I have a friend who has beautiful skin -- smooth and even, with nary a wrinkle in sight. But recently, her mother called her and said, "We need to have a talk. You need to take better care of your skin. You're 35, after all -- it's time!" Despite the fact that my friend's skin is truly lovely, I had to agree with her mother. It's never too early to start babying your face.

Fortunately, a good skin care routine doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. In fact, the best skin care routine is simple and minimal; this really is a case of less is more.

So what should you be doing?

Visit the dermatologist. No matter how old you are or what your skin care concerns are, a visit to the dermatologist is a good start. I would suggest looking for a doctor whose practice includes both basic medical dermatology (she can remove that funny mole on your leg) and aesthetic dermatology (she could inject you with Botox, if that's what you chose). I'm not advocating for the Botox, by the way, but a doctor or practice that covers the spectrum will be more likely to work with you if your concern is simply wanting to keep your young, beautiful skin young and beautiful.

Streamline your routine. Skin care consultants will often tell you that you need a thousand steps to keep your skin young and beautiful. You don't. The less you do to your face, the healthier your skin will be. Essentially, you only need three things in your skin care arsenal:

1. A gentle cleanser. Use at night, to remove makeup and grit, and in the morning if your skin is oily.

2. A rich eye cream. Pat it on day and night. You'll thank me when you're 50.

3. A moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15. Choose one formulated for your specific skin, and wear daily. Get one that's tinted and skip foundation.

And truly, that's it. Three products, five minutes each day. So easy!

Feeling like you could manage more? Then add:

4. Makeup remover. If you're wearing waterproof or long-wear eye and lip color, take the time to remove them completely at the end of the day.

5. Night cream. If your skin tends to be dry, rehydrate at night.

6. Topical treatments for acne or wrinkles. Get these from the dermatologist, though, rather than winging it yourself with OTC options. Unless you're using the right thing, you can actually make the problem worse -- or create a new problem (the OTC wrinkle treatment might make your face break out, for example).

You can buy all the basics at the drug store -- I'm partial to Neutrogena's line of products, both because they offer a wide range of cleaners and lotions, and because they happen to be the brand recommended by every single dermatologist I've seen over the past 20-some years. If you really want to go with a fancy line of products, do it. The bottom line, though, is this: Great skin comes from great skin care; you don't have to spend a fortune, or invest hours each day, taking care of your face.

Do it now, before your mother calls and says, "We need to have a talk."