How to Perfect Your Skin

It's possible to have truly lovely skin at any age. We're all beautiful in our own way, but different skin tones actually require care that targets certain areas. Fair skin may show ruddiness, but darker skin has more of a chance of showing visible discoloration. No matter what shade your complexion, here are some special tips to keep your skin looking top-notch.

Things You'll Need

• Alpha-hydroxy cleanser (for fair compexions)
• Moisturizer with SPF 30 sunscreen
• Exfoliant
• Salicylic acid facial cleanser (for medium and dark complexions)
• Hair growth retardant moisturizer (for medium complexions)
• Fade cream for hyper-pigmentation spots (for medium and dark complexions)
• Shower gel (for dark complexions)
• Rich body moisturizer (for dark complexions)
• Sharp razor
• Shaving cream or gel
• Shaving bump gel

Instructions

1. Focus on sun protection, balancing and wrinkle prevention if you're fair-skinned.

   - If there's sensitivity, use a gentle cleanser instead of a scrub. Follow this with a moisturizer containing an SPF 30 full-spectrum sunscreen. If you can't find one, purchase facial sunscreen from your local beauty seller.

   - Cosmo advises, "At night, opt for a cream that contains alpha-hydroxy acids or retinol to help speed up cell turnover."

   - Keep an eye on moles and growths. If they look weird, get a doctor's opinion.

   - Exfoliate every few days to cut down on dullness and signs of aging.

2. Medium-toned people should focus on minimizing pores and oily buildup. There's also the chance of hyper-pigmentation from waxing and pimples, as well as more densely-packed hair growth on the face.

   - Salicylic acid washes are great for freshening skin. Stay away from astringents and lotions that have a cooling effect, especially on freshly-shaven areas. "Apply a lotion that doesn't contain ethyl or isopropyl alcohol. Though alcohol and alcohol-based products may feel cooling, they don't really soothe irritated skin because the alcohol evaporates rapidly from the skin," writes the Mayo Clinic.

   - To fade out spots like old pimples and bug bites, use a fade gel or cream. Cosmo states, "Hydroquinone-spiked fading creams reduce the production of new melanin and help to whisk away existing spots. Newer fading formulas use botanicals purported to help disperse existing pigment clusters into less noticeable particles."

   - Lotions that slow hair growth on the face and body can help with uneven coloring. To get rid of facial hair, threading may be better than waxing, since there's less of a chance of hyper-pigmentation.

3. Those with darker skin should focus on keeping skin tone even. Because the smallest blemish can result in a hyper-pigmented spot, Cosmo advises taking preventative measures against acne.

   - Wash with a salicylic acid cleanser to prevent breakouts, followed by an anti-blemish oil-free moisturizer. Sunscreen is still a must, even with darker skin.

   - Use a rich body moisturizer that won't wear off during the day to avoid the dread ashiness. Shea butter is wonderful, as is cocoa butter.

   - For the body, shower gel is better than soap since it's not as drying.

   - Ingrown hairs are a huge problem when shaving. Use a fresh razor, thick shave cream or hair conditioner and follow up with Bikini Bare razor bump gel or cream.

Tips & Warnings

• Get lots of regular sleep. Since sleep regulates the body's regenerative processes, new skin cell growth depends on getting enough shut eye. Don't deprive yourself of at least 7 hours of quality rest.

• Stop smoking if you want to look good. Smoking will wear lines into your face, discolor your skin and potentially scorch nearby skin over time. It's a rough habit on the body, so drop it for your skin's sake.

• Darker skinned people should always stay aware of changing moles or other skin trouble spots. Cosmo says, "Here are all the classic patterns of potential cancerous growths to look out for: moles and bumps that change shape or color, or that bleed or hurt, or that don't heal. Pay special attention to your palms, soles, and the skin under your nails, areas where there is a higher incidence of melanoma among African-Americans."

Resources

• Cosmopolitan: The Surprising Secret to Perfect Skin
• Mayo Clinic: Top 5 Habits for Healthy Skin