Make this New York Times skin care article your bible! Staff beauty writer Natasha Singer has written the ultimate no-nonsense compilation of practical advice to aid your personal mission for good skin in 2008. Throwing out your old products is a great idea. Some of us have a bad habit of letting time go by as our products accumulate bacteria, then we dare to slather the petri dish experiment right on our faces.

Also, a very interesting point about washing your face and night creams: washing your face in the evening is always a pretty safe bet in the school of skin care and um, the basic principles of hygiene in general, but Singer also brings up the good point that the rinse also helps you get rid of environmental aggressors and irritants. Also, derm Dr. Hema Sundaram claims that slapping on a rich cream at night will clog your pores. Okay, yes this is disturbing news for Product Fienders. My compromise? If you are breakout prone and/or sensitive, lay off the night cream and see what happens.