5 Reasons to Add Masks to Your Regimen

1. Masks are powerfully concentrated. Masks are able to contain these higher levels of key ingredients because chemists do not have to be concerned with how blendable a product is that is rinsed off after a few minutes – or thrown away, if you use a sheet mask. Sheet masks, like SkinCeuticals Biocellulose Restorative Masque, are single-use masks that are individually sealed. These masks have extra muscle because they are sealed and protected from the air, which oxidizes and weakens many of the key ingredients.

2. Masks enhance the products in your regimen. You can achieve quicker and even better results, if you

Your Don’t-Forget Beauty List

1. Clean out your make-up bag.

When makeup has expired, the color can change and go on blotchy. Even worse than that, it can harbor all sorts of bacteria that you don’t want near your face. As a general rule of thumb, toss mascaras and eyeliners after

The Best Exfoliators for Your Skin Type

Exfoliating regularly leaves your skin with a smooth, healthy finish. Here are some tips for choosing the best exfoliator for your skin type.

Normal Skin

Glycolic acid is one of the most effective exfoliators and is great for normal skin types. It can also be slightly irritating, so moisturize after to prevent inflammation. Look for moisturizers for sensitive skin with ceramides or green tea. Start off with a cleanser like Neostrata Foaming Glycolic Wash or Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid 3% Facial Wash, and follow up with a soothing moisturizer, like Celfix DNA Ceramide Renewal Nourishing Cream and Topix Replenix Green Tea Cream. A sonic skin brush, like Clarisonic Mia Skin Care System White can also be used weekly in conjunction with your facial cleanser.

Oily or Combination Skin

A scrub with microbeads or sugar once a week and a salicylic acid-infused cleanser every day sounds like sloughing overload, but scrubs, like SkinCeuticals Micro Exfoliating Scrub and Vivite Exfoliating Facial Cleanser sweeps away dead cells so the salicylic acid can penetrate and clean clogged pores. For your “every day cleanser”, we recommend Obagi CLENZIderm MD Daily Care Foaming Cleanser and Clarisonic Acne Daily Clarifying Cleanser.

Dry, Sensitive, or Very Fair Skin

Try products that contain lactic acid, like Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Cleanser and PCA Skin Body Therapy. Lactic acid is a relatively large molecule that can’t penetrate the skin as deeply as the other alpha hydroxy acods, which means its not as abrasive. Unfortunately, anything else may make your skin drier, redder, and more sensitive.

What is your favorite exfoliator?