Busy Girl Skincare

An easy skincare how-to that will help keep breakouts and wrinkles at bay, without taking up too much of your precious time

Neglect your skin now and you'll pay for it later in the form of breakouts, sunspots and—gasp!—premature aging. But don't worry. You don't have to spend hours getting facials and slathering on oodles of magical creams. We asked Paul M. Friedman, M.D., director of the Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center in Houston, to share a manageable morning and nighttime skincare plan. He delivered this fast, effective regimen that even the busiest of gals can easily squeeze into their day.

In the A.M.
Apply a moisturizer plus SPF. “Regardless of any measure you take to improve your skin, maintaining these results will be difficult if you do not appropriately protect your skin from the sun,” says Friedman. Since moisturizer is also a must for healthy skin, kill two birds with one stone with a double-duty product like Olay Complete Ageless Skin Renewing UV Lotion SPF 20.

In the P.M.
Cleanse. You should always start your nighttime routine by removing your makeup—especially eye makeup to avoid irritation—using a mild cleanser. If you simply can't be bothered with the washcloth, soap, eye makeup remover and cotton pad routine, you'll be relieved to find that Boots No7 Quick Thinking 4-in-1 Wipes make the task beyond easy. A quick swipe of the disposable cloth will cleanse, remove eye makeup, moisturize and tone all in one fell swoop! Now you have no excuses to go to bed with your face on!

Apply a night cream. If you want to stop the signs of aging, Friedman recommends using a night cream with retinol or a prescription-based retinoid cream like Philosophy Help Me retinoid cream to help combat the appearance of fine lines and reverse sun damage. Want something milder? Look for an antioxidant-rich moisturizing night cream, which can restore the look of younger skin by hydrating the top layer of skin and promoting new collagen growth below. According to Friedman, eye creams aren't necessary.

“The eye area needs the same gentle state-of-the-art ingredients that are required for the rest of the face,” he says. And remember, if you're acne-prone, be sure to choose a cream labeled “non-comedogenic,” which means it won't clog your pores. 

Once a Week
Use a scrub. Make Sunday scrub day and you'll never forget to swap out your cleanser for an exfoliating product that will help to unclog pores and slough away dead skin cells, revealing brighter, younger looking skin. Try Dermalogicia Daily Resurfacer.

Once a Month
Apply a hydrating mask. During cold months, your complexion could use an occasional extra rich dose of hydration to improve dry skin. Try the Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Facial Mask which is a quick fix for dull, tired and sallow skin. Insta-rejuvenation!