Five Simple Steps to Fresh Skin

I love sharing this article from Oprah ... great tips .. can make it as the new year resolution!

The face is a canvas for makeup, and good skincare will keep your canvas in tip-top condition. Laura Mercier suggests five very simple steps for women of all ages to follow religiously in order to keep facial skin smooth and glowing, with or without makeup!

Step 1: Never wear makeup to bed! Having grown up with some women who wore their makeup to bed, Laura has seen the toll it can take on the skin. Good cleansing can clear away a good deal of makeup, but Laura suggests also using a makeup remover especially for the eyes—one that conditions the eye area's delicate skin while removing all traces of makeup.

Step 2: Cleanse thoroughly, morning and night, with a gentle cleanser or cream that doesn’t contain perfumes or harsh artificial additives. By cleansing, you'll eliminate dirt and clear your pores, letting skin breathe.

Step 3: Rinse very well every time you wash your face. Splash, splash, splash the water over your entire face and neck until all remnants of the soap and makeup are down the drain.

Step 4: Use an alcohol-free toner if you have oily skin to gently clear away excess oil and smooth skin. Laura says she "is against anyone using alcohol on their skin to get rid of oil." Alcohol is harsh and dries skin, which then causes oil glands to overcompensate by producing more oil. "Many women don't realize that skin can be oily and dehydrated at the same time," Laura explains. "If you've wiped all the oil away, your skin may appear dry while your oil glands are activating under the skin and ready to compensate for the dryness."

Step 5: Moisturize with an oil-free, non-comedogenic moisturizer. "I really advise every woman from her 20s and older to moisturize every day," says Laura. "You need to add moisture back into skin because age, pollution, harsh weather and even air conditioning can dry skin. You can find a good quality moisturizer in the mass market without spending a fortune."

Now check out Laura Mercier's customized skincare tips for women in their 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond.