Simple Skincare Routine
Why is a skincare routine important?
Skincare routines should be simple. If someone is telling you about their complicated 10-step routine, they are selling you things you don’t need. Your skin needs to be protected, cleaned (gently), and allowed to heal - it minimizes acne, redness, and aging. This is the skincare routine used by my wife, teen daughters, and all my staff.
Most of the signs of aging (fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots) are caused by sun damage from ultraviolet (UV) rays. Theoretically, if you protect your skin from birth with sunscreen and sun-protective clothing, you would avoid most of the skin issues that make us look old.
How do I keep my skin healthy?
Your skincare routine needs to be affordable (should be <$25/month), regardless of what you hear from friends or see on social media – they are usually trying to sell you something expensive.
There are 3 simple steps: (1) Correction, (2) Moisturization, and (3) Sun protection.
What is a simple (the best) skin care routine?
BEDTIME ROUTINE:
Rinse face with gentle facial cleanser (hydrating or foaming)
Apply thin layer of adapalene (step 1)
Apply a thicker layer of Vaseline or CeraVe cream (step 2)
Go to bed a bit shiny
MORNING ROUTINE:
Rinse face with gentle facial cleanser (hydrating or foaming)
Apply a daily facial moisturizer with sunscreen (SPF 30 or more) (step 3)
Moisturize as needed with CeraVe cream or Vaseline throughout the day
Step 1 – Correction
The best family of medicines to help the skin grow evenly and help both acne and aging is the retinoid family, including Retin-A (tretinoin), Tazorac (tazarotene), Differin (adapalene), and retinol. The first two are prescriptions, the last two are over-the-counter. Between adapalene and retinol, I think adapalene is better. Adapalene went from prescription to over-the-counter recently. See instructions below.
At bedtime, dab the adapalene gel on the outside of your face (forehead, sideburns, chin). Massage it into the outside of your face first. Then, with the tiny bit left on your fingers, massage it over and around the nose, cheeks, and lips (these are more sensitive areas to peeling and redness).
NOTE: This will dry you out. It dries everyone out! The goal is to minimize the red and flaky skin until your skin gets used to the adapalene after a few weeks.
WARNING: Adapalene gel should not be used if you are pregnant. It is a retinoid, and retinoids can cause problems to growing babies in the womb.
Right after the adapalene gel goes on, apply a lot of moisturizing cream or ointment. My favorites are CeraVe cream, Vanicream cream, or Vaseline (#SlugLife). Put a thicker layer on your skin and go to bed shiny. It will soak into your skin while you sleep.
NOTE: It takes a month to see results, so you have to stick with it for at least 30 days! As a side benefit, adapalene is in the retinoid family, which are the best anti-aging ingredients.
My face is peeling with adapalene. What do I do?
This is very common. Many people tell me that their skin is too sensitive for adapalene or that it made their skin peel. The real problem is that the right way to use adapalene is NOT how we naturally want to use it. Most people use too much adapalene or only put it only around the eyes and lips where they have fine lines or dark circles.
Follow the steps above to get even improvement over your entire face. It helps new skin grow more evenly and shrinks your pores, AND it takes a full month for your skin to grow out from the base layer, so it takes a full month to start seeing the results.
The problem is that adapalene starts drying out the skin and making the skin red right away, and you have to deal with this for a full month before you see any benefits. This first month is where most people give up and tell me that adapalene doesn’t work for them.
TIPS for proper adapalene use:
Don’t use too much. A pea-size amount is enough for the whole face. Follow the steps above.
Start on the outside of your face, not the center. If your skin is peeling at your hairline, it is much less bothersome than around your nose and lips.
Moisturize! You cannot over-moisturize. You are trying to fight the dryness and peeling until your skin gets used to the adapalene.
Stick with it! You need to do this every night for a month to see the benefits. And the benefits are great! It shrinks your pores, makes acne better, and helps with aging!
If you can’t handle every night, then apply it every other night, just be consistent!
Step 2 – Moisturization
Expensive ≠ better results. In fact, my favorite facial moisturizer is just Vaseline (100% petrolatum) nightly before bed. Just try a thin layer of Vaseline one night before bed. You will love how your face feels in the morning! My family and my staff have all switched to Vaseline. However, when we have free samples, my wife loves La Roche-Posay Toleriane moisturizer. Serums and toners and vitamin C and E or hyaluronic acid are not necessary. Your skin needs to feel loved, and love it by moisturizing it.
Step 3 – Sun Protection
This famous picture of a truck driver shows what the sun does to our skin. If you really want younger-looking, healthier skin, you have to protect your skin from the sun every day, year-round. This has never been easier because every skincare company (Aveeno, Neutrogena, Elta MD, Cetaphil) has a daily facial moisturizer with SPF. It needs to be an SPF of 30 or higher. But, sun hats and shade are better than any sunscreen.
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