The weather's still warm, but it's already that time of year: back-to-school! The start of the semester means a fresh chance to make an impression on friends both new and old--you're older and wiser, and your look should reflect it. In your teens and twenties, hormones are all over the place, so the biggest beauty culprit is acne. Of course, nothing saps confidence and keeps you from focusing on the important stuff (your studies; that hottie in Chem class) like an angry eruption of red breakouts. Luckily, there are easy steps you can take to get and keep your skin in such glowing shape that you'll wow 'em all.

Here's my own tried and true regimen. When it comes to getting clear skin, consistency is key. (Don't even think about falling asleep without washing your face, or skipping a night in your routine!):

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash: Start with a salicylic acid-based cleanser. Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash thoroughly removes all traces of dirt, oil and makeup, but won't strip skin or overly dry it out. Use to gently cleanse skin for at least 20 seconds twice a day.

Purpose Dual Treatment Moisture Lotion with SPF 15: Acne-prone skin needs extra TLC to avoid irritation and future breakouts. This non-comedogenic moisturizer has SPF-don't even think about skipping your daily sunscreen!-but won't clog pores and sinks in quickly.

La Roche-Posay Biomedic Retinol 30: When it comes to long-term acne prevention, nothing works better than retinol. (Bonus: you're setting the stage to keep future wrinkles at bay, too!) Retinol is superexfoliating, so build up a tolerance by using every other night for the first week. After your skin has adjusted, use nightly and you'll see amazingly clear results.

MD Formulations Benzoyl Peroxide 10: Even with your best efforts, dreaded zits are occasionally going to rear their ugly heads. Put them in their place with this 10% benzoyl peroxide spot treatment; a little bit goes a long way, so dab on zits once per night until the breakout disappears.