Quiz: What’s Your Skincare Style?

When you scan Instagram and see photos of women engaging in “multi-masking,” you are:

a] Down with that! I often wear multiple face masks at the same time.
b] Already thinking about mask combos to try.
c] Intrigued and curious to try it.
d] Puzzled. One face mask is all I need.

Washing your face is…

a] A two-step process, first removing makeup with a cleansing oil and then using a regular cleanser afterwards.
b] A must! I use a cleanser and cleansing brush combo to wash away the day.
c] A necessary evil. I can barely manage to grab a cleansing wipe before dropping into bed.
d] My morning and nightly ritual. I use my trusty gel or cream cleanser twice a day.

What are your thoughts on eye cream?

a] It’s a must. I also use an at-home sonic device to help the product penetrate deeper into the skin.
b] I use an eye cream morning and evening, along with an eye mask once a week.
c] I sometimes use eye cream – when I think of it.
d] I’d rather use cucumber slices once a week than slather on cream.

Do you wear sun protection?

a] I slather on an SPF 30 sunscreen every day and take a skin supplement with antioxidants to add extra protection against the sun’s rays.
b] I layer on an antioxidant serum (to protect against free radicals), followed by an SPF 30 sunscreen every morning.
c] I wear a sunscreen with SPF 30 during the summer months.
d] I apply an SPF 30 moisturizer diligently every day.

During a long-haul flight, your skincare strategy looks something like this:

a] I wear a sheet mask, because my skin’s more important than what I look like during the flight. 
b] I moisturize my skin intensely a few days before the flight and apply soothing eye patches when I’m on-board.
c] I skip the alcohol and drink loads of water.
d] I use a hydrating mist and lip balm.

Your take on “beauty from within” is…

a] I take a daily dose of liquid collagen and do regular juice cleanses.
b] I eat a mostly plant-based diet and take daily omega-3 supplements.
c] I’ve dabbled in antioxidant skin supplements. 
d] I eat a lot of salmon, fruits and leafy vegetables to keep my skin healthy.

How often do you exfoliate?

a] I use a mildly abrasive face polish every day and a lactic-acid-based peel treatment once a week. 
b] I sweep on a salicylic acid toner a few times a week.
c] I lather up my face scrub when my skin needs it.
d] Exfoliate? A washcloth and cleanser is all I need.

When you see terms like neuropeptides and alpha-hydroxy acids on the label of a new serum in the drugstore aisle, you are…

a] Thrilled – these are some of the best new ingredients. 
b] Interested in learning more about what they mean.
c] Eager to try this – and whatever else is new.
d] Uninterested, because I’m not shopping for new products. Mine work just fine, thanks.

When it comes to winter weather and your skin, you:

a] Dial up the exfoliation to shed dull surface layers and add a weekly hydrating mask.
b] Avoid hot showers and baths and invest in a humidifier to fight dryness.
c] Moisturize more often, as needed.
d] Opt for richer cream moisturizers instead of lotions.

When you read an article online about the so-called “10-step Korean skincare” regimen, you:

a] Can relate. I’ve tried it a few times and I’m already on to the next Korean beauty trend: rubber face masks!
b] Can’t get enough. I love Korean skincare and have incorporated some Korean-inspired beauty products, such as essences and sleeping masks, into my routine.
c] Are curious. I’m not sure I have the time (or the money) to devote to it, though.
d] Are floored. How can there be so many steps?

If you got mostly A answers, your skincare style is… Cool

You’re always up on the latest skincare trends and ingredients and the first to try innovative new products among your friends. You also take pride in your extensive skincare regimen that rivals multi-step Korean regimens. But sometimes less is more, says Toronto-based dermatologist Dr. Paul Cohen, who has seen women in their 30s and 40s break out from using too many products or too-rich creams. “Let your skin’s response be your guide,” says Dr. Cohen. Going back to basics doesn’t have to mean bland; lightweight gel creams, for example, are coveted by Korean women for imparting a dewy or “bouncy” radiance and would fit right into your beauty routine. Want to make all of your products work even better? Add a skin booster, which you can use alone or mix with your face or eye cream, and help amplify the results of whatever you’re using.

Your product picks: Biotherm Blue Therapy Accelerated Cream, $78; Elizabeth Arden SuperStart Skin Renewal Booster, $88

If you got mostly B answers, your skincare style is… Creative

You are addicted to beauty magazines and have picked up some savvy ways to use old standby skincare products, as well as how to incorporate new ones into your regimen. Forever curious, you’re always testing out skincare samples in the beauty aisle. While you’re all about the face, it might be time to consider the skin on your neck, too, which can show signs of aging earlier. Choose a product that’s specifically formulated for the neck area, as the skin can be more sensitive there. “The neck can get dried out or irritated, as it has fewer oil glands,” says Dr. Cohen. And while you may like to keep your Clarisonic close at hand to keep dead skin cells at bay, be sure not to overdo it, especially if you’re using other chemical or manual exfoliators. “Tailor [your exfoliation] to your skin type,” says Dr. Cohen. “Your skin will dictate what it needs.”

Your product picks: Clinique Sculptwear Lift and Contour Serum for Face and Neck, $95; Kat Burki Restorative Dual Acid Peel, $138

If you got mostly C answers, your skincare style is… Casual

You’re a skincare dabbler; not really loyal to any one brand, you like to try new and different skincare products when the mood strikes. There’s no harm in dabbling in multiple skincare products, but you may not be getting the full results of a given product if you don’t give it time to work. “It takes four to six months to know whether a product effects any change,” says Vancouver dermatologist Dr. Frances Jang. Meanwhile, using multiple active ingredients, such as retinol and alpha-hydroxy acid at the same time is okay, too, but if you’re on the sensitive side, try to ease your skin into them by introducing them one at a time. Try a retinol cream at night, wait a couple of weeks, and then add another active ingredient, such as glycolic acid in the morning. “Let your skin get used to it and see if you can tolerate it,” says Dr. Cohen.

Your product picks: Rodial Bee Venom Cleansing Balm, $59; Strivectin Advanced Retinol Pore Refiner, $109

If you got mostly D answers, your skincare style is… Classic

You’re of the mind that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and the same goes for your skincare regimen. You’ve been using the same skincare routine – cleanse, moisturize and protect with SPF – since your 20s. But what worked in your university days may not cut it as you enter your 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond. “Change your skincare as your skin needs change,” says Dr. Jang. To fight sun damage and dark spots, amp up your sunscreen’s power and help fend off free radicals by layering on an antioxidant-laced serum or oil in the morning. Adapt your skincare to the cold-weather season by adding a richer night cream dosed with vitamins and nutrients. If aging is a concern, opt for one of the new do-it-all creams that contain all the champion anti-aging ingredients in one product. While you could use up to five products a day to cover all of your skincare concerns, keeping it simple is what you’re all about.

Your product picks: Skyn Iceland Arctic Face Oil, $40; Neutrogena Deep Moisture Night Cream, $16