Winter-Proof Your Skin: Our Winter Skincare Guide

How to Care for Pimple-Prone Skin

Unplug pores. Lather up daily with a one-step exfoliating cleanser containing salicylic acid, which dissolves dead skin cells and oil. "Grainy scrubs can be too irritating if used with a heavy hand each day," Dr. Bank says. Those formulated for normal, not oily, skin are made with gentler ingredients.

Use the right moisturizer. It may sound counterintuitive, but lotion actually keeps oil in check. "Stripping skin of moisture causes it to pump out excess sebum," King says. The secret to staying clear: a superlight, noncomedogenic cream. It keeps skin supple but won't clog pores.

Do double duty. Dealing with pimples and wrinkles is a drag. But both are treatable with one ingredient: retinol, a derivative of vitamin A. "It stimulates collagen growth, reverses sun damage and keeps pores clear," Dr. Bank says. When applying, skip the area around your nostrils; ingredients can accumulate in the crevices there, causing flaking.

Your Skin-Care Soulmates

• RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum, $19.99, drugstores, clears and smooths.
• Neutrogena Skin ID Foaming Cleanser, $39.90/kit, skinid.com, sloughs off dead skin.
• Vichy Normaderm Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care, $21, vichyusa.com, balances your complexion.

Originally published in FITNESS Magazine, February 2009.