The Two Most Important Anti-aging Routines

Without fail, when I see a commercial or an ad for a new, improved, miraculous, rapid, dermatologist approved skin cream, I think, “Wow. I really should get that.” Sometimes, the feeling lasts long enough that I actually make the purchase. Then, the ridiculously expensive product joins the dusty product graveyard haunting my bathroom vanity. “You bought us. You should use us. You are getting older by the second,” they shout. But the truth is, I don’t have the time or the organizational skills to maintain a complete skin care routine. I also don’t have the money to buy amazing product after amazing product.

I have narrowed it down to two important steps. If you can manage to include both of these into your daily personal maintenance, you will be O.K.

1. Exfoliate – Invest in a Clarisonic, or use a gentle daily cleanser with exfoliator in the shower. Exfoliation removes dead skin, stimulating the growth of new skin cells and will allow your moisturizer to absorb better.

2. Moisturize – Forget about the best this and the best that. Moisturize twice a day. In the morning, use a moisturizer with sunblock. In the evening, you can use a heavier moisturizer. The heavier ones don’t enter the skin around the eyes as well, so dilute your product with a few drops of water for this area.

I am purposely not making product recommendations, because the truth is this: if money and time are limited, keep it simple and use what you can afford. Unless they are paying for botox and plastic surgery, rich people with a lot of time on their hands don’t look any better. You may find one product works better for you. If so, stick with it and don’t succumb to temptation. The woman in the ad for the miracle skin cream is probably 26.