How Many Face Products Do I Really Need?

Q: I’m confused about how to take care of the skin on my face. What are the basics?

Browsing your drugstore’s skin care aisle can be a puzzling experience — and that’s before you start looking at social media.

Doctors are frustrated, too. “Everyone’s giving skin care advice, and people are inundated with information,” said Ahmad Amin, an associate professor of dermatology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Dermatologists recommend keeping it simple and say that everyone’s skin care routine should include a few essential steps: cleansing, moisturizing and sun protection.

We asked experts to walk us through the fundamentals.

Wash your face.

You probably know you should be washing your face, but you might not really know why, or the best way to do it.

Cleansing your skin removes oil, dirt, dead skin cells, makeup and environmental pollutants, said Patricia Farris, a dermatologist in Metairie, La. This buildup can clog your pores and cause acne, and pollutants can prompt the production of free radicals, which contribute to skin aging, she explained.

Most people should wash their face twice a day, but if you have dry or sensitive skin, once is usually enough, said Hope Mitchell, a dermatologist in Perrysburg, Ohio. More than that can strip the outermost layer of skin, leading to redness, itchiness, dryness and rashes, she said.

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