clear of chemicals altogether. Your skin will thank you for it.

You really are spoiled for choice with all the great anti-aging products that are available today. They offer a wide range of different benefits and include many different ingredients. Shop around and find the best anti-aging products and skin-care products for your particular needs. Everyone is different so what works wonders for your best friend may be useless or even a problem for you. The point is not what products you choose, but that the products are effective for your particular needs.

Your baby's skin is thinner, more fragile and less oily than an adult's. It also produces less melanin, the substance that helps ward off sunburn. It is less resistant to bacteria and harmful substances in the environment, especially if it is irritated. Babies also sweat less efficiently than the rest of us, so it is harder for them to maintain their inner body temperature. On the other hand, most babies are less likely to react to allergens.

In the first few weeks after birth, your baby will retain some of your hormones. As a result, several minor skin conditions can result which will usually disappear fairly quickly. In addition, there are a few other skin conditions that are common during childhood which are normal and, most often, easily managed:

1. Heat rash: Small pink pimples, often across the body. This condition results from high heat and humidity and undeveloped sweat glands. Do not overdress baby or overheat room, keep clothing loose and cleanse and dry skin thoroughly.
2. Infant acne: Pink spots on the face. When infants are born, they still retain their mother's hormones for a short time and, as a result, infant acne can occur. This usually goes away on its own in the first few weeks. If not, talk to your health care professional.
3. Cradle cap: Crusty patches on scalp. Overactive glands in your baby's scalp can cause cradle cap. Wipe gently with baby oil, leave on a few minutes, shampoo with baby shampoo, then use baby brush or comb
4. Chafing: When there is friction between baby's clothing and skin, or where areas of skin rub together, chafing can result. Remove or minimize anything that is tight or rubs against the skin, like rubber pants or straps. Cleanse, rinse and dry skin thoroughly, then apply cornstarch baby powder, lotion or cream
5. Eczema: Red, irritating, scaly skin. Atopic dermatitis or eczema is a genetically determined common skin condition. Clean and dry skin thoroughly. Talk to your pediatrician or health care professional; you may want to try sensitive-skin products especially designed for babies.