Do you wish he or she were more invested in caring for their skin? It might just take a little bit of finagling on your part, but it is possible. We normally don't support trying to change people, but (let's face it) good skin care really does change lives!

1. Do it under the guise of a gift. Tasteful? Totally. Sneaky? A tad bit. Everyone knows it’s bad manners to not be appreciative of a present. I bought my boyfriend a skin care set this past Christmas (how romantic, I know – but it was a gift of the heart, promise!), and whether or not he’s lying about enjoying it is irrelevant at this point. He’s using it pretty religiously, which speaks volumes – for that I’d like to claim all responsibility for changing his life in the skin care department. Point is, I gave it to him, and he’s been using it happily since. Yup – it was that simple. But I realize that not everyone’s significant other is as easily persuaded (or easily tricked) into getting into a skin care regimen; I think mine was naturally inclined to given a push in the right direction – he’s quite diligent with grooming habits. Here are a few tips:

• Give the gift of a set, but don’t overwhelm with too many products. A gift set, served with a kiss or two, works wonders. Give a set with the basics ( cleanser, scrub, mask, moisturizer) plus a fun extra (for example: a serum) and your special someone won’t have an excuse to not use the whole thing. Plus, sets tend to have prescribed steps that are easy to follow, so they're a win-win.

• Make it interesting. Basics are necessities, but necessities aren’t exactly exciting. My boyfriend was particularly excited about trying this exfoliant packed with ingredients he’s never tried not because it’d be good for his skin, but because it looked cool and smelled good. Aesthetics, scent, and texture are pretty standout, so use those to your advantage. Get them curious about one thing and the rest is cake.

• Bring on the compliments. “Honey, are you using Product X I gave you for Holiday Y? You look incredible, babe!” All egos like to be stroked. And positive reinforcement always works; just ask Pavlov.

2. Leave your stuff out on the bathroom counter. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but in this case, it’ll have done wonders for your partner’s complexion. There’s two things working for you with this ol’ trick: (1) if it’s there, it’s accessible, and therefore fair game – that’s how most significant others discover what they like; and (2) curiosity is a powerful thing. Little to no work is required for this tip, that’s the beauty of it.

3. Ask for their advice. “Look what I bought today – I’m not sure if I love it yet. Try it, tell me what you think!” This one requires a little more finesse than the aforementioned two, but here’s the secret: it’s human nature to enjoy feeling valuable and needed. Really: you clearly value their opinion, so why not ask for it? Again, getting someone to try something is that foot in the door; the majority of partners admit to becoming loyal users of some sort of beauty and/or skincare product after they’ve tried it once. That’s all it takes: one try. 4. Just go ahead and buy it for them. Number four kinda works like the first and second tip, only this is just you taking charge and coming home with a new set of products laid out on your partner’s side of the bathroom counter. Just do it – it’s as simple as that. Your special someone will thank you later.

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