The start of the school year can be tough not only on our pockets but also on our skin.

Since school began for my boys, I’ve noticed my skin has been on a slump. This may have something to do with sleep deprivation and stress, of having to wake up every day at 6:30 a.m. sharp and tending to my kids as they go to school.

There are skin-care products to choose from when trying to rejuvenate your skin. It is quite simple: rejuvenation involves cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing the skin—regularly.

Hopefully these products will work for you, too.

CLINIQUE Pore- Refining Solutions Correcting Serum.

But before choosing a product, it is important to know your skin type. This will narrow down your choices so that you get the product that will give you optimal results.

If you are not sure what your skin type is (because it does change from time to time), consult a dermatologist. Once you know whether your skin is dry, oily, combination or normal, you can venture out to the drugstore and find the product for you.

Clean face

The only time you should put a product on your face is after you clean it. Use lukewarm water to unclog your pores and take away dirt and residue. Work on a dollop of cleanser and rinse your face with cool water. If you feel your skin is tight, your best bet is to use a soap-free cleanser, as soap tends to dry the skin.

Exfoliate

So that your skin can absorb the moisturizers, exfoliate. Exfoliating helps the skin in the natural process of removing dead skin cells faster and effectively. Do this after cleansing.

Some products are cleansers with exfoliators, and these work, too. However, if this is new to you, get exfoliators that are best used on a weekly basis.

Remember when exfoliating, use small circular motions for one to two minutes before rinsing your face.

Moisturize

While your face is still damp, apply the moisturizer. It is best to use a day-and-night moisturizer, as night moisturizers are thicker and concentrated than the ones used during the day. I have a couple of moisturizers I like to rotate and use depending how my skin feels.

Sunscreen

The last and very important step to getting our skin’s glow back is protecting it. Some moisturizers already have SPF and so do some foundations.

I use moisturizers without SPF and just add them on after when I’m not in a rush. Otherwise I make sure either my SPF or foundation has at least SPF 15.

Choose whatever works best for your lifestyle.