If You Have Normal
Skin...
Your skin is neither too
oily nor too dry, and you rarely break out or experience redness. Your pores
are small (practically invisible), and though an occasional blemish may
surface, it’s usually tied to your period.
The Best Regimen
- Cleanse and moisturize daily with gentle, basic
products. Look for those with antioxidants, which fight free-radical
damage and stave off the signs of aging.
- You might also consider adding retinoids or
vitamin C to your routine several times a week to boost collagen
production, says Ava Shamban, a dermatologist in Santa Monica.
- Finally, don’t forget moisturizer―one with sunscreen for the day and one without SPF at night.
If You Have Dry Skin...
Blame the
flakiness―along with the redness and itchiness―on your skin’s barrier layer,
which doesn’t retain natural oils or water as well as it should.
The Best Regimen
- To keep your complexion quenched and healthy,
use cleansers and creams with emollient ingredients, like hyaluronic acid
and ceramides.
- Skip foaming face washes, since they strip away lipids, and avoid anything containing harsh retinoids and alpha hydroxy acids, says Fran Cook-Bolden, a dermatologist in New York City.
- If your skin is very flaky or peeling, try a face oil under your moisturizer―it will smooth out your skin.
If You Have Oily Skin...
Soon after you wash your
skin, it looks shiny. You may suffer from blackheads and breakouts that aren’t
tied to your monthly cycle, and your pores are medium to large.
The Best Regimen
- Help keep your pores unclogged by sloughing
away dead skin cells daily with products that contain salicylic acid or
alpha hydroxy acids.
- And, logic to the contrary, it’s important to
moisturize: If your skin’s surface gets dehydrated, your sebaceous glands,
which produce oil, will kick in to action (brace yourself!).
- Use oil-free lotions and sunscreens, which
won’t exacerbate acne, says Leslie Baumann, the author of The Skin
Type Solution ($16, amazon.com).
If You Have Sensitive
Skin...
Almost any new product,
especially one that contains fragrance or preservatives provokes a response―usually
in the form of redness or stinging.
The Best Regimen
- A daily dose of gentle products is the way to
go.
- Avoid anything with an added scent, says New
York City dermatologist Doris Day, and pass up eye creams, which can be
irritating.
- Calm itchiness and redness with products that
contain anti-inflammatory ingredients, like green tea and licorice-root
extract.
If You Have Mature
Skin...
As you enter
perimenopause and estrogen levels begin to drop, you experience a slowdown in
both oil and skin-cell renewal. The result: skin that lacks elasticity and
looks dull. You may also start noticing fine lines, brown spots, and rough
patches as past sun damage (oh, misguided youth!) manifests itself.
The Best Regimen
- Get your youthful glow back with products that contain antioxidants and retinoids. The former fight the free-radical damage that ages skin, and the latter boost collagen production to keep it firm.
- Since your skin is slow to slough off dead cells, dermatologists recommend using a weekly at-home peel to help it along.
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