Here's What You Need to Know About Adding a Booster to Your Moisturizing Routine

A few drops of a turbocharged booster will take your favorite moisturizer to the next level. Add SPF or a shot of vitamin C, and turn it into a super-powered treatment.

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One of the more versatile skincare categories to gain momentum recently has been the booster. "Skincare cocktailing" isn't a new concept (that's when you mix together your own lotions, serums, oils, and CC creams to sometimes great, sometimes not so great results), but skincare cocktailing with boosters is a game changer.

Boosters are basically concentrated serums that are specially formulated to be mixed into your favorite moisturizers and night creams to give you a "boost" of whatever your skin needs on any particular day. For example: If you're dealing with pesky hormonal breakouts, blend a few drops of an acne-busting booster into your daily moisturizer to help prevent and eliminate blemishes. If you are traveling to a dry climate and your skin feels parched, add a hydrating booster into your lotion for instant relief. And if you've had a few too many glasses of wine and your complexion looks dull the next morning, blend a turbocharged vitamin C booster into your sunscreen for an instant brightening effect. This is just the beginning—there are so many ways boosters can help your complexion.

As our skin is ever-changing—thanks to factors like changing hormones, environments, and seasons—it's only natural that we should modify our skincare regimens based upon our needs. And with boosters, that no longer means we have to completely overhaul our regimens and find new products, but rather simple keep a few different boosters at the ready.

Here, we've rounded up a variety of our favorites that work to solve a myriad of skincare issues, from dullness and wrinkles to blemishes, hyperpigmentation, hydration, and more.

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Smoothing

Peter Ardito

An OTC wonder with a 10 percent-retinol complex, this booster helps refine pores and blur wrinkles.

Rodial Retinol Booster Drops, $89,

rodial.co.uk

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Hydrating

Peter Ardito

Hyaluronic acid and watermelon extract plump fine lines and deliver dewiness.

Dr. Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Hydration Booster, $68,

dermstore.com

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Protecting

Peter Ardito

This weightless SPF 50 also blocks free-radical damage with antioxidant vitamins C and E.

Dermalogica Solar Defense Booster SPF 50, $55,

dermalogica.com

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Brightening

Peter Ardito

A potent 15 percent dose of vitamin C gently jumpstarts a more radiant and even skin tone.

Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster, $49,

paulaschoice.com

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Glowifying

Courtesy of Sephora

Give your complexion a gradual, sun-kissed self-tan with this booster, which also contains aloe vera to soothe and hydrate.

Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster, $32,

sephora.com

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Anti-Aging

Courtesy of Ulta

Peptides (which make up protein) are essential for buoyant, elastic skin, and this booster contains a multitude of them.

Jack Black Protein Booster Skin Serum, $62,

ulta.com

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Mattifying

Courtesy of Cover FX

French pink clay ensures your complexion stays shine-free for hours, even during the hot summer.

Cover Fx Mattifying Booster Drops, $45,

coverfx.com

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Breakout Busting

Courtey of Net-a-Porter

Salicylic acid controls oil production, sulfur eliminates bacteria, and colloidal silver heals acne scars—so this one's beneficial to use during any phase of a breakout.

111Skin 3 Phase Anti Blemish Booster, $160,

net-a-porter.com

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Anti-Inflammatory

Courtesy of SpaceNK

Turmeric is known for its incredible anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects, whether you ingest it or apply it onto your skin. This booster also contains healing vitamin E and skin-protecting antioxidants.

Verso Antioxidant Turmeric Booster, $95,

spacenk.com

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Renewing

Courtesy of Net-a-Porter

Wake up to refreshed, brighter skin with this gentle exfoliator, which reduces the appearance of pores, wrinkles, and discoloration.

Sarah Chapman Overnight Exfoliating Booster, $70,

net-a-porter.com

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Here's What You Need to Know About Adding a Booster to Your Moisturizing Routine

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