Adolescent acne can sometimes make a return

Day after day, you diligently slather your skin with anti-aging facial mists, eye gels, retinols and shea butters, proud that you're so careful to keep your over-40 skin in top form. You're going for healthy, supple and fresh, but is too much testing wreaking havoc on your skin?

It sure could be. The last time clogged pores and pimples upstaged my wrinkles, I blamed a one-night stand with dark chocolate M&M's. But my dermatologist said the culprit was a bigger binge: a tryout of super-emollient antiaging products. That - along with my hormonal zigs and zags - made me break out like an adolescent.

Here's what I used to undo the damage:

1. Don't give in to the urge to squeeze those tempting blackheads - clear them instead with Joey NY Specialty Instant Chemistry ($25), a papain-enzyme-based gel that de-plugs pores like Drano. After using it every other day for just one week, I saw incredible improvement in my pores.

2. Most women have avoided matte foundation since the 1980s because it can be aging, but Maybelline New York DreamMatte Mousse ($9) made a surprisingly perfect makeup base. The silky formula covers easily and dries to a natural finish so you need no extra concealer or powder. I recommend putting it on with a flat, broad concealer brush - one by Paula Dorf ($22) - because it's smaller than a foundation brush and can be more precise.

3. On days when your skin looks especially oily and inflamed, I turn to Dr. Brandt Pores No More ($45). The gel, applied directly under makeup, contains witch hazel to sooth and salicylic acid to remove dead skin and pore-clogging gunk. The sheer nude tint downplays redness.

4. Because my usual milky makeup remover wasn't doing my skin any favors, I switched to Olay Warming Hydrating Cleanser ($9). It gets toasty when mixed with water, so you wash gently, adding more water to keep the heat going and loosen plugged pores.

5. Before bedtime, I dot MD Skincare All-Over Blemish Solution ($84), a salicylic acid gel for "mature" pimples, on flare-ups and blackheads. The formula's lipid-friendly delivery system keeps the skin's moisture barrier stable, making it nearly impossible to overdry the surrounding areas. It also contains soothing chamomile extract.

Source: www.sunherald.com