Have You Used the Same Skin-Care Since You Were a Teenager?

By Heather Muir, Allure magazine

If you answered yes, you're not alone. A recent Glowelle study reveals that nearly 50 percent of women have adhered to the same basic skin regimen since they were teenagers. Sure, once you figure out the perfect concoction of face wash (whether it be old-school Noxzema, Clinique bar soap), spot treatment, and moisturizer that makes your complexion behave, you stick to it.

Personally, I was a home-grown Mary Kay teen. My mother sold the products (no pink Cadillac, though) so I had access to everything. Though I loved the company's three step skin-care system at the time, my skin's needs changed over the years, plus my eyes were opened to millions of new products and tips from dermatologists when I became a beauty editor. And though some Mary Kay products still call my makeup bag home (their eyeliners and eye makeup remover are my favorites), I've made these upgrades and additions.

Related: Best of Beauty 2010: Sensitive Skin

Enter in eye cream. Because the skin around your eye is thin and delicate, it's essential to keep it hydrated. Whether you want to de-puff bags (I'm currently obsessed with Clinique All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage), brighten dark circles, or just prevent crinkles, patting on an eye cream with your fourth finger (it's the weakest so it'll tug at the skin least) is a must. And with all things anti-aging, why wait? The sooner you start slathering, the preventing and correcting will begin.

Speed up cell turnover. Remember the days when you got a pimple on Monday and all traces of it were gone by Thursday? Now, it seems like it takes the dark marks zits can leave behind months to finally fade away. Try swiping a glycolic face pad before bed (I swear by Cane + Austin Retexturizing Treatment Pads) to exfoliate your complexion and boost your skin cell turnover.

Up your acne ante. If you were lucky, and just any drugstore acne product kept your skin under control in high school, it doesn't mean it'll do the same into your 20s and 30s. Tons of friends and colleagues complain they experience more skin issues now than they did in their teens. Instead of staying loyal to your high school face wash, you may need something with stronger ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. A couple of us in the office swear by Proactiv, others depend on their dermatologist to prescribe a skin-clearing cream.

Related: Insiders' Guide: How to Best Apply Skin Products

Team sunscreen. In high school, the only time I applied SPF was on vacation at the beach. Fast forward years later, after talking to many dermatologists and skin cancer survivors about just how damaging the sun really is, I've made it a part of my daily routine. Now it's in my moisturizer, foundation, and powder so even on days when my skin is only exposed to the sun on my five block walk to work, it's protected.

Bonus: The secret spot not to neglect. Years ago, I focused solely on my face. Nowadays, especially after spending time with my mother and grandmother, I'm reminded that giving my neck and hands some care is a must. Do you need to invest in a special neck cream? Nah, just use swift upward strokes to apply a rich moisturizer to your neck to keep it supple.

What upgrades have you made to your skin-care routine?

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Photo Credit: WWD