The Easy Guide to Flawless Skin

Step 1. Once you've identified your beauty personality below, click to find the regimen that fits you to a tee.

Low Maintenance
You like camping (and you don't need a tent).
You moisturize with "whatever's around."
You use your tweezers about twice a year...to remove splinters.

What You Need: Cleansers | Day Moisturizers | Night creams




The Middle Way
You liked going to camp.
You feel overdressed if your blush is visible.
You "clean up" your eyebrows every few months.

What You Need: Cleansers | Day Moisturizers | Night creams | Exfoliators | Eye Creams



High Maintenance
The only camp you like is Dame Edna. Your bare-naked face involves tinted moisturizer, lip gloss, and mascara. You carry tweezers and a magnifying mirror in your Balenciaga bag.

What You Need: Cleansers | Day Moisturizers | Night creams | Exfoliators | Eye Creams | Spot Treatments | Masks | Allover Treatments

Does your skin look shiny, even shortly after you've washed your face?

Try a gel formula, like Bioré Steam Activated Cleanser ($8; drugstores). It contains cooling mint extract and green tea to dissolve excess oil.


Ten minutes postcleanse, does your skin feel tight when you smile?

You need a creamy cleanser. The glycerin and lily extract in Chanel Mousse Confort Rinse-Off Rich Foaming Cream Cleanser ($45; Chanel.com) gently clean and moisturize skin.


Are you frequently dealing with breakouts?

The salicylic acid in Noxema Clean Blemish Control Foaming Wash ($6; drugstores) prevents and treats blemishes, while glycerin locks in moisture.


Do you wear waterproof eye makeup?

Dior Instant Eye Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes ($28; department stores) is strong enough to sweep away even the inkiest mascara but also has antioxidant white tea to prevent irritation. Use it before washing with your regular cleanser.

Would you like your skin to look firmer?

The hibiscus seed extract in Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Plump Perfect Ultra All Night Repair and Moisture Cream ($62; ElizabethArden.com) may help support collagen and elastin in the skin.


Do you want to minimize wrinkles?


The hyaluronic acid in Estée Lauder Time Zone Night Anti-Line/Wrinkle Creme ($63; EsteeLauder.com) plumps fine lines instantly (though temporarily), and rice extract helps soften creases over time.


Is your skin sometimes very dry and flaky?


L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Hydra-Nutrition ($17; drugstores) contains four oils—from apricot kernel, corn, rice bran, and passion fruit seeds—to deeply moisturize.

Is your skin easily irritated?


Avène Hydrance Optimale Light Hydrating Cream ($27; Drugstore.com) is formulated with lightweight moisturizers like safflower oil and glycerin. Let it soak in for a couple of minutes; then apply sunscreen.


Do you want to minimize fine lines while you moisturize?


Layer Olay Total Effects Plus Cooling Hydration ($19; drugstores) under your sunscreen. Niacinamide (vitamin B3) and vitamins C and E smooth dry patches and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.


Are you concerned about uneven skin tone?


Origins Brighter by Nature SPF 35 ($43; Origins.com) uses red seaweed, mushroom, and apple and cucumber extracts to treat discoloration. The substantial SPF helps prevent new discoloration caused by sun exposure.


Do you wear foundation?


Instead, you might try a moisturizer that does double duty. Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 ($13; Target stores nationwide) comes in four shades and includes light-reflecting pigments to minimize any imperfections.

Do you have acne-prone skin?


Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Redness Soothing Gentle Scrub ($8; drugstores) contains 2 percent salicylic acid to clean oil and dirt from pores, and soft synthetic microbeads to buff away flakes. Soothing aloe and chamomile make it gentle enough to use every day.


Does your skin tend to get blotchy or red?


Granular scrubs might be too harsh for you. Instead, try Nia Rapid Exfoliating Serum ($75; Nia24.com), a silky leave-on treatment that slowly loosens and dissolves dead (and dulling) skin cells with a mix of prickly pear and willow bark.


Do you have stubborn rough patches—and a love of nifty gadgets?


Try DDF Revolve 400X Micro-Polishing System ($95; DDFSkincare.com). Its (battery-operated) spinning foam sponge massages baking soda "polishing crystals" over the skin for an instantly smoother complexion.

Does your eye area tend to get puffy?


The zinc, copper, and magnesium in Roc Complete Lift Contouring Eye Roller ($23; drugstores) temporarily tighten the skin around the eyes, while the wand's cold tip helps reduce inflammation.


Do you wake up with dark circles—even after eight hours of sleep?


Jurlique Herbal Recovery Eye Cream ($40; Jurlique.com) fades discoloration and softens skin with herbs including arnica and eyebright.

Does an occasional blemish ruin your day?


Dot on Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions Targeted Spot Treatment ($10; drugstores), which unclogs pores with salicylic acid and reduces redness with tea tree, calendula, and parsley extracts.


Do you want to get rid of a couple of dark spots ?


Clarins On-the-Spot Brightening Corrector ($35; ClarinsUSA.com) contains sea lily and raspberry extracts to fade existing discoloration; white tea helps prevent further pigment-producing damage.

Does your skin feel parched?


Ahava Intensive Hydration Mask ($30; Ahava.com) includes magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium to give the skin a heavy hit of moisture. For best results, apply before bedtime and leave on overnight.


Do you want to bring radiance back to your skin?


The vitamin C and eucalyptus extract in Boscia Luminizing Black Mask ($34; Sephora.com) brighten and soothe skin, while the calcium montmorillonite clay cleans away oil and dirt. Apply it all over your face and gently peel off after 15 minutes.

Does your skin often look dull?


Avon Anew Clinical Luminosity Pro Brightening Serum ($54; Avon.com) contains a mild alpha hydroxy acid exfoliator to remove dead skin cells, and a pigment inhibitor (L-aspartic acid) to lighten dark spots. Every night, after cleansing and before moisturizing, blend it all over your face.


Do you have fine lines—and a flush bank account?


Splurge on La Mer Regenerating Serum ($250; LaMer.com), which contains wrinkle-smoothing sea kelp and lime tea, and skin-firming marine algae. Use it before your moisturizer every morning and night.


Would you like a treatment that covers all the bases?


It's not as powerful as a prescription-strength retinoid, but Philosophy Miraculous Anti-Aging Retinoid Pads and Solution ($70; Philosophy.com) will help reduce discoloration and boost collagen production to smooth lines. Pour the solution over the pads before the first use; wipe your face with one of them every night.


Have you not always been loyal to sunscreen?


Then you probably have sun damage (discoloration, lines, and roughness). Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & UV Damage Corrector ($45; Clinique.com) includes a blend of enzymes, peptides, and antioxidants that boost the skin's ability to repair UV damage. Apply the serum twice a day before your moisturizer (and in the morning, before your sunscreen).

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