Whose skin couldn’t use a little boost — a few simple tricks for making it look smoother and more luminous? We asked Piret Aava, a New York City celebrity makeup artist and aesthetician, to help three moms with totally different skin types get the complexion of their dreams with just a few easy tweaks. Steal Aava’s secrets for putting your best face forward today!
Problem: Dull or Dry Skin
Wake Up Your Face Now:
- Apply CC cream to even out skin tone. Choose one with a bit of shimmer for a healthy sheen.
- Dab on concealer with a brush on any spots. If your skin is blotchy, select a product with a green undertone. Pink tones don’t hide redness as well.
- Go for black mascara. It always makes eyes pop more than other shades — and will draw people’s attention away from your skin.
What to Do for the Long Run: Exfoliate once a week and follow up with a hydrating mask or rich moisturizing cream. A DIY scrub to try: Mix together 1/4 cup each of sugar and honey. The sugar sloughs off flaky patches while the honey moisturizes. Or smooth on a serum that has alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) in it. The acid exfoliates dry skin cells. Follow either one with a night cream for even deeper hydration.
Products We Love: COVERGIRL + Olay Tone Rehab CC Cream ($12; Buy it here); L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Butterfly Mascara in Blackest Black ($9; Buy it here); Sonia Kashuk Concealer Brush ($6; Buy it here); Yes to Carrots Intense Hydration Night Cream ($13; Buy it here)
Problem: Oily Skin Spots
Lose the Shine Now:
- Use an oil-free foundation. Powder-based is best. Have two shades handy if you have dark acne marks; use the lighter to even out spots.
- Gleam-proof your T-zone (sorry!) with powder. Sonia Kashuk’s Undetectable Loose Powder ($10) absorbs oil and is invisible on all skin tones.
- Swipe on bright lipstick (or just a more vivid shade than usual). The color will refocus the eye away from trouble spots.
What to Do for the Long Run: Use a gel or foamy cleanser, but don’t wash more than twice a day. Limit exfoliation to once a week and dab on a lactic-acid spot treatment daily to zap zits. Also, avoid products with shimmer. You don’t need any extra!
Products We Love: Orgo Beauty Spot Treatment ($32; Buy it here); L’Oréal Paris True Match Minéral Makeup ($16; Buy it here)
Problem: Fine Lines or Breakouts
Turn Back the Clock Now:
- Less is more. Use tinted moisturizer to even out skin. Skip foundation, which settles into lines. We love Eve Lom Radiance Perfected Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 (Evelom.com, $55).
- Turn to matte shadow. Shimmer accentuates lines and saggy lids.
- Keep focus on top of the eye (the bottom is where creases are more noticeable) by lining only the top rim.
What to Do for the Long Run: Use a peel once a week. It’ll be more gentle than an exfoliator, a boon when skin needs a soft touch. For pimple control, look to spot treatments with tea tree oil or zinc, ingredients soothing to aging skin.
Products We Love: That’s Incredi-Peel Pads ($49; Buy it here); Ole Henriksen Roll-On Acne Solution ($22; Buy it here)
