Self-Care Starts with Your Skin: Doctor Recommended Steps to a Healthy Beauty Routine

When our days are scheduled from sunrise to sunset, taking time to nurture ourselves is the last thing on many of our minds. Between the countless hours spent in Zoom meetings, writing emails, and taking care of our families—we’re forced to jolt out of bed to start the day and are literally falling into bed exhausted each night. A skincare routine may not even make our to-do list, but taking even a few minutes for yourself can have lasting mental health benefits as well as the skin ones.  Studies show that rituals provide a sense of control, which can ease anxiety and improve performance.  Where to begin? Well, right here. We called up New York-based dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe to gather 10 of her best tips and tricks. Most importantly, these are realistic and achievable ones. Keep scrolling to start building your beauty regimen right now.  Your Beauty Routine Starts Here Invest Wisely Lasting results rarely come from laser focusing on fancy products. “I don’t advocate the ‘kitchen sink’ approach to skincare that we often see displayed in ‘shelfies’ on Instagram,” says Bowe, adding that product investment should be more about “selecting thoughtfully, intelligently formulated products than buying the most expensive luxury brands.” Splurge with a purpose by focusing on safety, efficacy, purity, and sustainability.  Dr. Bowe opts for a variety of clean products in her own routine, emphasizing that “health is the ultimate luxury, right?”  Educate Yourself  A short and simple ingredient list, in itself, doesn’t necessarily translate into a safer, more effective product. “For example,” Dr Bowe explains, “a good moisturizer should contain emollients, humectants, and occlusive ingredients to really trap moisture, a blend of antioxidants to help to stabilize the ingredients so they actually work, and prebiotics that support a healthy microbiome,” says Bowe. So, using a simple oil with a single ingredient to moisturize your skin isn’t the smartest choice. However, she adds, “some ingredients are definitely better left out of a product,” like the hundreds of irritating ingredients often hidden behind the word “fragrance.” So, educate yourself as much as possible on the elements of a product (especially the secretive ones) before purchase.  Know What Beauty Buzzwords Mean  It’s important to recognize that there is still a lot of debate surrounding how we define clean beauty. “Natural doesn’t automatically mean skin safe. This is not the same as when it comes to eating natural foods and a clean diet,” says Bowe. “I am beginning to incorporate more clean products into my product recommendations and working to help educate people as to the best that ‘clean’ has to offer because there is a lot of confusion in this space,” says Bowe.  Start Small, Slowly Expand  When expanding your product lineup, proceed with caution and listen to your skin. While basics like cleanser and moisturizer should be used right off the bat, there’s no need to rush when it comes to adding in extras like toners, serums and actives. Dr. Bowe recommends testing one variable/new product at a time and waiting at least two weeks to see how your skin reacts.  Have Patience Results don’t come overnight. A nourishing face mask and a cool mist humidifier at night will deliver a hydration fix quickly, but when it comes to powerhouse ingredients, such as retinol and bakuchiol, it can take months for their beneficial effects to kick in. Though Dr. Bowe ensures that they are well worth the wait!  Application is Everything When and how you apply your products is just as important as the products themselves. Applying your products with the thinnest to thickest consistency is a great way to ensure they’re doing their job. Another simple method is to first use products that are meant to deeply seep into the skin, like antioxidant-rich serums, and finish with products that sit on top of the skin, like hydrating moisturizers. Dr. Bowe says to “massage your moisturizer into your skin using circular motions, but don’t massage a retinol or AHA or vitamin C serum into your skin because that’ll likely cause irritation,” she emphasizes. As far as acids go (those are your AHAs and BHAs), she recommends applying one to two per week at night, never on the same night as retinol. Be Gentle Cleaning too aggressively or over-exfoliating in an effort to experience that tight, squeaky-clean feeling is a habit for many. Despite common belief, that’s not what your skin wants or needs! “When our skin’s healthy microbiome is disrupted by harsh cleansers and other abrasive products, this discontent results in breakouts, rosacea flares, psoriasis, and eczema” says Bowe. In sharp contrast, she adds that when our “good bugs” are healthy, “they’re empowered to fight infections, combat against environmental damage, boost our immune system, and keep our skin hydrated and radiant.” Be gentle and protect that skin barrier and microbiome! Rejuvenate the Mind Your skincare routine is a chance to not only pamper your skin but ease your brain as well. To get the most out of your me-time, throw on a silk robe, rock a cute headband, and turn on a peaceful playlist. Or even better, take time away from your tech and embrace the silence. Activate that airplane mode! Dr. Bowe finds that adding a jade roller into her routine and repeating a positive mantra like this one while applying her products makes a major difference.  Prioritize the Basics A product-focused regimen can be life-changing, but it doesn’t mean you should skip the simple things. Don’t underestimate the power of deep sleeps, sweat sessions, or refreshing sips of water. And of course, stress. “Stress causes your intestinal lining to grow weak and leaky, allowing toxins to spill into the bloodstream, and triggering body-wide inflammation and a host of potential diseases, says Bowe, who often speaks about the connection between leaky gut and leaky skin. The best medicine? Decompression. “As I note in The Beauty of Dirty Skin, meditation is a shortcut to calm. It sparks what’s known as the relaxation response, which eases anxiety—and the

A Clean Beauty Routine for Sensitive Skin

Amidst our busy schedules, establishing a routine can give you some much-needed solitude which can lead to a calm mind and body. An evening routine is perhaps the most crucial one of all—or at least just as important as a morning one. Research shows that consistent bedtime behaviors can increase sleep quality and duration. Any type of dedicated routine is somewhat beneficial, but a skincare regimen comes with an extra long list of benefits. The results that come from using the right products (hello hydrated skin!) can boost confidence and build self-esteem.  Finding the right products? Well, that has its own challenges, especially when you have tough-to-treat skin that requires extra care. Luckily, we’ve done the tough work for you.  Here’s your nighttime guide to glowing skin with clean, budget-friendly products. Plus, weekly additions for some extra pampering. These products were curated with extra sensitive skin in mind, but there is something here to benefit any skin type. Your Evening Routine Double Cleanse: Oil + Foam Over the course of just one day, your skin accumulates lots of unwanted pollutants. By double cleansing with an oil cleanser before you wash with a foaming cleanser will ensure you’re truly clean. Jurlique’s Nourishing Cleansing Oil is a natural blend of pure botanicals grown, harvested and extracted at Jurlique’s organic farm. Since oil attracts oil, it’ll draw out impurities like sebum while its natural-based antioxidants will help protect the skin. Follow with a foaming cleanser such as Indie Lee’s antioxidant-rich foaming cleanser (which is free of 1,300+ banned ingredients that are often the cause of irritation).  Jurlique’s Nourishing Cleansing Oil, $34.00  Indie Lee’s Purifying Face Wash, $34.00 Toner To ensure your skin is squeaky clean, apply a toner with a cotton ball. A swipe of toner will replenish skin and provide a perfectly clean base for product application. Opt for an unscented, alcohol-free option like Thayers Witch Hazel &Aloe Vera Toner. Witch hazel will tighten pores and control oil production, while aloe vera will reduce redness and inflammation.  Thayers Witch Hazel Toner, $10.95  Chemical Exfoliator: AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) Face scrub can feel rejuvenating, but chemical exfoliators are better than physical exfoliants for daily use. The word “chemical” can be intimidating to those with sensitive skin, but most chemical exfoliators are extremely gentle. BHA’s are safe for morning use, but you should use AHAs in the PM, as they cause photosensitivity (hence the importance of SPF!). Lather on Paula’s Choice Daily Smoothing Treatment every other night and see your skin transform. The product is made with glycolic acid, the most common of all the AHAs, which works to refine the surface of skin with gentle and non-abrasive exfoliation. A wonderful exfoliant, it’s also a hydrator! Expect a mix of antioxidants that help fight the impact of free-radical damage, plus ceramides and peptides to restore moisture. Paula’s Choice Daily Smoothing Treatment with 5% AHA, $37.00 Moisturizer Finish off your night with a creamy lotion. While you rest, Avegan Beauty’s Plant Based Night Cream will help replenish those precious ceramides that you washed away in the beginning of your nighttime routine. Ceramides are natural lipids that act like “the mortar between the cells” to build firm skin, so you’ll definitely want those back! It’s naturally preserved, vegan, gluten-free, and made with 55 percent organic ingredients. Given that most moisturisers out there solely cater to dry skin, your sensitive face will thank you for this one.  Avegan Beauty Plant Based Restore Night Cream, $41.00 Tea Tree Oil Tea tree oil is a savior for easily irritated skin. It has antibacterial and antioxidant properties that calm inflammation, eliminate new pimples, erase scars, and prevent future blemishes. Unlike other toners and astringents, this hydrating Tea Tree Oil is mixed with nourishing ingredients like Vitamin E to create a dewy radiance. It’s paraben-, silicone-, GMO- and cruelty-free and best of all? It’s made with consciously sourced clean ingredients that won’t end in a bad reaction.  Beauty Foundry Tea Tree Face Oil, $14.48 Just A Little More Pampering Fancy, yet effective hand sanitizer Though not a face product, an effective hand sanitizer may do wonders for your face. Our hands come in contact with so many surfaces, only to then spread those germs onto our face in one touch. Regular alcohol-based hand sanitizers can leave skin dry, cracked, and more prone to infection. Puracy’s FDA-Approved Hand Sanitizer includes a blend of purified water and plant-based moisturizers to help keep hands silky-smooth. Made with citrus and sea salt and wrapped in a beautiful sustainable packaging, it’ll pamper and protect. Grab the travel size pack to ensure you have a bottle everywhere you are.  Puracy Gel Hand Sanitizer, $35.97 for a 3-pack Physical Exfoliator: Face Scrub While chemical exfoliators are effective, there’s nothing like a good scrub to shed dead skin remnants. Surprisingly, a lot of scrubs on the market are irritating because the particles are too sharp and rough for facial use. So, it’s best to make your own with ingredients you can trust like this Coffee Yogurt Mask. Keep in mind, your face will need an intense dose of moisturizing after a deep scrub. Oil-Control Clay Mask De-clog pores and rid of any excess oil with a weekly clay mask. Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay is an all-natural option with a cult following. It’s made from 100% Natural Calcium Bentonite Clay, which has the ability to improve sensitive skin conditions like dermatitis. Just like the scrub, top this one off with some moisturizer.  Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, $14.95 (photo credit: Shutterstock and brands)

Switch to Healthier Beauty Products in 2 Simple Steps

Your morning cleanse-moisturize-makeup routine may be equivalent to eating KFC for breakfast. Start with these expert tips to give your beauty cabinet a serious makeover.

The Easiest Way to Prevent Wrinkles Naturally

Trying to prevent wrinkles? Bad news: even if you’re slathering on sunscreen three times a day and are being super careful about getting enough sleep, if you’re eating the wrong foods, you’re not doing your skin any favors. But there’s good news, too: Eating the right foods can prevent wrinkles and even reverse (yes, reverse!) signs of aging. In fact, your diet is the. most. important. factor when it comes to aging gracefully. In this video, I’m sharing three nutrients you should include in your diet every single day, and which foods you can find them in. Hey, restocking your fridge is way easier than scheduling millions of appointments with your dermatologist, right? Start fighting fine lines (and embrace the ones you can’t!), now. How to Prevent Wrinkles Naturally, With Food