Over-the-counter spot treatments seem downright miraculous, claiming to zap pimples in a matter of hours. As it turns out, that isn’t how anything works — and if you break out all over your face, selectively treating a few spots is, at best, a pretty inefficient strategy.

Coconut oil is great for your hair, and some people use it on their skin, too. But it seems as though every time I see somebody singing the praises of moisturising with the stuff, their very next complaint is that they just need to figure out how to get rid of their stubborn acne.

Looking after your skin can improve its appearance and reduce the signs of ageing. Here are ten easy steps for healthy, glowing skin.

In theory, SPF 50 and SPF 100 are very similar sunscreens: one blocks 98 per cent of UVB rays, and the other blocks 99 per cent. The problem is, nobody applies the amount of sunscreen that will get you the SPF listed on the bottle. So in reality you're getting very different protection out of those two bottles.

You know you're not supposed to pick a scab (right?). It turns out, though, that the real pro move is to avoid them in the first place, so by the time you're sitting on your hands virtuously avoiding picking your latest scab, you've already blown it.

If you want to expand your skincare routine beyond cleansing, moisturiser and sunscreen, exfoliation is a good next step. Exfoliating serums and scrubs boast that they can fight acne, clear your pores, reduce fine lines and make your skin vaguely brighter. Some of those promises are true, but they're not the whole story. So here is your scientific, medically backed look at exfoliation: what it can (and can't) do for your skin, and which effective, inexpensive products you can try out.

Zits are unfair. We didn't ask for them, we certainly don't deserve to have them into adulthood, and it's especially insulting when you finally get a giant pimple to go away and then it comes right back a few days later.

Women with a little hair on their chin or upper lip can feel like there's something wrong with them - but it's actually pretty common. Mona Chalabi writes at The Guardian that even the measurement tool that determines whether you are "hirsute" has some serious issues.

If you want to offset dark circles, redness, or dark spots with makeup, you have to understand how using orange, green, yellow, and a few other colours can even out your skin tone -- called colour-correcting. The technique is popular, but really easy to mess up. This video helps clear up the confusion.

Shining a magenta light on your face to tame acne sounds like more of a gimmick than science. But it turns out products like Neutrogena's Light Therapy Mask may actually be effective, although they aren't for everyone.

For well-seasoned chicken breasts, salting the top of the skin isn't enough; you need to get some under the skin as well. Though wiggling your fingers in between the meat and the skin can get the job done, it can be a little awkward, and Cook's Illustrated has devised an easier, neater approach.

Everyone can benefit from priming and setting makeup to make sure it will last all day. You don't have to, but whether you're using a $9 foundation or $90 one, that product was an investment, and there's no point if you're not going to make sure it lasts as long as possible.

Pimples are annoying and they tend to pop up at the absolute worst time. Before you try to pop them, though, check out this video for some better ways to get rid of acne.

My university roommate and I stood worlds apart. She'd slap some body lotion on her face, as in lotion left over from her arms and legs, straight from the pump bottle. Meanwhile, I moisturised with special facial moisturisers. I thought she was doing more harm than good, but her method wasn't as harmful as I thought.

Flaking, itching, taught and drab-looking skin are just no fun. Some, like yours truly, struggle with it more than others. We can blame our genes up to a point, but there's a lot we can do on our own for good-looking skin, like following a skin care routine that includes moisturising.

If you're showering every day (as many Australians do), you're probably over doing it. In fact, showering too often can actually hurt your body in the long run.