Natural Skin Care

You manage to find the time to incorporate manicures, pedicures and haircuts into your busy schedule on a regular basis. But do you treat your skin right? Washing your face and removing makeup before bed is a start, but a weekly deep cleaning is essential to keeping your skin looking and feeling its best. We asked Manhattan-based skin care expert Lia Schorr to give us some tips for an easy and effective skin cleansing regimen to prep skin for changing seasons.

Watch Video: Skin Care for the Seasons

Step 1: Cleanse

Cleanse your face with a gentle, creamy liquid cleanser. "Bar soap is not only drying, but it's not hygienic," she says. "The dirt that comes off your hands ends up on your face." Put your liquid cleanser on a ball of cotton and then apply it to your skin. (Your hands just aren't clean enough, she says.) Make sure you rinse with lukewarm water because hot water can aggravate the skin and inflame capillaries.

Step 2: Tone

In the old days, toner was analogous to harsh. But there are a multitude of toners on the market today that are gentle and formulated to balance the skin. Schorr recommends using a gentle toner over your face and neck after you have rinsed thoroughly. This removes the last traces of your cleanser and restores the pH balance of the skin so it won't over-secrete or under-secrete oil. For oily or combination skin, you can use a toner that is more astringent. For oily skin, look for ingredients like witch hazel. It's true they are drying, but oily complexions may need this drying effect.

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