Meet the power players of the skin-care aisle—and learn how to make them work for you.WHAT IT DOES: This vitamin-A derivative treats fine lines, wrinkles, sun spots, dullness, crepiness, sagging skin…you name it. Forms of retinol "are among the best anti-aging ingredients we have," says Jeffrey Dover, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine.HOW IT WORKS: Retinol speeds up cell turnover, sweeps away the dead cells that cause dullness, and boosts collagen and elastin by stimulating cellular repair at the deepest level of the skin. It also pumps up circulation by increasing blood-vessel formation, so skin looks healthier.HOW TO MAKE IT WORK BETTER:• Pay attention to packaging. Buy it in an aluminum tube or an opaque plastic pump bottle so light and air don't degrade it.• Go for the right names. Avoid forms like retinyl palmitate and retinyl linoleate—they're less irritating, but also less effective.• Use it at night. The vampire of the skin-care world, retinol works best in the dark.• Put it on after cleansing.
Wash your face with warm water and make sure it's dry before applying retinol. Then, blood vessels and pores are dilated, making more space between cells for absorption. (Prescription versions, called retinoids, in particular must be applied to dry skin or they absorb too quickly and irritate.)• Make sure it tingles. If you can't feel it, it's not strong enough, says Dover.• Go easy on your eyes. Dab around the eye area every third night. Retinol is great for undereye crepiness.• Give skin a treat afterward. "A layer of moisturizer with niacinamide or ceramides helps skin tolerate the ingredient better by strengthening the skin barrier, making it less prone to irritation," says Howard Sobel, an attending dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.1. DDF Retinol Energizing Moisturizer4. Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night MoisturizerWHAT IT DOES: To even out sun spots, blotches, and mottled skin, a little hydroquinone goes a long way. "It's the most effective ingredient for bleaching skin," says Jeannette Graf, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.HOW IT WORKS: Hydroquinone fades hyperpigmentation by blocking the enzyme that triggers melanin production in the skin.
HOW TO MAKE IT WORK BETTER:• Be direct. Dab hydroquinone right on the dark spot.• Get vigilant about sunscreen. If UV rays hit unprotected skin, you'll undo any fading.• Combine it with other lighteners. "You need to throw everything you can at dark spots," says Graf. In the morning, wash with a glycolic or salicylic acid cleanser to help buff away blotches and make other ingredients penetrate better. Then, smooth on an antioxidant-laced brightening lotion to inhibit melanin while protecting skin. Tina Alster, a clinical professor of dermatology at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., also recommends layering on the new, fast-acting enzyme Melanozyme, which actually dissolves pigment on the skin's surface. (It's found in the Elure line; see "Top Picks.")• Find the right blend. If you have mottled skin or widespread freckling, choose a brightener that also contains arbutin, licorice extract, or kojic acid.• Try a pro peel. "Always start with a low-strength solution, and then build up to stronger ones," says Francesca Fusco, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center.• Get a prescription.
A 4 percent formula can fade blotches fast. Graf blends it with a 0.5 percent retinoid, saying, "It's a powerful combination, and there's faster action when they work together."1. Elure Advanced Skin Lightening Lotion2. Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector3. Vivité Vibrance Therapy by AllerganWHAT IT DOES: Keeps skin from prematurely wrinkling, sagging, and getting blotchy by protecting it from harmful UV rays, which destroy collagen and elastin fibers and damage DNA. "It's by far the best way to prevent aging of the skin," says Fredric Brandt, a New York City and Miami dermatologist.HOW IT WORKS: Sunscreen molecules, called UV filters, absorb or scatter UV light.HOW TO MAKE IT WORK BETTER:• Choose a broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.• Look for one with antioxidants. "They boost the effectiveness of sunscreen," says Alster.• Don't skimp. A teaspoon is the right amount for your face. If you're outside, reapply every two hours.• Layer like a pro.
To keep it from messing up your makeup, "touch up your face with a wedge makeup sponge sprayed with aerosol sunscreen," says Fusco.• Work on it. Wear sunscreen on your body every night for a few weeks before a beach vacation. "The sunscreen builds up in your skin, making it less likely to burn," says Graf.1. La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50 Mineral Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid SPF 50 Face2. Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer SPF 303. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 55WHAT THEY DO: A layer of vitamin C, green tea, pomegranate, CoffeeBerry, or idebenone in the morning can help prevent wrinkles, spots, and maybe even skin cancer, too. "They save cells from environmental damage," says Fusco.HOW THEY WORK: Antioxidants penetrate the skin, turning harmful free radicals—molecules that form in the body when you're exposed to UV rays and other environmental assaults—into harmless compounds, thereby stopping them from destroying DNA, elastin, and collagen. Some antioxidants multitask, too: They can help stimulate collagen, boost cell repair, and fade blotches.
HOW TO MAKE THEM WORK BETTER:• Go with a serum. These tend to have the strongest dose and to penetrate faster than a cream when applied to bare skin. Follow with sunscreen.• Use a blend. Choose a formula with multiple antioxidants, since they're more powerful in packs. "They tackle free radicals in different ways, so the overall protection is more potent," says Graf.1. RevaléSkin Intense Recovery Treatment2. Glytone Improve Anti-aging Cream3. SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Combination Antioxidant TreatmentWHAT THEY DO: Alpha hydroxy acids, such as glycolic acid, add radiance, smooth lines, help fade blotches, and allow other anti-aging ingredients to penetrate faster and work more effectively.HOW THEY WORK: Of all the ways to refresh skin, doctors love alpha hydroxy acids for their precision. "People rub too harshly with scrubs, causing irritation and an uneven finish," says Alster. "You smooth on a peel, and the acids easily break the bonds between the dead cells and skin."HOW TO MAKE THEM WORK BETTER:• Don't overdo it.