Photo credit: CentralITAlliance
By Erica Metzger
Your skin type is your north star for staying healthy at every age. Follow these dermatologist-approved plans for dry, oily, sensitive skin, and more.
As enthralling as skincare is on social media (celeb plastic surgery! viral trends! incredible before and afters!), it should be as boring as possible in your real-world AM/PM practice. According to dermatologists, building a simple and consistent skincare routine is the best way to help your complexion thrive on a daily basis and preserve its health at every age.
Repetition delivers results. Our skin has a natural turnover cycle, so products can take over a month to visibly “work”, says Anthony Rossi, MD, a dermatologist and surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Consistency is especially important as we mature, he adds. “When we are younger, it can take about four weeks for the skin cells to replicate and shed. As we age, that process slows so it can take six weeks or longer to see an effect."
Of course, once you've committed, you want your routine to be the best it can be: calming, effective, so wonderful to apply that it conjures spa music in your head... The first step to skincare nirvana, however, is making sure that every product you use is made for your skin type. “This is based on oil production, moisture balance, and sensitivity,” explains Melissa K. Levin, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Entiére. Skin types include dry, oily, combination, sensitive, and normal. Before you jump to a conclusion, think about your skin right now—it may be very different from 10 years ago. And while you may have inherited your mom's rosacea, your skin type isn’t exclusively determined by genetics. “It can be influenced by environmental factors: Where do you live, and what is your current diet and lifestyle?,” says Rossi. Note: if you have persistent acne, eczema, rosacea, or seborrheic dermatitis, you should see your doctor before diving into a new routine. Otherwise, to determine your current skin type, keep reading. Then, consider the formulas we recommend. “Every skincare routine should include a gentle cleanser, a hydrating lotion, and a broad-spectrum sunscreen,” says. Dr. Karan Lal, a double-board certified adult and pediatric dermatologist. Our expert suggestions, below.
Routines for Every Skin Type
Dry Skin
Dry skin doesn’t produce enough oil, so it can feel tight and look dull. Other symptoms include tightness, redness, and a tendency for irritation. And unlike seasonal bouts of flakiness, “dry skin types are consistently so,” Rossi adds. Your other top skin concerns are likely fine lines and wrinkles. “Aging skin tends to be drier due to chronic environmental exposures and reduced lipid content,” says Ryan Turner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of TRNR Skin.
Three unique rules for you: First, the wrong type of cleanser will strip too much moisture—and a moisturizer can’t make up for that, so your skin will likely continue to feel and look dry, Turner says. Make sure you cleanse with a creamy or oil-based face wash and then, while skin is still a bit damp, apply a hydrating serum with glycerin or hyaluronic acid and/or a rich moisturizer with shea butter. Second, while we tend to champion the anti-aging power of retinoids, they may be too irritating for you. And that's ok: “Dry skin types tend to be better off using a peptide-based formula, which also helps to encourage collagen production," Rossi says. Lastly, limit exfoliation to one to two times a week, and only reach for gentle chemical exfoliants like mandelic acid, lactic acid, or enzymes from pumpkin or papaya, Levin says.
Your Routine for Dry Skin
Oil-Based Cleanser
FEMMUE Extraordinary Beauty Cleansing Balm
Massage this on dry skin, then rinse off. You can use morning and night (but it's also ok to rinse with only warm water in the morning).
Hydrating Serum
MAELOVE The Hydrator Intensive Hydration
Apply this morning and night immediately after cleansing while skin is still slightly damp.
Tinted Moisturizer with SPF
SONAGE Roux Tinted Day Créme with SPF 30
Apply this hydrating moisturizer with SPF 30 as your last step in the morning.
Night Cream
True Botanicals Phyto-Retinol Advanced Clinical Cream
This hydrating peptide cream is your last step at night.
Weekly Peel
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial
Once a week, pat a few drops of this peel, which contains alpha and beta hydroxy acids, on clean, dry skin. Rinse after 20 minutes then apply your hydrating serum and night cream.
Oily Skin
“Oily skin types tend to have lots of sebum independent of physical exertion,” Rossi says. You also may have a predisposition to enlarged pores, breakouts, and acne; so, typically, clear skin is your overarching goal. “An exfoliating cleanser with salicylic acid can penetrate the pore to exfoliate dead cells within,” says Turner. Or consider a gentle, water-based cleanser followed by an exfoliating toner or essence.
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Your other big takeaway: Don’t fear moisturizer. “Cleanser can strip the skin of its natural oils causing it to overproduce oil to compensate when it feels like it’s imbalanced,” Turner says. There are moisturizers that people with oily and acneic skin will love; look for a lightweight formula with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or squalane. Using it will help to balance and soothe skin, which reduces breakouts. Turner adds, “Retinol may also be helpful for this skin type because it not only promotes cellular renewal, but regulates oil production.”
Your Routine for Oily Skin
AM/PM Gentle Cleanser
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser
Cleanse twice a day with this water-based cleanser.
AM/PM Exfoliating Toner
Dr. Rossi Derm MD The Solution
Pour a bit of this lactic acid-based liquid onto a cotton round and then gently swipe across your face after cleansing twice a day.
AM/PM Moisturizer
TRNR Skin Prebiotic Lipid Nourishing Moisturizer
Oily skin types will love that this lightweight, glycerin and squalane-based hydrator gives skin a matte finish.
AM Sunscreen
EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
This formula— transparent, quick to absorb, and calming—will make you fall in love with sunscreen, which you'll apply as your last skincare step in the morning.
PM Retinoid Treatment
Medik8 Crystal Retinal
Dot a pea-sized amount evenly across your face, then gently rub in and follow with moisturizer. Retinoids can be irritating, so start using this every third night. Work up to a nightly application if you can tolerate it.
Combination Skin
You’re in good company: “The majority of my patients fall into this camp,” Levin says. The forehead, nose, and chin tend to be oily while the cheeks can be dry or flaky. Levin treats this skin similarly to normal skin but with milder formulas that won’t exacerbate either trait. For example, you’ll want a lightweight moisturizer that won’t cause the oily areas to get worse, she says, as well as mild exfoliants, which can be built into your cleanser or used as a serum when you don't apply a retinoid.
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Your Routine for Combination Skin
Exfoliating Cleanser
SkinBetter Science Refining Foam Cleanser
Cleanse skin with one to two pumps of this multitasking foam, which not only removes excess oil and grime but also helps to smooth and brighten skin with salicylic and alpha hydroxy acids and hydrate with glycerin, vitamin E, and jojoba esters.
AM Sunscreen Serum
La Roche-Posay Anthelios AOX Daily Antioxidant Serum with Sunscreen
After cleanser, this quick-to-absorb serum gives your skin everything it needs in the morning: hydration, vitamin C, and a broad-spectrum SPF 50.
PM Retinoid Serum
Kate Somerville MEGA-A Skin Transforming Serum
This nightly serum, which contains a form of retinoid called retinal, encourages cell turnover while also hydrating skin with hyaluronic acid and squalane.
Night Cream
Skinfix Barrier+ Skin Barrier Restoring Gel Cream
This is wonderfully hydrating without feeling thick or greasy, making it perfect for combination skin. Use as your last step at night—but feel free to apply to dry areas in the morning as needed.
AM Exfoliating Serum
Sofie Pavitt Face Mandelic Clearing Serum
If you have clogged pores or breakouts, then you can apply this mandelic acid exfoliant in the morning—but switch to a gentle cleanser, like the CeraVe one we recommend for oily skin, on days you do.
Sensitive Skin
Prone to redness, itching, and burning, sensitive skin gets irritated easily thanks to environmental conditions like wind and weather, hormone changes in your cycle, and skincare products. Your goal: Soothe and protect it while avoiding common irritants like fragrance and chemical sunscreen filters. Mineral SPF is your BFF, and so are the following ingredients. “Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, squalane, and niacinamide are great options for sensitive skin. These have anti-inflammatory benefits to help relieve the redness and irritation associated with skin sensitivity,” Dr. Turner says.
Your Routine for Sensitive Skin
AM/PM Cleanser
The Outset Gentle Micellar Antioxidant Cleanser
Skin won't feel the least bit irritated after washing with this jelly-like cleanser. Despite it's soft touch, it effectively removes makeup and grime.
AM Sunscreen
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+
This comes out of the tube as a thick cream, but it's easy to blend and abosrbs quickly while providing skin with excellent soothers and hydrators plus an SPF 50.
AM/PM Calming Serum
Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%
After cleanser, apply this serum allover. Niacinamide stamps down inflammation while also brightening and smoothing uneven texture.
Night Cream
Dr. Naana Boakye Cocoa Barrier Cream
Instead of retinol, this formula uses bakuchiol, a plant with retinol-like properties, and antioxidants to address aging. Hydrating ingredients (glycerin, aloe, shea butter, sunflower seed oil) bolster the skin barrier.
As Needed Treatment
Dr. Jart+ Cicapair So Soothing Treatment
When you experience a flare-up, apply this to any visibly irritated areas morning and night. The cica extract (also known as Centella Asiatica) is intensely hydrating and calming, helping to reduce redness and smooth patchiness.
Normal Skin
“You're not too dry, you're not too oily. Your oil and moisture levels are well-balanced. Sure, you may deal with a couple of imperfections, but overall you have a healthy glow,” Levin says. A gentle cleanser will maintain this balance, and you can opt for multi-tasking moisturizers with amino acids, niacinamide, lipids, and glycerin. Normal skin can also handle a range of treatments, so look for peptides, antioxidants, and retinoids to improve texture and tone.
Your Routine for Normal Skin
AM/PM Brightening Cleanser
Josie Maran Pineapple Enzyme Foaming Gel Cleanser
This luxe cleanser starts as a gel and then suds up as you massage. Besides removing pollution and makeup, pineapple enzymes help slough off dead skin cells, leaving skin more radiant.
AM Antioxidant Serum
Cocokind Vitamin C Glow Serum
Vitamin C helps shield your skin from pollution and UV-induced free radicals (the frenzied molecules that wreak havoc on collagen). This serum contains the antioxidant plus hydrators like hyaluronic acid and algae. Apply after cleansing, then layer on sunscreen.
AM Sunscreen
Alastin HydraTint Pro Mineral Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 36
This tinted sunscreen is a mainstay in our routine; it's easy to spread and keeps skin protected from UV and blue light. It's a must if you have dark spots, uneven skin, or melasma.
P.M. Retinol
Shani Darden Retinol Reform
Encapsulated retinol provides a potent but not-too-irritating dose of the ingredient known to help iron out fine lines, plump skin, and soften dark spots.
Night Cream
Alpyn Beauty Barrier Repair Cream
After retinol, continue to smooth and plump skin with this peptide-based hydator that feels rich and cushion-y on the skin.
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