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Smooth Over
The Moisturizing Trio
Another shower-related tip: Make sure the ingredients in whatever soap you're using are doing more than just cleaning. To get smoother skin, you'll also want ingredients that will help seal in the moisture from the water, says Dr. Shainhouse. A few key ones to be using daily are coconut oil, Shea butter or almond oil.
Easy Does It
While it may sound more appealing to give your skin a deep-clean scrub as opposed to a light wash (especially when acne or clogged pores are involved), harsh cleaning will only irritate your skin and minimize smoothness, says Dr. Shainhouse. Yes, you want to make sure that you have completely removed your makeup and the rest of the oxidizing and pore-clogging dirt from your day, but do it gently," she says. "Avoid harsh scrubs and drying soaps which can cause skin irritation, tiny tears and leave your skin tight, red and flaky."
Serum Smartly
After washing your face, apply a serum to give your skin some concentrated nutrients, suggests Dr. Shainhouse. "Look for products with vitamin C, vitamin B and resveratrol that have strong antioxidant effects," she says. "Also, serums in a dimethicone base will smooth the appearance of the skin and help create a 'poreless' base for your foundation," she says. Her top serum picks include Skinceuticals Phloretin CF or CE Ferulic.
Wrinkle Reversal
Retinoids are another key term when seeking out skin-smoothing solutions. "These vitamin A derivatives are scientifically shown to stimulate collagen growth and normalize skin cell turnover," explains Dr. Shainhouse. She recommends Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair and advises applying it a few nights a week.
Acid Activation
While smoother skin may not happen overnight, a fruit acid lotion containing alpha hydroxyacids will help it get there faster. "Alpha hydroxyacids can act as mild exfoliants that facilitate cell turnover, leaving it shiny and glowing," explains Dr. Shainhouse. Results are most effective when it's applied daily, so make sure it's gentle on your skin and seek out ingredients like glycolic acid and lactic acid.
Spring Exfoliation
Particularly when transitioning from winter to spring, using an exfoliating scrub will help slough away the dry, flaky skin and give way to new smoother skin. For the face, Dr. Shainhouse recommends looking for enzyme-based exfoliating masks that contain ingredients like pumpkin, papaya or pineapple. For full body exfoliation, she suggests looking for lotions with ammonium lactate to help smooth the skin. And, like your face wash, Dr. Shainhouse cautions against using exfoliating products that are too harsh. "Be careful using scrubs that contain rough granules, which can cause tiny tears in the skin," she says. "Limit them to once a week and focus on tougher skin areas of the body like your elbows, knees and feet."
