The daily skincare essentials to get glowing

It’s easy to think you need a 10 step evening skincare routine to have what experts in the industry refer to as impeccable “skin integrity”, but less really is more when it comes to your daily routine. While I can be taken in by every new serum, mask or tool that comes along, I use three products daily without fail;

01 Vitamin C - boosts collagen production, evens out and brightens overall skin tone and helps resist premature aging from UV rays

02 Sunscreen - protects from UV radiation, alleviating loss of collagen and elastin and lessens hyperpigmentation.

03 Vitamin A - creates cell turnover and builds collagen

While you can add other products into a daily regimen, using these three consistently is effective and manageable.

Following cleansing, use your Vitamin C serum (my favorite is from Medik8, offering 3 formulas at varing strengths). Next layer on sunscreen (a favorite of mine is EltaMD). The two in combination actually heighten their effectiveness. Adding sunscreen every morning (rain or shine) is a non-negotiable and can have the most impact when used consistently. Aside from sunscreen protecting our skin from sunburn and skin cancer, it has a significant role in extrinsic aging (caused by continual exposure to the sun's radiation, pollution, and environmental factors). The sun, or more specifically the UV radiation,  wreaks havoc on our collagen. The UV radiation is what prematurely contributes to the breakdown or collagen and elastin, a key factor in accruing more lines, wrinkles and loss of elasticity. And on so many of us, it also damages the even tone of our skin, by overproducing  melanin, which  can create hyperpigmentation. When it comes to sunscreen my preference is a physical/mineral formula (for all the details as to why check out the post on Sunscreen Science, Simplified).

Use your Vitamin A in the evening as it helps take advantage of your sleep regeneration and aids in cell turnover. If your skin can not tolerate a prescription retinol (Vitamin A), use a “cell turnover” product at night, whether it is a gentler Bakchuiol, a Glycolic Acid or consider using Eau Thermale Avene RetinAL 0.1 , a French pharmacy brand that is more gentle, yet effective. There are many brands and formulas to choose from, but if you like a particular texture or formula, use that - if you like it, you will use it. Your skin will thank you.