The skin expresses and conveys our age most vividly. Most of us desire even-toned, blemish-free, youthful-looking skin. That is why consumers spend billions of dollars each year on creams, lotions and potions that promise us new and improved skin. Do these products deliver what they promise or is it just good marketing? I believe some of them are fine cosmetics. However, many are basic moisturizers costing $60-$100 for one ounce. Taking care of your skin to look your best should not be expensive, complicated nor time consuming. Your skin care routine should not take more than five minutes in the morning and five minutes at night.

The following steps are guidelines to assist you in maintaining beautiful, healthy and youthful looking skin:

1.) Cleanse the skin, especially at night, to ensure the removal of make-up, pollutants,

oil and sweat, etc. Two cleansers I recommend are Cetaphil or plain vegetable

glycerine cleanser (without fragrance or color).

2.) Antioxidants are beneficial for neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are unstable

molecules that interfere with the normal reproduction and repair of skin cells. Antioxidants include vitamin C, E, Coenzyme Q 10, idebenone and green tea extract. Apply antioxidants in the morning before your sunscreen.

3.) Protect your skin everyday with a double-duty moisturizer that contains a broad

spectrum sun block or sunscreen, with a minimum SPF of 15. The ingredients parsol

(avobenzone), mexoryl, titanium dioxide or zinc oxide are recommended to protect

your skin from the harmful effects of UVA and UVB radiation.

4.) Exfoliate and repair to reveal fresh smooth skin and shed dead skin cells that clog

pores, cause uneven skin tone, acne and poorly textured skin. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), beta hydroxy acids (BHA) and enzymes are beneficial for exfoliation. Vitamin A derivatives have proven to reverse some of the signs of photodamage caused by the sun.

5 ) ‘Lunchtime’ chemical peel or microdermabrasion provide a deeper exfoliation than you can obtain with products at home. I recommend a peel every one to three months. See a professional skin care specialist for a chemical peel or microdermabrasion.

The following is a list of some quality brands to look for when considering a complete skin care program. These products are available in salons, skin care clinics, dermatologist’s or plastic surgeon’s office. Retin A and Renova are available by Rx.