Advice from a skincare junkie

Long before I ever worked behind a cosmetics counter (first for Estee Lauder and then for Clarins), I amassed dozens of beauty tips from magazines that I always wheedled my mother into buying every time we went to the grocery store. Having let a friend convince me to apply two different shades of blue eyeshadow all the way up to my eyebrows in the seventh grade (it was 1987, after all), I was determined not to commit any more cosmetics faux pas. So it surprised me when one of my Lauder coworkers had never heard that lipstick lasts longer if you fill in your lips first with lipliner. Didn’t other women learn this stuff when they were younger?

Evidently not, I learned from the multiple women who came to us wearing the wrong shade of foundation, thinking they could camouflage their complexions with darker colors. (You can’t; if you need more coverage, opt for a different formula rather than a darker shade.) Though it may be a bit of a stretch to think of my work as a “beauty advisor” as some sort of human service, one of the favorite things about my job (maybe only second to all the free goodies) was helping women feel better and more confident about their appearance. We all known women who wear an unflattering shade of lipstick, or shun makeup altogether because they feel intimidated by it. But it’s very easy to learn how to make skincare and makeup help you make the most of your natural beauty.

Sometimes at night as I am washing my face for the second time, I think about other skincare secrets that many women have never learned. Here are a few of the best tricks I have learned over the years, both from my magazine addiction and my years behind the counter.

What was that about washing your face twice? If you are wearing makeup, you should always wash your face twice in the evening. The first time removes the makeup; the second cleans your pores. You can use the same cleanser both times, although if you wear a lot of makeup or a long-lasting foundation, you might want to use a specially formulated makeup remover first. I use two different cleansers, but only because I have an extensive product collection, and I am always trying out new ones.

Water is not toner. I can’t tell you how many times I would ask women if they used a toner and they would reply, “Oh, I just use water.” The whole point of toner is to remove impurities left behind after cleansing and restore the skin’s pH balance. Water can have a pH level as high as 9.5; toner helps restore the skin’s natural pH level, which is between 4 and 6.5. However, alcohol-free toners are best because they won’t strip the skin of its natural oils, which can cause dry skin to become dryer and oily skin to actually become oilier. Also, do not vigorously rub your face with toner as this can irritate skin; your skin should already be clean by this point if you have properly washed it. A simple swipe is sufficient to remove any residue.

Apply your eye cream first. (You do use an eye cream, don’t you?) The skin around the eyes is the thinnest and most delicate on your entire body. It is also highly absorbent. You should not use products on the eye area that are not especially formulated for the eyes. If you apply your moisturizer or any special treatment products first, there will be residue of these products on your fingers when you apply your eye cream. You should also use your ring fingers when applying eye cream as these are your weakest fingers and you’ll be less likely to pull or stretch the skin, which can cause premature wrinkles. Simply pat the eye cream around the eye area; do not rub.

Pat your moisturizer and treatments into your skin in the evening. Most women sweep moisturizer and other products over their faces, which is fine for the morning as it creates a smooth canvas for your makeup. However, to allow for deeper product penetration in the evening, pat your products into your skin.

Do not rub your wrists together when applying perfume. Nearly everyone does this when trying on perfume at the makeup counter, so I can only assume this is how most people apply it at home. Rubbing your wrists together will crush the fragrance molecules and cause your perfume to wear off quicker. Just pat it lightly into your pressure points to preserve the fragrance.

And the number one rule in skincare: It’s a lot easier to prevent damage than it is to repair it. The time to start taking good care of your skin is when you still like the way it looks. Once you start seeing signs of damage, it may be too late to do anything about it. Pollution, sun, wind, smoke, and other external elements are far more damaging to the skin than the natural aging process (if we lived in a pollution-free bubble, we would all look much younger!) So choose products with antioxidants that help protect you from harmful free radicals. Many nighttime serums help reverse the effects of environmental factors you face during the day. Choose products specially formulated for your skin type and your skin care concerns. Using the right products and taking proper care of your skin can greatly enhance your skin’s appearance. You may even find that you don’t need as much makeup. Remember, it’s all about making the most of your natural features, not trying to cover them up.

Have any questions about these or other skincare issues? Let me know! If I don’t know the answer, I’ll try to find it. And check back for more reviews of skincare products that are free of harmful additives.