The Soothe Sayer.(skincare)

SKIN ENLIGHTENMENT

One mistaken assumption has led women to mistreat their skin. A top dermatologist clears up the complexion confusion. By Lindsy Van Gelder

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ven women who make a point of taking impeccable care of their skin may be surprised to hear that there are more skin types than astrological signs. And if, like most people, you don't know your type and its attributes, the products you're using probably aren't ensuring a stellar future for your complexion.

That is the premise of dermatologist Leslie Baumann's new book, The Skin Type Solution (Bantam Dell). Baumann's approach grew out of her frustration when "at least ten patients a day" asked her for product recommendations, and she found herself spending more and more time explaining why one skin cream absolutely doesn't fit all.

Eventually she realized that her skin-care and makeup suggestions all depended on four key criteria: whether a patient's skin is dry or oily; sensitive or resistant to redness, itching, and blemishes; pigmented (likely to tan and develop brown spots) or nonpigmented; and prone to being wrinkled or "tight." All the possible combinations of these factors add up to 16 different skin types (so that, for instance, someone whose skin is oily, sensitive, nonpigmented, and wrinkle-prone is called an OSNW). Baumann's book includes a questionnaire to establish your type and chapters on the right and wrong products and treatments for each.

The suggestions are often startling. For example, DRPWs (dry, resistant, pigmented, wrinkled) and DRPTs (same profile but with less tendency to wrinkle) should never wax or depilate facial hair, Baumann says, because such treatments can dry the skin, provoke inflammation, and lead to dark spots. (Instead, they can remove hair with threading, plucking, or laser treatments, or slow its growth with the prescription medication Vaniqa.) Toners, moisturizers, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, exfoliating, facial steaming...all are problematic for at least some people, and Baumann wants you to know where you stand.