In her career as a cosmetic chemist, Ni'Kita Wilson has formulated more than 2,000 skincare products. Her beauty mantra? "Accentuate the positive."
What's the best beauty treatment you've ever had?
Hands down, chemical peels. I got a light one on my first-ever spa visit about five years ago, and I've been hooked ever since. I loved the immediate glow, and over time I got fewer breakouts. Now I mix them up in the lab and do them myself once a month; lately I've been combining salicylic and lactic acids.

How many beauty products do you carry in your bag?
Ten. Nine lip products—from Blistex Raspberry Lemonade Blast to Chanel Glossimer—and one hand cream.

What's the skincare product you couldn't live without?
CoralActives Penetrating Acne Serum Gel. I still suffer from acne, and benzoyl peroxide is the only ingredient that keeps it under control. This serum mitigates the dryness caused by benzoyl peroxide and has an elegant, silky texture that feels grown-up and luxurious—rare for an acne product.

How often do you shampoo?
When I wear my hair natural, I wash it every day to revive my curls. If I take the time to straighten it, I usually wait at least a week before I wash it again. My favorite shampoo is L'Oréal EverCrème Cleansing Conditioner. It's very moisturizing; for extra smoothing, I don't rinse it out completely.

What is the most instantly transformative skincare ingredient?
Glycolic acid can turn dry, dull skin into radiant, smooth skin in one application.

What beauty product can we all ignore?
Lip exfoliators are a waste of money.

What's the most valuable thing on your bathroom counter?
My floss picks! I have a far greater fear of losing my teeth than of getting wrinkles.

More Stellar Beauty Advice
From the October 2012 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

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