Skin is your body’s largest organ, so it’s no coincidence that we spend so much time caring for it. From moisturizing lotions to wrinkle-reducing serums, there is no shortage of products out there to help keep your skin feeling and looking its best. And with so many products out there to choose from, you may find yourself standing in the beauty aisle wondering what to buy.  Don’t worry — we’re here to help! There are five essentials that dermatologists recommend to keep your skin healthy: Cleanser Antioxidant Moisturizer Sunscreen Retinoid Since cleanser is typically the first product i ..read more

As wrinkles, discoloration, and loss of elasticity in our skin start to become more apparent in our everyday complexion, it’s easy to assume simple aging is the reason for these visible signs. However in reality, the most responsible (80% to be exact) for these signs of aging is exposure to ultraviolet radiation, aka UV light, from the sun — a factor that ultimately contributes to photoaging. Of course, it’s understandable that we’ll start to see changes as we age because naturally, the skin does start to lose elasticity and tends to become more fragile over time without necessarily being dama ..read more

By now, it is well known that sunscreen is a necessary part of any skin care routine. Using sunscreen on a daily basis can help protect your skin from skin cancer and photoaging. But how do you know which type of sunscreen you should be using? Below, we discuss what board-certified dermatologists Dr. Sheila Krishna and Dr. Lana Kashlan say about physical vs chemical sunscreen and why physical sunscreen is the way to go. Why Do We Need Sunscreen? We’ve all grown up knowing that we have to use sunscreen at the beach but, for some, it takes a bit more getting used to as daily skincare practice. S ..read more

When it comes to your skin, collagen plays a huge role in how you visibly age over time, and for a good reason. Collagen is the main structural protein that both your skin and body naturally produce on its own. However as we age, our skin’s and body’s ability to produce it declines over time, resulting in wrinkles, sagging, thin skin, and more — so there’s no wonder why this conversation of “restoring” collagen has become all the rave. But can you naturally really restore it once you’ve already lost it?  Fortunately, it is possible to naturally restore healthy collagen production in your ..read more

Think about your skincare routine. If a retinoid is part of that routine, the order you use it in matters and you’re probably asking if you should use retinol before or after a moisturizer. Here is a refresher of the basic steps of taking care of your skin: Cleanse to remove impurities. Treat to address specific concerns about your skin. Protect to maintain your skin’s healthy appearance. It all seems so simple, right? Until it isn’t. So, what comes first? The retinoid or the moisturizer? It’s an age-old debate in the beauty world reminiscent of the chicken or the egg riddle ..read more

Treating dry skin sounds as simple as just drinking more water, right? Although dehydration may be a factor that contributes to dry skin, applying a moisturizer is also necessary. External treatment is just as important as internal treatment, and keeping your skin moisturized is much more than just making it look not dry. The benefits of having a good moisturizer on hand now will help the appearance and health of your skin in the future. Doing more than just moisturizing A moisturizer is a topical treatment, most likely in the form of a cream or serum, that is applied on the skin to maintain t ..read more

Word on the street is: Tretinoin is a supercharged skincare active with loads of benefits. Tretinoin smooths out fine lines and wrinkles. Complexion becomes more even. Skin becomes smooth and supple. Pores visibly shrink. And you can kiss blackheads and breakouts goodbye. These superpowers make tretinoin worthy of a spot in your skincare routine. But let’s back up a sec. What is tretinoin, anyway? Tretinoin is a topical retinoid (a form of vitamin A) and the more potent cousin of over-the-counter retinol. It’s 20 times more potent than retinol1 and has over 50 years of research to back up its ..read more

We’ve all woken up to find a freshly formed pimple staring back at us in the mirror. Our first instinct is to pop it or scrub it away. But both methods can damage our skin and make whiteheads worse. Whiteheads (also called closed comedones) are a type of acne that forms when sebum (oil) and dead skin cells build up around a hair follicle. The skin cells get stuck in the pore instead of exfoliating like they’re supposed to, forming white bumps under the skin’s surface. If you leave a whitehead for too long without treating it, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and can become red and in ..read more

With endless options, finding the right hyperpigmentation treatment can be exhausting. Dozens of treatments are recommended on skincare blogs, from topicals to in-office procedures to DIY remedies. So to cut through the noise, we got advice from a couple of expert derms. Hyperpigmentation, or uneven skin tone, is an increase in melanin that results in flat brown spots or patches on the skin that are darker than your usual complexion. Melanin is the natural pigment that determines your skin, hair, and eye color. But when it’s overproduced, the skin can look spotty or patchy. Sun exposure, air ..read more

Your relationship with your skin is personal. What works for someone else won’t necessarily work for you, so if you’re choosing between prescription-strength tretinoin and over-the-counter retinol, understand the difference before you put something on your face. Here’s the scoop: Retinoids are a broader category of skincare topicals that tretinoin and retinol belong to. Retinoids contain vitamin A derivatives used to improve the texture, tone, and appearance of the skin. In addition to tretinoin (also known by the brand name Retin-A) and retinol, other popular retinoids on the market include ..read more