1: How to Choose a Moisturizer

Some of the most common skin complaints, like irritation and breakouts, are caused by using the wrong moisturizer. Here’s how to find the right one:

    * For oily skin: It may sound obvious, but what you want is an oil-free lotion, such as DDF Ultra-Lite Moisturizing Dew.
    * If your skin is dry, try a thick cream with hyaluronic acid or glycerin, which draw in water. We like Clarins HydraQuench Cream .
    * If you break out easily, choose a lotion or gel instead of a cream, and make sure it’s noncomedogenic. It should say so on the bottle. Try Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer .
    * If you have sensitive skin, use a fragrance-free product, such La Roche-Posay Toleriane Facial Fluide .

2: How to Try New Products

To sample new creams without breaking into a rash, stick to testing one at a time. If the new product has ingredients that may cause irritation—such as retinol or alpha hydroxy acids—keep everything else simple: a basic cleanser Cetaphil, no exfoliation, no antioxidants, and a plain moisturizer like Clinique Moisture Surge. When you test it, slather the new product on the side of your neck rather than on your face so that you can cover any reaction with your hair. If it passes the neck test for three days, it’s ready for your face.

—Linda Wells, Allure editor in chief

3: How to Wear Sunscreen

    * Choose a sunscreen that’s marked “broad-spectrum,” meaning it fights both burning UVB rays and wrinkle- and skin-cancer-causing UVA ones.
    * Go with an SPF of at least 30 on a daily basis, and 45 when you’re in the sun. Dermatologists say that women rarely apply enough sunscreen to get the full SPF listed on the bottle; a high SPF is a little extra insurance.
    * Apply sunscreen right out of the shower instead of body lotion so you don’t forget, and make sure to get every spot, including the tops of your feet, the crooks of your arms, and the backs of your hands. For your face, don’t forget to coat your hairline, neck, ears, and earlobes.
    * On days you’ll be outside, pop an antioxidant supplement, like Heliocare, to give your sunscreen a little more protective muscle.

4: How to Fight Lines

    * Every morning: Slather on a broad-spectrum sunscreen—it’s the best anti-aging product, period.
    * Every night: Dab on a lotion containing retinol, like the potent DermaDoctor Poetry in Lotion. If it ends up making your skin red or flaky, dilute it in your palm with some basic moisturizer, and be sure to apply it when skin is completely dry.
    * Every other night: Use a glycolic acid peel to speed up cell turnover. (We love the Avon Anew Clinical Advanced Retexturizing Peel.) Just be sure to use it at least a half hour before the retinol—because the two ingredients deactivate each other.

—Kristin Perrotta, Allure editorial projects director

5: How to Treat Chapped Lips

The trick is to prevent them from getting cracked in the first place. When you’re going to be spending the day outdoors, especially in windy, sunny, or cold weather, apply a thick balm with SPF 30, like Kiehl’s All-Sport “Non-Freeze” Face Protector SPF 30 . When you’re back indoors, switch to a medicated goop with mostly petrolatum, such as Aquaphor Healing Ointment.

6: How to Make Pores Look Smaller

Pores look big when they’re clogged with dead cells and oil. To clear them, switch to an exfoliating cleanser that contains between .5 and 1 percent salicylic acid, and use it every other day. (We like Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Power Foam Wash. Once or twice a week, switch from the cleanser to a cream-based exfoliator, like Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion. Then disguise pores by swirling translucent loose powder over the areas where they’re most noticeable. (Try M.A.C. Prep + Primer Powder.)

—Amy Keller Laird, Allure beauty director

7: How to Prevent Shine

A few key products can keep your skin from turning into an oil slick by noon.

    * A mattifying moisturizer with SPF. (The SPF is key because the sun can actually stimulate oil production.) We like Vichy Normaderm Pro Mat SPF 15 , which is oil-free and contains a form of vitamin C that helps control shine.
    * Powder foundation. This helps set your makeup. If you regularly use liquid foundation, dab just a bit of the powder on top. Try Benefit Hello Flawless.
    * Oil-blotting sheets. Try the plastic kind, like Sephora’s Matte Blotting Film. They soak up more than the paper ones, and can be used over makeup without messing it up.