We often hear people say that beauty is only skin-deep. It's a cliché, something we might hear in a daytime soap opera or read in one of those cheap books about "becoming a leader in 10 easy steps" and "changing our lives completely in 10 days". It usually means that true beauty comes from the inside and has less to do with appearances and more with our inner determination to succeed, confidence and self-awareness. Which is true to begin with - however, skin-deep as it may be, beauty is also an integral part of us, modern women. Our skin is the gateway, the barrier and the contact area between us and the world outside. It's what people first notice and what they judge us by, until (if ever) they get a chance to see inside us.

So, what are we to do except to take excellent care of our skin, for our own self-esteem and for the benefit of our social and professional lives? There are so many sophisticated (and sometimes unnecessary) skincare options available these days, so many programs, treatments, crash treatments, detox diets and so on that we often forget about the basics of looking after ourselves. Sometimes, all it takes is a little attention to details and we may even be able to postpone getting that latest, revolutionary face treatment that will turn out just as effective as the last expensive, ultra-new formula we bought last month.

So as you step out of the shower, take a little time to consider: is your skin oily? Then it's not a good idea to wash it in the shower, since the steam from the warm or hot water will cause the outer layers of your skin to swell, trapping oil and bacteria and undermining an effective cleaning. Wash your face with tepid water over the sink, and when you moisturize, apply the face cream or treatment serum over your entire face, including over the jaw and hair lines, which we often (and unrightfully) neglect.

If your skin is dry, before stocking up on an expensive and cleverly advertised cream to fix the problem, try a very simple trick: use your current night cream during the day for a short while, and see how that makes you feel. Be careful to apply a sunscreen on top of the night cream, though, since such products to not contain any SPF factors. If your skin is sensitive and tingles or stings when you apply sunscreen, switch the night cream to one that contains a larger percentage of antioxidants and will raise an irritation-preventing barrier. Look after your skin, and remember that smiling is also an effective skin booster.