#SkinGoals: 4 Skin Care Goals & How to Achieve Each One

We’ve all got skin goals. Some are loftier than others, but—like they always say—it’s better to aim high than to never try at all, right? Ahead, we’re sharing four skin goals and the steps needed to help make them a reality along with our product recommendations from the L’Oreal portfolio of brands.

Goal: Smaller-Looking Pores

Wish you could achieve the poreless complexion only available in the form of social media filters? Girl, us too. While we unfortunately can’t make our pores disappear entirely, we can help blur and shrink their appearance IRL. Keep reading to find the step-by-step technique that can help reduce the appearance of your pores.  

How to Achieve Smaller-Looking Pores:

Step 1: Cleanse. When pores become clogged with excess oil, dead skin cells, and impurities, they can appear larger than usual. These clogs, when mixed with bacteria, can also eventually cause breakouts. By cleansing your skin regularly, you can help remove pore-clogging impurities from the surface of your skin and help make your pores appear smaller. Try SkinCeuticals LHA Cleansing Gel. This particular cleanser contains potent agents to help exfoliate skin while lifting the aforementioned grime from your face.

Step 2: Tone. To make sure that you’re doing everything you can to decongest your pores, it’s a good idea to swipe a gentle toner, like the L’Oréal Paris HydraFresh Toner, across your face.  With just a few swipes you’ll be able to help remove any leftover makeup, dirt or grime that could be lingering on your skin making your pores look larger than they really are.

Step 3: Apply an Oil-Free Moisturizer. Oversized pores are often associated with shiny-looking skin. But just because your skin looks a tad oilier than you’d like, doesn’t mean you should skip out on moisturizer. Reach for a mattifying moisturizer than can help hydrate your skin and also reduce the appearance of excess oil.

Step 4: Add Retinol to Your Routine. As our skin ages, its ability to produce collagen and elastin—two necessary components of youthful-looking skin—slows down. As a result, our pores can begin to appear larger. To help minimize these effects, consider using products formulated with retinol as part of your daily skin care routine.

Editor’s note: Retinol is powerful, and may not be right for everyone. Always consult your dermatologist prior to use. Also, keep in mind that skin can become more sensitive to sunlight after using products with retinol, so be sure to wear Broad Spectrum SPF 15 or higher before heading outdoors, and reapplying at least every two hours in addition to taking other sun protection measures.

Goal: Clear-Looking Skin

If we could only have one skin care goal come true, I think we can all agree that clearer-looking skin would top our list. Even for people who already have flawless-looking skin, the idea of maintaining it can seem daunting and impossible. That’s not the case though, you just need to follow good habits and a targeted routine. We’ve got you covered!

How to Achieve Clearer-Looking Skin:

Step 1: Cleanse. The biggest enemy of clear skin is a dirty complexion. Without cleansing each and every day (morning and night, to be exact), the possibility of beautifully clear skin is pretty much impossible. Without cleansing, all the makeup, dirt and grime that makes its way onto your face within the day can clog your pores, and may lead to breakouts. So, since that’s the last thing you want, try cleansing with Vichy Normaderm Gel Cleanser. The formula combines salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and micro-exfoliating LHA and gently cleanses the skin. The result? Skin that feels soft, velvety, and clean.

Step 2: Moisturize. You know the drill. After cleansing comes moisturizer. Since you’re likely worried about how hydration will play into your shiny-looking, acne-prone skin, take solace in a moisturizer formulated specially for oily skin, like the L’Oréal Paris HydraGenius Daily Liquid Care for Normal to Oily Skin.

Step 3: Spot-Treat. Instead of letting your breakouts get you down, just reach for a powerful spot treatment, like the AcneFree Maximum Strength Terminator 10 formulated with benzoyl peroxide, that can help prevent new acne blemishes from forming and promote clearer-looking skin.

Step 4: Clean Your Cell Phone. But hey, that’s not my face…yes, we know. We were equally as befuddled when we were told the same thing back in the day but here’s the thing. Think about what your smartphone goes through in a day. You’re constantly tapping against it with possibly unwashed hands, it acquires makeup build-up, dust and whatever else it comes in contact with. So, even if you cleanse, tone and moisturize like a pro, your phone can easily transfer unwanted grime onto your skin. Don’t let that happen. Instead, sweep the screen with a gentle cleansing wipe prior to taking a call.  

Goal: Dewy- (Not Oily) Looking Skin

Take one scroll through your social feeds and it’s clear that dewy-looking skin reigns supreme. While many people think it’s achieved solely through expert makeup application, you’d be surprised to know it’s what lies underneath the matters most. With a tailored skin care routine, you can help promote the appearance of a dewy, not oily, complexion without a single drop of makeup. Um, yes please!

How to Achieve Dewy-looking, Not Oily Skin:

Step 1: Cleanse. At this point you should understand that if you want to have beautiful-looking skin, cleansing is non-negotiable. That said, to promote a dewy-looking complexion, be sure to cleanse your face with a gentle cleanser morning and night.

Step 2: Exfoliate. After cleansing, it’s time to slough away any dead skin cells from the surface of your skin that could be causing your skin’s surface to appear dull. Once your skin feels nice and smooth, move on to the next step.

Step 3: Moisturize. You can’t achieve dewy-looking skin without hydration, so be sure to boost your complexion with a creamy, hydrating moisturizer that suits your specific skin type—we especially love the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream.

Step 4: Use an Illuminating Serum. Ready for next-level dewy-looking skin? If you want to really rock the dewy skin look without a face full of makeup, immediately after moisturizing, blend a drop of the Urban Decay Liquid Aura Illuminating Mix-In Medium onto your cheekbones, the tip of your nose and a spot on your chin and forehead, just above where your eyebrows divide.

Step 5: Mist Every Few Hours. Have you ever seen one of your coworkers randomly spritzing their face with thermal water in the middle of the day? In addition to a refreshing cool down, facial mists, like the La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water, can also help boost hydration and that dewy look you’re aiming for.

Goal: Radiant, Youthful-Looking Skin

As we age, our skin loses its ability to retain radiance. Just because it doesn’t come naturally doesn’t mean it’s impossible to achieve though. Instead, you just need to implement the right products into your routine for younger-looking skin. As always, we have the list you need to tote down the beauty aisle.

How to Achieve Radiant, Youthful-Looking Skin:

Step 1: Cleanse. Start your youthful-looking skin care routine with a gentle cleanser that both helps remove traces of makeup, and moisturizes too. We especially love the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Nourishing Cream Cleanser for the way it cleanses without over-drying.

Step 2: Exfoliation. After cleansing, swipe an exfoliating peel pad across your face to help remove any remaining dirt and debris while dissolving dead skin cells and build-up. Before you know it, your skin will appear brighter and more youthful-looking and you’re only two steps in.

Step 3: Moisturize. Follow up your exfoliation with an anti-aging moisturizer, like the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Rosy Tone Moisturizer. It’s formulated to help renew skin’s youthful rosy tone that’s so often lost with age.