We spend countless hours and money on skincare – the latest products, our tired and true do-it-yourself remedies and trips to the dermatologist and the spa. Perhaps without knowing it, you may be defeating all your best efforts by breaking the six simple rules that make your skincare work for you. Take a look, are you a rule breaker? If so, you could take your skincare to the next level by incorporating these tips into your daily routine.

Rule 1: Don’t touch your face! Your hands touch so many surfaces they are a magnet for dirt and germs. Rub your eyes, stroke your chin, cup your cheek, and you`ve transferred everything on your hands to your face. You also cause your skin to produce more oil when you constantly touch it. And you’ll need more touch-ups throughout the day and layers of makeup are bad news for clogged pores.

Rule 2: Stop with one glass of wine or one alcoholic drink. Overdoing it enlarges the blood vessels near the surface of your facial skin.

Rule 3: Periodically dab on loose powder to blot excess oil. Don`t use pressed powder, which actually contains oil as an ingredient.

Rule 4: Use a single family of skincare products. If you buy and use lots of different skin-care products, there`s a good chance some contain the same ingredients, thus making them redundant, says Cara DeCenso, a Manhattan aesthetician. And some brands just aren`t very compatible with others, though you`d have no way of knowing that until you already paid for and opened them. You`ll get much better results if you use products that are designed and formulated to work together.

Rule 4: Switch moisturizers every time the seasons change. Your skin needs more moisture in the winter than in the summer. So the same day you bring those sweaters down from the attic for the winter, buy a heavier moisturizer. When you trade in sweaters for shorts, switch to a lighter one.

Rule 5: Here`s one for men: Recognize that skin-preserving products like cleansers and moisturizers aren`t just for women. Men need skin care just as much as their wives and sisters. To prevent wrinkles and skin cancer, use a moisturizer containing a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 daily. Also use a gentle exfoliant weekly and a nighttime moisturizer that contains alpha hydroxy acids to encourage skin regeneration.

Rule 6: Avoid these three skin destroyers: Smoking, tanning salons, and sunbathing. All three will age your skin prematurely. For even more protection, apply a cream containing vitamin C to your face over your sunblock. The cream helps prevent facial skin damage, dehydration, and wrinkles. Also try creams containing vitamin E or beta carotene.

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