QUOTE
Somewhere between a 5-second face-splashing and a 30-minute before-bed routine are the essentials for a great-looking complexion.
Gentle cleansing
Beauty consultant Nance Mitchell in Beverly Hills, California, suggests that you brush your teeth (toothpaste can irritate the area around your mouth) before cleansing. Splash your face with tepid water, then smooth a quarter-size amount of a mild, soap-free cleanser over your face. (It's up to you whether you use a fresh washcloth or your fingertips, but fingertips are gentler.) Lightly massage the cleanser into your skin with circular strokes. Rinse with tepid water, then blot -- never rub -- with a clean towel.
Tips on toner
You can skip this step unless you have oily or combination skin, according to skin-care expert Cheryl Renella, president and founder of Channing's Day Spa, in Chicago. After blotting cleansed skin with a towel, apply toner to a tissue, which is less absorbent than cotton. The result: You use less toner. Smooth the tissue over your face, then let the toner dry before applying moisturizer. Alcohol-free products are mildest. Two to try: L'Oreal Hydra Fresh Toner and Channing's Kiwi-Citrus Toner.
Eye-cream how-tos
To wrinkleproof the line-prone zone around your eyes, a pea-size amount of product is plenty, says Renella. Editor's picks: Clinique Moisture Surge Eye Gel , which has the lightness of a gel plus the moisturizing benefits of a cream, and RoC Retinol Actif Pur Eye Contour Cream. Apply cream or gel with your middle finger -- it exerts less pressure than your index finger. Moving clockwise, blend product from the center of the undereye area to the browbone and over your lids.
Maximize your moisturizer
A dab the size of a nickel is enough to moisturize your face and neck, according to Renella. Massage moisturizer into your fingertips, then smooth fingertips over your skin using upward and outward strokes. This helps to work up a glow. Looking for a multitasking formula? Neutrogena Visibly Even Moisturizing Treatment SPF 15 has wrinkle-fighting retinol and vitamin C to brighten dull skin.
Gentle cleansing
Beauty consultant Nance Mitchell in Beverly Hills, California, suggests that you brush your teeth (toothpaste can irritate the area around your mouth) before cleansing. Splash your face with tepid water, then smooth a quarter-size amount of a mild, soap-free cleanser over your face. (It's up to you whether you use a fresh washcloth or your fingertips, but fingertips are gentler.) Lightly massage the cleanser into your skin with circular strokes. Rinse with tepid water, then blot -- never rub -- with a clean towel.
Tips on toner
You can skip this step unless you have oily or combination skin, according to skin-care expert Cheryl Renella, president and founder of Channing's Day Spa, in Chicago. After blotting cleansed skin with a towel, apply toner to a tissue, which is less absorbent than cotton. The result: You use less toner. Smooth the tissue over your face, then let the toner dry before applying moisturizer. Alcohol-free products are mildest. Two to try: L'Oreal Hydra Fresh Toner and Channing's Kiwi-Citrus Toner.
Eye-cream how-tos
To wrinkleproof the line-prone zone around your eyes, a pea-size amount of product is plenty, says Renella. Editor's picks: Clinique Moisture Surge Eye Gel , which has the lightness of a gel plus the moisturizing benefits of a cream, and RoC Retinol Actif Pur Eye Contour Cream. Apply cream or gel with your middle finger -- it exerts less pressure than your index finger. Moving clockwise, blend product from the center of the undereye area to the browbone and over your lids.
Maximize your moisturizer
A dab the size of a nickel is enough to moisturize your face and neck, according to Renella. Massage moisturizer into your fingertips, then smooth fingertips over your skin using upward and outward strokes. This helps to work up a glow. Looking for a multitasking formula? Neutrogena Visibly Even Moisturizing Treatment SPF 15 has wrinkle-fighting retinol and vitamin C to brighten dull skin.
A personal tip: Always use an SPF - every single day. It not only moisturises, and keeps your skin glowing, but it guarantees you 24-hour protection against skin-cancer.
[from www.LHJ.com]
I overlooked that one...