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- American Academy of Dermatology

By their 40s, many people find themselves applying a number of skin care products to keep the skin feeling and looking its best. An anti-aging product, such as one that contains an alpha hydroxy acid or a retinoid, often is added to the skin care routine. Moisturizer may be slathered on after every shower and bath. If you are not getting the desired results from your skin care products, be sure to try these dermatologists’ recommendations:

Apply Products in This Sequence

1. Medication. When using a topical medication, it is essential that you apply the medicine first. Slathering on a moisturizer or sunscreen before the medicine creates a barrier, which can prevent the medication from penetrating the skin and working.

2. Moisturizer. For best results, a moisturizer should be applied after bathing and spread on damp skin. Moisturizer forms a protective coating that reduces the amount of water lost through the skin. This, in turn, decreases dryness, itch, and cracking skin. When using a topical medication, be sure to apply the medication first. Then wait one or two minutes before applying the moisturizer so that the medication can penetrate the skin.

3. Sunscreen. Wearing sunscreen every day helps prevent premature aging caused by the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Dermatologists recommend applying a broad-spectrum (offers UVA and UVB protection) sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. To give the sunscreen time to work, be sure to apply it 20 minutes before going outdoors. While some makeup and moisturizers contain sunscreen, dermatologists recommend applying a separate sunscreen. The sunscreen found in moisturizers, foundations, and other products tends to have a low SPF, and this sunscreen usually wears off quickly.

4. Foundation. Applying a foundation over other topical products allows the products to work effectively and gives the best cosmetic result.

5. Powder, blush, and other makeup. Meant solely to improve a person’s appearance, these products look best when applied last.

Try Using Anti-aging Products Before Bed

While studies have not been conducted that prove anti-aging products work best when applied before bed, there are reasons to suspect that this may be true:

• The active ingredients in many anti-aging products remain active longer when not exposed to sunlight. Retinoids, which dermatologists recommend for speeding up the cell turnover that diminishes as we age, becomes ineffective when exposed to sunlight. Some antioxidants, which also help diminish signs of aging, do not work as well when exposed to sunlight.

• Retinoids make the skin more sensitive, and applying other skin care products on top of a retinoid can further irritate the skin. To work, retinoids must penetrate the outer layer of skin. Many people develop redness, flaky skin, and itch. These side effects may be exacerbated when another product is applied over the retinoid.

• Active ingredients may work better when not exposed to pollution and makeup. Some anti-aging ingredients are not very stable.

If you are not getting the results you want from your skin care products, be sure to try these recommendations. You may just see a visible difference.

References:
Draelos ZD. “Cosmetic Conundrums.” Dermatology Times. July 2006. p. 75.

Article Courtesy of the American Academy of Dermatology; http://www.aad.org/

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