Why in this order?
Based on state-of-the-art medical knowledge, I have identified six phases of skin care that you will need you will need to complete every night to successfully address the eight visual signs of aging skin.
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The cleansing phase is an important first step and I do not recommend using soap. The pH of soap can dry your skin. I also do not recommend water-free, leave-on cleansers, which can clog your pores. A good cleanser has a pH close to that of the skin and will not dry out your skin. After cleansing, I recommend using toner to remove the dirt the cleanser missed. |
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The exfoliating phase is critical if you want flawless skin. Exfoliation stimulates cellular turnover and may improve skin thickness. It also removes dead cells on top of your skin, allowing skin care products to transport key ingredients to their destination. The exfoliating phase also provides one final opportunity to open up clogged pores before you move on to the other phases of your skin care routine. |
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The skin-stimulating phase encourages the skin's own collagen-building machinery and repair mechanism to soften the look of lines and wrinkles. This is ideally done with a thin water-consistency serum, rich in ingredients that easily permeate the skin. This step does not feel particularly moisturizing and it may leave your skin feeling dry and tingly. |
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The skin-building phase moisturizes via lipid (fat) soluble vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, retinal, and essential fatty acids. |
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The skin-sealing phase moisturizes and prevents water loss by sealing the skin. It feels good and soothing and helps repair the skin lipid barrier. |
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The skin-protection phase consists of using SPF 30 sun protection daily in the morning and throughout the day, rain or shine, every day of the year. |
If you only do the skin sealing step your skin will feel good on the way but you may not get very far in terms of results. If you only do the skin building step you will achieve results, but your skin may feel dry and show more dry lines temporarily.
If you build the skin first, then seal it, you will have the best of both worlds.
Cleanse and Tone
CLEANSER: The best ingredients to seek out in this product are alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids, which are excellent cleaning agents, and other beneficial additions, such as vitamins C and E. However, the key isn't just the ingredients—you rinse them off very quickly—but finding a good cleanser that doesn't leave your skin feeling tight and dry. You should judge your cleanser based on the condition of your skin after you've washed, rinsed, and dried. Your face should feel fresh, clean, and comfortable, not dry or pulled.
TONER: The same criteria apply. An effective toner will have a gentle astringency, yet it should leave your face feeling soft and refreshed. If your skin doesn't feel pulled and dry after you've applied it, it's the right product for you.
Exfoliate and Purify
The best test, once again, is how it feels on your skin. In this case, it should tingle, at least at first. Look for glycolic acid peel pads with an 8 percent to 10 percent strength solution. Clinical studies of glycolic preparations have shown significant collagen-stimulating and skin-thickness-building action at the right glycolic concentration at the right pH levels. If, the first few times you use it, it just feels like water on a pad and it doesn't have any "bite," you may know that it is not strong enough for you. In addition to its skin-building capacity, the pad will exfoliate. If you have dry skin, aggressive exfoliation can remove old skin cells so moisture can reach your skin.
MICRODERMABRASION CREAM: You need this product for additional exfoliation once a week, or twice, if your skin has the tolerance for it. A good microdermabrasion cream should have a rich texture and contain abrasive particles—aluminum oxide or pumice is ideal—but the particles should be very small. Avoid products that contain large grains of any rough or sharp particles. The purpose of this step is to micropolish your face, not scratch it. And the cream should feel good. When you rinse it off, your face should not feel tight or dry, but rather smooth, soft, and soothed.
Stimulate Cellular Performance
SKIN-STIMULATING SERUM: With this step, use a water-based serum. Water should be listed as the first ingredient. Then look for peptides (which may appear as amino acid or bioactive oligopeptides), carnosine vitamin C (which may appear as L-ascorbic acid), alphalipoic acid, CoQIO, vitamin B5 complex, hyaluronic acid, grape-seed extract, to name a few of my favorites. If there is some glycolic acid in the formula, it will enhance the effectiveness by helping the serum to penetrate.
The result of clean and hydrated skin will be new cell growth, which is the basis of healthy skin.
Build Lipid Barrier
SKIN-BUILDING SERUM: At this point you need a lipid-based serum to moisturize and build the skin lipid barrier. Water should not be listed at the top of the ingredients list. Look for ceramides (lipids that are identical to your skin lipids), EFAs (essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid), Omega 3, vitamin A (which may appear as retinol), and vitamin E (which may appear as tocotrienol).
With this regimen you are layering your face with all the rich ingredients that are so effective in fighting the signs of aging. You will also want to use skin relaxants for your eye and forehead area. Look for serums or creams that contain the crease relaxer ingredient, argireline.
These serums are scientifically advanced products, and they aren't going to be easily found at the drugstore or health food store. They've become fashionable, but the ingredients are expensive. You can expect to pay a lot for them, but you should also expect to see results. If you don't get them, return the product. On the other hand, don't fall for very high-priced products in the prestige market. Make sure you're getting the right ingredients. Look for doctors' private label products, check out the most progressive skin-care manufacturers, or browse online. The right products for you are out there.
Seal and Maintain
This final application of cream is to seal the skin and rebuild the lipid barrier. First and foremost, a cream should feel good. It should not leave your skin feeling dry and your skin should not remain shiny for hours after you've applied it. Look for the right level of lipids in the cream that is satisfying to your skin. You can choose from any or all of the rich ingredients above, in the water-based and lipid-based serums, but at this phase of your routine, the penetration will be much less. Ceramides, EFAs, retinol, vitamins C and E, and hyaluronic acid are all excellent ingredients for this last step in your skin care program.
Protect and Correct
No matter what time of year, regardless if you are indoors or outdoors, apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15— although I prefer SPF 30.