How To Polish Like A Pro

The secret to radiant skin is a regimen with just the right balance of skin-renewing ingredients. Here’s how to get the glow.

- Brooke Le Poer Trench

BREAK THE RULES

We all cleanse and then exfoliate, but according to Beverly Hills-based dermatologist Harold Lancer, simply reversing these steps can help transform your complexion. “Exfoliating before cleansing allows for a deeper cleanse, more efficient delivery of active ingredients, and more robust cell renewal,” he says. Give it a try.

GET INFORMED

To find a formula that works for you, it helps to understand your options: “Mechanical polishers are scrubs with tiny grains or crystals that rub off dead skin cells, while chemical ones are made of enzyme-based ingredients from plants like papaya and pineapple that dissolve dead cells,” says Lancer, who believes a combination of both delivers the best results.

DROP ACID

Another big player: alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), including glycolic, lactic and citric, which work just like enzymes, dissolving the bonds between skin cells so they come away at the same time (a process that is invisible to the naked eye). And while it may sound counterintuitive, formulas with AHAs and enzymes are often best-suited to sensitive complexions that can be irritated by granular formulas.