1. Use a cleanser with horsepower... To unclog pores and make them appear smaller, lather up with formulas filled with glycolic, lactic or salicylic acid (such as our Aloe Eucalyptus (Acne Heal) Cleanser to accelerate exfoliation.

2.  It is important to exfoliate your skin at least once or twice per week. Facial exfoliators are essential to keep skin soft and glowing. They help slough off dead skin cells and keep pores clear. This sloughing action also smoothes and clarifies the face's complexion. An exfoliator is a great pick-me-up for tired, dull skin. It is also a good way to deal with rough or flaky skin. 

3. To balance the pH of your skin and begin the hydration process, follow cleansing with a tonique. Toniques are great to use any time for hydration and a quick pick-me-up.

4. Regular cleansing will remove surface dirt and grime, but only a facial masque will actually draw out impurities from beneath the top layers of the epidermis. Masking helps exfoliate dead skin cells and unclog pores so your toning, hydrating and protecting products work more effectively. Masques also help stimulate blood circulation and leave your skin feeling smoother and softer.

5. Damage from free radicals is one of the primary causes of fine lines and uneven tone. Minimize future wrinkles and blotchiness with anti-oxidants, applying a serum or cream that contains a free-radical fighter, such as vitamin C, vitamin E and green tea extract every morning after cleansing. Apply the serum first and let it soak in for 1 - 2 minutes. Then, apply moisturizer.

6. Dead cells are complexion enemy number one. So, after exfoliating and masking in the evening, slather on a retinoid cream. Retinoid creams speed up the rate at which the body sheds dead skin. But retinoids benefits don't stop there. Vitamin A also stimulates collagen production (making skin look plumper and fine lines smoother) and normalizes cells exposed to UV rays, effectively undoing sun damage. The downside? Overusing Retinoids can be irritating, so we advocate a flexible retinoid regimen. We suggest alternating daily between Retinol Facial Moisturizer and one of our other moisturizers for your skin type/condition. Retinol Moisturizer also helps in fading sunspots. If you find this crème too irritating to leave on all night, using it as a masque boosts the effects without causing flaking. You may also try applying one of the regular moisturizers under the Retinol to reduce the strength. Or, cut back on how often you apply it (i.e. every third night rather than seven days a week).

7. Yes, retinoids boost collagen and elastin production in the skin. But vitamin A alone does not do enough plumping, so over this, we recommend layering a second topical containing peptides. Our Red Wine Rose Petal with Co-Q-10, Resveratrol and Peptides Moisturizer pr our Cell Therapy Moisturizer with Apple Stem Cells and Peptides are very hydrating, so you won't need an additional moisturizer. So, when in a hurry, a speedy procedure to use most nights... just cleanse, tone, apply Retinol Moisturizer and top it off with Red Wine Rose Petal Moisturizer... and hit the sheets. There is reason to save these big-gun treatments like retinoids and peptides for nighttime... your body temperature goes up while you sleep and the heat helps products penetrate skin better.