If there is one truly optional step in skin care, masks are it. Whatever miraculous prop­erties may be attributed to masks, no research supports the assertions of benefit attributed to the special muds, minerals, vitamins, or plant life these products contain. These exotic components range from seaweed to volcanic earth, unusual muds, enzymes, vitamins, and […]

I wish I could find another word for this step but I haven’t, and it would probably only complicate matters anyway. In reality, not everyone needs a “moisturizer” but everyone needs to add antioxidants, skin-identical ingredients, and cell-communicating ingredients to their skin every day to maintain and achieve as much as possible the skin they […]

Regardless of the time of year, where you live, the color of your skin, or the amount of time you spend in the sun, sunscreen should be an essential part of your morning skin-care routine. It takes only a few minutes in the sun—the time it takes to walk to your car or to your […]

Retinoids are an important topic to discuss when it comes to skin care. Retinoids are a general term referring to a vast range of ingredients derived from vitamin A (retinol is the technical name for vitamin A). Retinol is a cosmetic ingredient while other retinoids such as tretinoin (the general term is all-trans retinoic acid […]

All skin types can benefit from exfoliation. The issue is not whether to exfoliate, but which type you should use and how often. The chief options are alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta hydroxy acid (BHA), and topical scrubs, with the latter being the least effective and least beneficial by comparison. I discuss the process of […]

Fortunately, the use of alcohol in toners has definitely decreased over the past several years. However, it still shows up, especially in astringents and toners aimed at those with oily or acne-prone skin. If you were under the impression that alcohol is somehow help­ful for acne you would be mistaken. There is no research showing […]

In reality, toners—also referred to as astringents, clarifiers, refiners, fresheners, and tonics—don’t tone anything. At least not by the dictionary definition of “tone,” which refers to the “normal firmness of a tissue or an organ.” The term “toner” is a caprice invented by the cosmetics industry and, therefore, it can mean anything they want it […]

While it is of vital importance to pay attention to the right type of cleanser, it is also important to pay attention to the temperature of the water you use. For the most part, splashing water on the face is one of the most nonirritating things you can do to your skin (though on rare […]

Using a washcloth every night to help get your makeup off or for exfoliation can be just as effective, if not more so, than using a scrub you purchase. Scrubs are an option when they are gentle (overly abrasive scrubs can be irritating and damaging to the skin’s vital protective surface), but why use a […]