The most important part of your beauty routine is definitely what you do before any makeup touches your face.

Beautiful, healthy skin is  the Holy Grail of makeup application, no matter how you wear your makeup. Any other artist would never dream of starting with a dirty, uneven canvas, so why should makeup application be any different? Not to mention, being religious about taking care of your skin can take years off your face (or keep those years from adding on), reduce acne, redness, pore size and dryness, even out your skin tone and give you the healthy glow that celebrities (and most fashion- and beauty-conscious girls) crave.

So, what exactly is a skin care routine...?  

There are several steps, and it can take a few days to get in the habit of going through all the motions, but the results are well worth the work. But, before you dive in, you first want to figure out what type of skin you have so you can best select products that will give you the most impact and the best results.

• OILY: Oily skin is oily all over the face. Oily skin is often acne prone.
• DRY: Dry skin is dry all over the face. More mature skin is generally dry, and can be prone to fine lines, wrinkles and flaking.
• COMBINATION: Combination skin can be either oily/normal with the concentration of oil generally being in the T-Zone (forehead, the bridge of the nose and cheeks) or normal/dry, with the concentration of the dry skin generally  being around the eyes and mouth.
• SENSITIVE: Sensitive skin is not only sensitive to certain ingredients, but sun exposure, exfoliation and pressure.

Once you've figured out what skin type you have, you'll want to select products to complement it.

Oily skin will generally respond better to products with hydroxy acids to help with acne breakouts and to cut down on excess oil production. Dry skin will do best with intense moisture to hydrate the skin and either reduce or prevent wrinkles and fine lines, while sensitive types may want to check out gentle or organic products which tend to use more natural, less chemically irritating ingredients. You can find good products in every price range for any skin type, but a skin care routine is only effective if you follow through with it. Make "THE ROUTINE" part of your routine.

THE ROUTINE:

1.  Cleanse. This is so important. Clean your face when you first get up and before you go to bed at the very least. You may chose to wash your face more often depending on your day's activities. Always, always, always take your makeup off before going to bed. For nights when you just don't feel like it, consider keeping a package of those cleansing wipes or some baby wipes around.
2. Tone. A toner helps shrink pores, even out skin tone and ready the skin for flawless makeup application.
3. Moisturize. Even if you're oily, moisturizer is a must. Your makeup will go on more evenly and you'll use less. Moisturizer does just that, and this is the key to keeping your skin radiant and youthful looking. Keeping skin moist and supple will help prevent wrinkling and other damage in the future. Also, this is a great way to get a SPF on your face, which you should never go without, even on cloudy days or at night. The sun is not the only source of harmful UVA and UVB rays. Those fluorescent lights you just  might be sitting under all day or partying under all night also emit UVA and UVB rays, just in smaller doses.
   
   

These are the big three -- the three essentials, that you want to do daily, before any make up ever touches your face, and again before your head hits the pillow.

If you really want to give your skin care routine some extra oomph, there are a few other things you can do on a less frequent (bi-weekly, weekly or bi-monthly) basis, to ensure you're getting the most out of your efforts.

• Exfoliating. This is the use of a product to help remove dead skin cells from the skin's surface. This helps skin look more radiant and glowing, but also helps to keep gunk off your face that can clog pores and cause breakouts.
• Masks. There are so many different kinds of masks, but generally it boils down to peel off and clay/mud masks. Peel off masks go on, dry, and are peeled off like plastic to help tighten, tone and unclog pores. Clay masks go on, dry and are washed off to help tighten and unclog pores and give skin a nice deep conditioning treatment.
• Treatments. Treatments are more targeted and specific to any problems you may have or desire to prevent. Spot treatments and zit creams for acne, anti-aging creams to help reduce or prevent wrinkles, eye creams that help tighten, firm and brighten the eye area, bleaches to fade sun spots or scars.

After you invest in the products to customize your routine for maximum results, the next question is how much of each product should you use?

By using the right amount of product, you cut back on waste (which saves you money), avoid over moisturizing or over drying an area, and make sure you get enough SPF to do its job. The rough guideline is:

• Cleanser -- Use about an almond-sized dollop, although it may take a bit more of a pre-foaming cleanser than a non-foaming or one you have to work into a lather.
• Toner -- Enough on a cotton ball or pad to do your whole face and neck. Adding just a bit of water to the cotton first will make your toner stretch further
• Moisturizer/Day Cream -- About .5 of a teaspoon or the size of a banana chip. Make sure you have enough to adequately cover your face and neck.
• Exfoliating Cream -- Again, about the size of an almond.
• Masks -- Enough to cover the face in a thin, even layer.
• Night Creams -- About the size of a plain M&M or a Skittle. Work it in thoroughly but gently.
• Eye Creams -- Very little will do. About the size of a sunflower seed, split between both eyes. Pat it in gently as opposed to rubbing.
• Zit Creams -- Even less. Just enough to cover the zit, like a candy sprinkle. Dab it on with a cotton swab to avoid getting on the area around the zit and causing excessive drying to other areas.

Last, but not least, if you're anything like me, when you first pick up a product and look at it, the ingredients are the second place my eyes wander to. With more and more natural and organic products hitting the market these days, it's impossible to add an all-inclusive list of every skin care ingredient known to woman, but a few of the more common (and confusing) ones can be brought into the spotlight. Knowing what specific ingredients can do can help you customize your routine even further and make sure you're getting the most bang for  your buck.

SO, WHAT DOES ALL THAT STUFF DO?

• Alpha Hydroxy Acids: AHAs are natural plant extracts that help to exfoliate the skin. With regular use, skin becomes brighter, smoother, with more even texture and tone. Can be irritating to sensitive skin in high concentrations (more than 8 or 9 percent) or with overuse. Malic acid (from apples), citric acid (from citrus fruits) and glycolic acid (from sugar cane) are all common AHAs.

• Antioxidants: Defend against "free radicals," which are unstable oxygen molecules. These unstable molecules attack healthy skin cells and contribute to collagen breakdown. With regular use, prevent wrinkles and dehydration in the skin, as well as promote healthy skin cell production. Vitamins A, C, E and green tea are common antioxidants.
• Beta Hydroxy Acids: Generally known as salicylic acid (the stuff in most zit creams), BHAs exfoliate and unclog pores. With regular use, discoloration is reduced and skin's tone and texture improve. Less irritating than AHAs.
• Co-Enzyme Q10: -- Antioxidant that protects against free radicals and UVA rays. With regular use, wrinkles are prevented and reduced due to the protection of collagen in the skin.
• Collagen: What keeps skin firm and taut. Eventual breakdown of collagen promotes sagging, lines and wrinkles.
• Hydroquinone: Bleaching agent used to lighten spots, blemishes, freckles. Only designed to be used on the area to be lightened.
• Soy/Soya Sterols: Improve texture and leave the skin soft.
• Hydrolyzed Soy Protein: Reduces and prevents wrinkles and helps soothe dry, chapped skin.
• Vitamin A: Antioxidant, also known as Retinol. Combats sun damage, reduces uneven pigmentation, improves skin texture and is often used to treat wrinkles and acne. Can be irritating and excessively drying with prolonged use or in high concentrations.
• Vitamin C: Antioxidant, stimulates collagen production, combats sun damage, brightens and smoothes skin.
• Vitamin E: Antioxidant, reduces redness, inflammation, dryness and fights free radicals.
• Vitamin K: Reduces and fades bruising and spider veins.
  

Whether you're 17 or 72, it's never too late to start a skin care routine. Whether you're trying to turn back time or just keep your skin clean and healthy, a skin care regimen is every bit as important as brushing your teeth or shampooing your hair. After all, it doesn't matter how much makeup you apply or how you apply it if you don't have a solid foundation to start with.

So, dive in, take the plunge and suds and scrub away towards happy, healthy skin you're proud to paint!