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| Foam cleanser in your hands first If your dab cleanser onto your face and then massage it into foam, it'll sit on your skin far too long and dry it out. Plus, it won't work as well. The foam is what helps break down makeup, so cleanser that's already frothy is more effective. Good Rule: Splash your face with tepid water and squeeze a nickel-sized dollop of cleanser onto your fingertips. Add water and rub for about 30 seconds to lather, then massage over your face in small circles (do it for about a minute). Splash with water until your face feels bubble-free-- but not tight (about 10-20 times). |
| Take eye makeup off with remover Soap can't break down mascara or liner, so you'll end up tugging the fragile skin around your eyes (which can lead to wrinkles) and drying it out (the eye area barely has any oil glands, and soap can strip away what little moisture is there). Good Rule: Saturate a cotton square with remover (for waterproof makeup, try Vicoria's Secret Take It All Off Makeup Remover, $9, here) and pat your top lid, outside to inside. Repeat on the bottom. Moisten a new square, fold it in half, and gently run your lashes between the fold to remove mascara. |
| Wash your face only twice a day Cleansing more often doesn't allow your glands to replenish the oil you've washed away. That causes your skin to dry out and you'll end up overproducing oil to try to combat the dryness. Hello, shine and breakouts! Good Rule: Wash your face morning and night. Follow your a.m. cleansing with an oil-free mosturizer with SPF 15. If you must wash again during the day (because of sports and what-not), do so-- but moisturize again so you don't dry out your skin. |
| Baby your under-eye area Under-eye skin is much thinner that the skin on your cheeks, and it doesn't have as many oil glands to keep it smooth and supple. Too much pulling, stretching, or rubbing can cause wrinkles to show up sooner (as early as your twenties!). Good Rule: Never, ever rub your eyes. When applying a product like concealer, pat it on with your ring finger (it's weaker than your index finger, so it puts less pressure on your skin). Dab on eye gel (use that ring finger!) every night before bed to hydrate thirsty under-eye skin. |
| Use products in the right order Acne mecication can't penetrate your pores and kill breakout-causing bacteria if you put it on after moisturizer or makeup. Those products can act like a barrier, leaving medication sitting on your skin instead of sinking into it. Good Rule: Use this trick to remember the right order: meds, moisture, makeup. Always apply acne medicine first (to freshly cleansed skin), wait five minutes, and then pat on a light moisturizer with sunblock. Last, apply whatever makeup you normally wear. |