Just like you, a dermatologist used to be overwhelmed by skincare products. Here's her simple anti-aging routine.
Dr. Suchismita "Tia" Paul, a board-certified dermatologist in Newport Beach, California, said her professional training helped her understand which products actually worked. Prior to that, "I was always very confused, too," Paul, 38, told Business Insider.
She learned that it's precisely that pressure to pile on enough anti-aging ingredients — vitamin C, retinol, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, peptides, ceramides — that can cause skin irritation and breakouts.
Paul is active on social media to help demystify the skincare world. In one video, she speaks with Mindy Kaling about toning down retinol use.
"My biggest takeaway is keeping it simple," she said. "Not having too many steps, especially if you don't know what each serum is meant to do."
Paul broke down her simple daytime and nighttime skincare routine step-by-step, including which products she swaps out seasonally.
4-step morning skincare routine:
She washes her face with a gentle cleanser (La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser).
She applies a "treatment," usually vitamin C serum (cult-favorite $182 Skinceuticals C E Ferulic or the more affordable $35 version from Timeless Skin Care) to target brown spots. Sometimes, she swaps the vitamin C with niacinamide (Paula's Choice Niacinamide 20% Treatment) if her skin feels red or dry.
Paul said this step varies depending on your personal skin needs. For example, if you have acne, you'll want to use a serum with salicylic acid.
She tops with a hydrating moisturizer (CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion or Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel). She likes these because they're affordable and have hydrating ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
Lastly, she applies tinted sunscreen (Supergoop Glowscreen SPF 40). "I don't wear much makeup, so I find that very nice because it just leaves a little glow," she said. She also likes the tinted options from La Roche-Posay and EltaMD.
4-step nighttime skincare routine
Paul starts by double-cleansing, first with an oil-based cleanser (Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm) to remove sunscreen and eye makeup. She then finishes with her morning cleanser (La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser).
She uses either a prescription-strength retinoid (tretinoin), which increases cell turnover and boosts collagen production for more youthful-looking skin. When her skin is feeling sensitive, she instead uses a gentler, over-the-counter retinol (Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Firming & Smoothing Serum with Hyaluronic Acid). "I've been using tretinoin for 10 years — even then, I cannot do it every single night," she said.
She applies the same moisturizer she used in the morning (CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion or Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel).
The last step is an eye cream (Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DermInfusions Fill + Repair Eye Cream) to hydrate her under-eye area more.
She also exfoliates and practices skin-cycling
Paul exfoliates her skin a few times a week to unclog her pores and soften her skin. After cleansing her skin in the morning, she applies a chemical exfoliant (Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant) or a scrub (ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Polish). She said which one you use should be "based on how sensitive or dry your skin feels." After that step, she adds moisturizer and sunscreen, omitting any serums that could irritate her skin.
She also changes her skincare routine depending on the season. In the winter, when her skin feels drier, she'll take breaks from retinol and vitamin C (which can be irritating). Instead, she uses snail mucin (COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence) or a hyaluronic acid serum (La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Acid Serum) for extra hydration.
If you're just starting out with a skincare routine, she emphasized being consistent as well as patient with the results. "I've been doing this for so long and now, yes, I feel like my skin is super nice and soft," she said. "But for the first couple of months, you're not going to see the effects right away."
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