Simple skincare regimen

Natasha Singer of the Times did a terrific article "Fountain of Youth?" And the tag line says, "Go Wash Your Face." Yes, she was serious.

So what is her advice to be young forever without spending incredible amounts of money on cosmetic surgery or personal care products. Here is a summary of her recommendations:

1. Throw away old personal care products
Unless the package tells you an expiration date, simply throw away after one year especially if you touch the product by hand.

2. Do not smoke
If you do, even rarely, please try to quit. Apart from what it does to your lungs, smoking is hard on the skin too.

3. Leave the pimples alone
The more you touch them the worse they become.

4. Sleep more
There is no better time for the skin to repair itself than when you are sleeping. 6 to 8 hours of good sleep is awesome.

5. Reduce stress
There are many other benefits of living stress free but you will notice an immediate change in your skin when your stress levels are low.

6. Always wear sunscreen
The rule of thumb is that during the time there is sun, you should wear sunscreen. No exceptions.

7. Simplify your skincare regimen
Use no more than four products (a mild cleanser; a sunscreen or moisturizer containing sunscreen; a product that contains antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, pomegranate, soy and green tea; and an antiwrinkle product containing ingredients like retinoids, a form of vitamin A, or protein fragments called peptides) daily.

8. Wash your face before going to bed
Believe it or not but there is dust all around you, even inside an airconditioned building. So wash off that dirt each night.

9. Buy good quality products but do not spend more than $30 on each item
If something costs more than that you are paying not for ingredients but for advertising, marketing, and the big bucks paid to a Hollywood star to endorse that product.