3 Things to Do NOW for Younger, Healthier Skin

Every drugstore in America today showcases aisle upon aisle of thickly stocked, budget-friendly skincare options. Head into any department store and you’ll find the same, albeit with sleeker packaging, higher prices, and prettier salespeople. Then account for the fact that half your friends are currently trying to sell you the latest and greatest multi-level marketing product line, and things can get downright confusing. All these products promise miracle-like results, but how many of them actually deliver? And who has the time to research all the active ingredients and make sure you’re using the right things?

Luckily, it’s actually super simple to take the best possible care of your skin, without a 27-step regime or blowing your life’s savings on skincare. Even though I’ve been an esthetician for the last 15 years, you don’t have to take my word for it: these are the guidelines agreed upon by the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Board of Dermatology. 

1. PROTECT WITH SUNSCREEN: Sunscreen is the number one way to protect the skin from damage. We know that sun exposure is the most aggressive ager of skin and the top producer of skin diseases, including skin cancer. UV rays consistently damage the skin by breaking down collagen and damaging the cells. Unprotected skin will be significantly more prone to pigment issues (sun spots, age spots, freckles, melasma), as well as lines, wrinkles, larger pores, sagging, and most importantly, skin cancer.

SARAH’S TOP PICK: I love all the Elta MD sunscreens, but my current fave is UV Elements SPF 44. It’s waterproof and tinted with excellent coverage. 

2.  REPAIR WITH RETINOIDS:  Literally almost every single patient I’ve ever seen has told me, “I can’t use Retin A; I’m too sensitive.” Fortunately, that is no longer a valid excuse as there are so many different Vitamin A formulas available. Retin A and its baby sister, the less aggressive Retinol, can be found in lots of different strengths in over-the-counter products as well as pharmaceuticals. These vitamin A derivatives are proven and FDA-approved to stimulate new collagen as well as stimulate cellular turnover. Luckily, there are now super gentle formulas, as well as more aggressive forms to suit any skin need! Note: Retinoids are photo-sensitizing, so they should be used carefully and sparingly in the summer months, and always used in combo with an SPF to reduce sunburn risk. Also, retinoid use is not recommended during pregnancy and lactation. Since retinoids are aggressive, it’s always best to seek counsel from a trusted medical professional if you do have irritation when using it. 

SARAH’S TOP PICK: ZO Skin Health Wrinkle + Texture Repair. Start out using a pea-sized amount OR LESS and pat into the skin, avoiding the eye area, creases of the nose and corners of the mouth, two times per week, at night. As your skin gets used to the retinol, you can see if you can graduate to every other night. The WORST thing you can do with retinols is overuse them, get really dry, completely stop using them cold turkey and then when the dryness goes away, start overusing them again. You’ll be stuck in a perpetual dry, irritated cycle and never see the benefit of the product. It’s always best to use a TINY amount very consistently, even if you only ever get up to 2 nights per week. Skin thrives with consistency! 

3. TREAT WITH ANTIOXIDANTS: Beyond UV damage, skin cells can be injured from tons of other external factors: pollution, heat, allergens, etc. Antioxidants provide an extra layer of protection by not allowing any free radicals to hurt the cells. In short, antioxidants force the cells to act like young, healthy cells. They also boost your sun protection when layered with SPF by about 10 times. There are lots of popular antioxidants, but probably the most common is vitamin C. A good Vitamin C serum is one place you really shouldn’t scrimp. Vitamin C is a very difficult molecule to stabilize and keep stable and active on the skin. You will find that pharmaceutical product is definitely the way to go with a vitamin C, so that you are certain that those active ingredients you’re paying for are actually functional. Sure, that OTC cream might truly have some vitamin C in it, but by the time you get it out of the jar and onto your skin, is it still really doing anything? (Just so we’re clear, over-the-counter refers to anything not sold at a physician’s office or picked up at the pharmacy; I don’t care if it’s “dermatologist-formulated,” if you can buy it at Sephora or from your MLM friend, it’s not pharmaceutical, period.) 

SARAH’S TOP PICK: iS Clinical Pro-Heal Vitamin C Serum. Do you remember the scene from My Big Fat Greek wedding where the dad uses Windex to cure everything? Pro-Heal is my Windex. I use it for sunburns, I use it on bug bites, I use it if I burn my neck with the curling iron, I’ve used it when my dogs had sores they want to lick, I’ve used it on my daughter’s sensitive eczema…and on. You will never find me without a bottle of Pro-Heal nearby.  

NOW HOW DO I USE THESE?

It’s super easy and low maintenance. In the morning, cleanse the skin (this is one place to save money: find a gentle OTC cleanser that removes dirt and makeup and doesn’t strip your skin), apply your vitamin C serum of choice, then a gentle moisturizer if needed, and finally your sunscreen on face, neck and chest. At night, cleanse, they apply a tiny amount of your retinoid, followed by a gentle moisturizer as needed. On the days you don’t apply the retinoid, just use the moisturizer. 

Once you have these steps down completely and are in a good routine, THEN add other products to treat specific skin issues (melasma, acne, rosacea, etc.). By starting with these three steps, the general health of the skin should improve so significantly, you’ll likely see a positive improvement with any skin condition(s) as well. 

Your skin is the largest organ of your body, but lots of us ignore it. Set a good example for your kids and teach them the importance of protecting it!