How to Get—and Keep!—Perfect Skin in 2015

Start with an essence.

If you haven't heard of essences, they're an Asian skin-care import that are as light as toners—but instead of cleansing or stripping the skin with alcohol, they hydrate with a humectant, like glycerin.
And if adding an extra product to your skin-care routine sounds like a pain, we've got two good reasons to reconsider: First, essences make skin really dewy right away; second, they make the rest of your skin-care routine more effective. "Essences soften dead skin cells on the stratum corneum, so anything you put on top penetrates the skin more effectively," says Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. "You can wear one under serums for an extra hydrating or anti-aging punch without feeling it on your skin." Try Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence (a cult favorite) or Ling New York Hydrating Essence.

 

Look all radiant and glow-y.

If you're old enough to have a margarita, you'll want to read this, since skin gets duller starting around age 20, when cell turnover slows. And if you had a margarita last night, you'll really want to read this, since alcohol, sugar, and salt all zap radiance (sorry!): Using a serum or cream with brightening ingredients, like vitamin C or soy, each morning can make your skin radiant in about one month (we like Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 with soy and SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Combination Antioxidant Treatment with vitamin C). If your skin is sensitive, try a formula with niacinamide instead, which calms redness while brightening (we like Olay Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream Moisturizer). Plus, all three brightening ingredients help fade brown spots that prevent skin from reflecting light and prevent new ones. "By 30, many people have pigmentation under the skin that's not yet visible to the naked eye," says Zoe Draelos, a consulting professor of dermatology at Duke University. "Treating spots before you see them can keep them from surfacing."

 

Get rid of brown spots for good.

Over-the-counter skin care can only really get rid of brown spots that you've had for less than six months. Spots that have been around longer than that "require prescription hydroquinone, which can take up to three months to make a noticeable difference, or a professional laser treatment," says David Bank, a dermatologist in Mount Kisco, New York. "If you've got lots of sun spots across your chest, you'd have to go through half a tube of hydroquinone every night." He suggests removing them with a Fraxel laser instead—but before you get sticker shock, be warned: It costs up to $1,500 per treatment and takes several sessions. If that's not happening anytime soon, using a tinted moisturizer on your chest can make sun spots less noticeable because it reflects light without looking too makeup-y.

 

 

Skim ingredient lists for peptides.

They're one of dermatologists' favorite anti-aging ingredients because they signal skin cells to produce more collagen—the stuff that makes your skin firmer, smoother, more glow-y, and all-around younger-looking. We like the Olay Regenerist line and NuFace Smoother Powerhouse Peptide Serum, since they contain peptides called matrixyl and argireline that have some of the best science behind them, says Jeannette Graf, a dermatologist in Great Neck, New York. Another benefit of peptides? They can make undereye circles less noticeable by thickening collagen in the area (we like Dr. Brandt Triple Peptide Eye Cream).

 

Wear sunscreen year-round.

Even when it's 50 degrees and overcast (no joke). "Ninety percent of fine lines are caused by sun exposure, which makes sunscreen the ultimate anti-ager," says Doris Day, a dermatologist in New York City. Plus, your skin will be better hydrated, since UV rays also damage ceramides (good fats in the skin that prevent dryness). Get a tinted moisturizer with sunscreen—you can reapply it over your foundation without messing up your makeup and it'll actually make your skin look better. "I smooth it over my makeup before I go outside throughout the day," says Ellen Marmur, a dermatologist in New York City. Try La Roche-Posay Tinted Anthelios 50 Mineral Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid or (Marmur's pick) Chanel Vitalumière.

 

Get a sheet mask—or DIY one.

Sheet masks are shaped like a face, Hannibal Lecter–style, and infused with moisturizer. "The sheet creates a barrier that seals more moisture into your skin than if you were to use a similar cream or lotion by itself," says Graf. "If you use one every night of the week leading up to a big event, your skin will glow." We like Masque Bar by Look Beauty Brightening Sheet Mask and Giorgio Armani Luminessence Bright Infusion Bio-Cellulose Mask. You can also make your own sheet mask when you want a quick glow by soaking a cotton cloth in a moisturizing serum or essence.

 

 

Supplement your skin care.

Your skin uses omega fatty acids to create natural moisturizing oils. "Studies show that omega-3 supplements have the greatest effect on hydration," says Jessica Wu, a dermatologist in Los Angeles.

 

 

Be a clean freak (kind of).

At the very least, use cleansing wipes before bed; if you don't take off your makeup, it can trap aging free radicals against your skin overnight, says Howard Sobel, a dermatologist in New York City. (Try Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes.) A cleansing brush can remove pollution and dirt from your skin while it exfoliates; the Foreo Luna has silicone nubs that get the job done with irritating skin.

 

 

Amp up your routine once a week.

Glycolic acid "safely treats lines and discoloration on all skin types," says Wu. You can find lotions and face washes with the ingredient, "but individually-wrapped peel pads are most effective because the pH of glycolic acid can change when it's exposed to air." (We like Bliss That's Incredi-Peel.)