1. Take it off every night

   Do you often wake up to raccoon eyes and yesterday’s makeup? From now on, make your #1 skincare priority a commitment to cleanse the face each night before bed — no matter how tired you are.

   Start with a gentle, non-irritating eye makeup remover such as Pevonia Eye Make-Up Remover. To thoroughly cleanse the eye area, soak a cotton-pad with a small amount of eye makeup remover, and then hold it gently over the closed eyelid and lashes to loosen eye shadow and mascara. To completely remove mascara, soak one end of a cotton-swab in the product and gently rub the lash line to eliminate any leftover pigment.

   Next, wash the rest of the face with a cleanser specifically tailored to your skin type. Got oily skin? Try a formula designed to help normalize the skin and reduce shine, such as La Roche Effaclar Foaming Purifying Gel. For skin that’s acne-prone or blemished, a cleanser with salicylic or glycolic acid is a good choice. Try Murad Clarifying Cleanser or SkinCeuticals Clarifying Cleanser. Finally, normal skin types will enjoy the creamy light texture of Yonka Lait Nettoyant, which is also mild enough to remove eye makeup.

   Massage a small amount of cleanser between wet hands until foamy and then rub the cleanser carefully onto the skin, avoiding the eye area. Rinse well with warm water, pat dry and follow with appropriate skincare treatments and moisturizer.

2. Combating daily hair damage

   From ponytail elastics and over-zealous brushing to hats, headbands and barrettes, hair takes an awful lot of abuse. To keep it healthy, make hair care a priority.

   Today, at-home masks and creams come in many shapes, sizes and smells. Regardless of hair type, a weekly hydrating hair mask is an effective treatment for everyone, whether your strands are curly, straight, over-processed, dry or coarse. In only a few minutes, you can restore shine, strength and flexibility to hair, while protecting against environmental and UV damage.

   For a fragrant and hydrating treat, try Oscar Blandi Trattamento di Jasmine Smoothing Hair Treatment, which will strengthen hair and defeat frizz. Another great choice, Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Hair Masque uses caviar extracts and antioxidants to revitalize over-processed or dry hair.

3. Anti-aging for eyes

   Protecting the skin against sun damage and environmental aging is part of many beauty routines these days, but what about the eyes? Using a specific eye cream with SPF is important. That’s because the skin around the eyes is thinner and more delicate than the rest of the face.

   For a lightweight formula with UV protection and vitamin C, keep Murad Essential-C Eye Cream, SPF 15 on hand all year long. Each morning, simply pat a pea-sized amount gently around the entire eye area (avoiding the lid) and up over the brow bone. This ensures the skin stays hydrated and protected.

   If you have dry skin and need more moisture, Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Plump Perfect Eye Moisture Cream SPF 15 is a perfect choice. With ceramides to hydrate, Argireline to plump and smooth fine lines, and encapsulated SPF 15, this eye cream is ideal for even the most delicate, sensitive eyes.

4. Apply, and reapply, the SPF

   While some sunscreens promise all-day protection, you still need to reapply them every two hours — more often if you’re swimming or sweating and during peak sun hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

   Worried about disrupting your makeup? Opt for a sunscreen in powder or spray-on mist form and reapply every few hours to exposed skin, including your lips, nose, chest, tops of the ears and back of the neck and hands. Try Dr. Michelle Copeland SPF 40 Lotion Mist Sun Block or Colorescience SPF 30 All Clear Sparkles Brush.

   Don’t forget to check the expiration dates on all your sun protection products. If the product has expired or you notice a change in smell or consistency, throw it out.

5. Attack acne like a grown-up

   The products you used in the old days to banish blemishes might be too harsh for your skin today. For instance, many products contain 10 percent of benzoyl peroxide, which can be too abrasive and drying on adult skin. Instead, try DDF BP 5% Gel with Tea Tree Oil for a non-irritating spot treatment. If you have sensitive skin, Real Simple recommends investing in a product with sulfur or no more than 2 percent of salicylic acid.

   In addition to applying spot treatment, Real Simple also suggests adopting a routine that includes a gentle cleansing product (pass up gel cleansers, because they can contain alcohol), alcohol-free toner and either a noncomedogenic moisturizer for dry skin or a light lotion for acne-prone complexions.

6. TLC after topical treatments

   Intense treatments, such as acid peels or Retin-A, can make skin extra-sensitive to the environment — especially sunlight. And although the most effective protection might be to stay indoors, that’s rarely an option.

   Shield treated areas with sunscreen, a hat and protective clothing (i.e. long sleeves and pants). Protect any area that’s undergone treatment from sunlight — UV rays can adversely react with these treatments, causing hyperpigmentation or scars. Even indirect exposure from sitting next to a window or driving in the car can be too much. For full protection, apply DDF Moisturizing Photo-Age Sunscreen SPF 30 and don’t forget the backs of the hands.

7. Nurture your neck and chest

   The dècolletage is one of the first areas to show the cumulative effects of aging, so don’t limit skincare to just the face. Make caring for your neck and chest a daily habit: Apply anti-aging treatments, moisturizer and most importantly, sunscreen. Although this new habit won’t erase evidence of past neglect, it will protect this delicate area from further environmental damage, such as the sun.

   For the smoothest skin possible, exfoliate the neck and chest area two to three times a week with a glycolic acid treatment, such as Peter Thomas Roth Multi-Action All-In-One Micro-Dermabrasion, and follow with an antioxidant rich hydrator like Dr. Brandt V-Zone Neck Cream.

8. Say no to straw-sipping

   Sipping through a straw is innocent enough, right? As with smoking, habitually drinking beverages (especially thick ones) through a straw can cause permanent lines in the upper lip through the repetitive movement of upper lip muscles. In addition, aging speeds up the process by diminishing collagen and elastin in these areas.

   To get ahead of this process, skip the straws and begin using skincare treatments with vitamin C to kick-start a natural production of collagen and elastin: Murad City Skin Detox Treatment and SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic are great for all skin types.

9. Change with the season

   As the leaves fall, ice melts and temperatures boil, our skin also begins to change, requiring different products for every season. This doesn’t mean you need to alter your entire routine, but you might need to change out a few items. For instance, when winter arrives, your once normal to oily complexion can become drier. Come the summer, however, and you’re constantly running out of blotting papers.

   To save dry skin during wintertime, invest in an oil-based moisturizer, suggests the American Academy of Dermatology. Try a rich cream like Decleor Nutri-Delice Meltingly Soft Nourishing Cream.

   During the summer, for skin that tends to be oily, follow your soap-free cleanser with an alcohol-free toner, suggests O, The Oprah Magazine. For a light-weight lotion, try DDF Ultra Light Oil Free Moisturizing Dew.

10. Embrace natural beauty

    Heavy, camouflaging makeup, foundation or self-tanner isn’t the answer to skincare woes. Let the skin’s natural beauty shine by following a simple mantra for maintenance: Less is more. Wearing heavy makeup only highlights fine lines, wrinkles and other imperfections and makes you look years older. Instead, use tinted moisturizer or foundation powder, such as MD Skin Care All-In-One Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15, for a naturally radiant complexion.

See also:

Two of a Kind: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Aging

Tips for a Beautiful Neck & Dècolletè

10 Simple Secrets to Healthy Hair

Beating the Winter Skin Blahs