Dr. Jenny Liu is a board-certified dermatologist and professor who reviews serums, moisturizers, and K-beauty staples with an educator's clarity. Followers love her evidence-based recommendations and consistently high bar for what makes the cut.
Why Are They A Guru?
Board-certified dermatologist and university professor whose recommendations carry an educator's clarity and a consistently high evidentiary bar.
276Products
262 approved99% approval rate
2 skippedDoesn't pull punches
1 hot takesWhere they break from the pack
The hall of fame
Dr. Jenny Liu's top picks.
The products Dr. Jenny Liu has crowned best in their category, and brings up again and again.
I love my C E Ferulic from SkinCeuticals. I do use that all year round, but say if you have a hard time tolerating a L-ascorbic acid base, you can check out the THD version that's creamier.
This is one of my personal favorite detox shampoos. I use it once a week regularly or before I actually do the K18 treatment. It's a great gentle detoxifying shampoo with the K18 trademark peptide that really helps to remove buildup, that really helps to clarify your scalp and your hair and prep your hair for the K18 treatment, but at the same time doesn't make your hair feel really stripped or dry. It removes up to 99% of product buildup, 95% of sebum buildup and the other kind of hard minerals that you may get from the water or pollution. So it is really one of the most gentle detoxifying shampoos, but at the same time works well at removing everything.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is a lightweight moisturizer that really is oil-free, non-comedogenic, and delivers long-lasting hydration without any feeling of heaviness or residue on your skin. It's got a little bit more of a kind of weight to it compared to some others, but it's not heavy and absorbs super quickly. It contains hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and dimethicone. Dimethicone gives it a little bit more of that weight, but it's a great emollient that's not heavy and provides a smooth finish. If you have super oily skin, go with a different option. If you have combination or even combination-dry skin, the Neutrogena one would be a great option. This one comes in a fragrance and non-fragrance formula, so if you have sensitive skin, go with the fragrance-free one.
There are a few vitamin supplements that I recommend to my patients if they ask me for recommendations that can potentially support their hair regrowth journey and that's Nutrafol and the Viviscal. Both of those do contain biotin but it's not the biotin that's actually helping. It's their proprietary blend of active ingredients that is supporting that hair regrowth.
This is one of my favorite products from them. There's just something about this cleanser like it is so elegant. It makes my skin feel so good after I use it. It is kind of this milky lotion to foam that gently cleanses your skin like feels more hydrated and refreshed afterwards in a really good way. It has ceramides in there, pre and postbiotics to help support your skin barrier. It does a gentle cleanse but at the same time imparts this hydration on your skin so your skin does not feel stripped. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a gentle cleanser to use in the morning or as the second step of your double cleansing. For anyone that has dry and eczema prone skin, highly recommend checking this cleanser out.
By the numbers
What they review most.
Against the grain
Dr. Jenny Liu'shot takes.
Products where their take diverges from the rest of the gurus.
I do find those two to be not as occlusive enough. I honestly, when it comes to lips, I much rather prefer just 100% petrolatum or Aquaphor. I find that these two really add the most long-lasting occlusive protective benefits to my lips compared to the other two. The other two I feel like it look just a little bit more lightweight, so not so much great for the lips based on my personal opinion, but I love it for other places like chapped flaky skin on the face or say like chafing on the underarms. It works really well, but it's not as sticky or heavy.
Every take, in full
Every review.
All 276 products Dr. Jenny Liu has reviewed, grouped by product type. Click a product to see the full guru consensus.
"This line targets different pathways in hyperpigmentation. When it comes to treating stubborn hyperpigmentation, you really need to have ingredients that work at different steps. Not only just blocking how pigment is made, but also blocking the transfer of pigment, as well as helping with skin turnover. This one does it. It targets multiple pathways, so great for post-acne marks, uneven skin tone from sun damage, or even if you struggle with melasma. Ingredient-wise, it's got alpha arbutin, kojic acid that helps reduce pigment formation along with niacinamide that blocks the transfer, and then more hydrating ingredients that help with hyperpigmentation products can be irritating. It's a lovely serum, really lovely to use, just all around a great product if you are struggling with uneven skin tone, looking for something that is backed by science, well-formulated, and really elegant."
"I love my C E Ferulic from SkinCeuticals. I do use that all year round, but say if you have a hard time tolerating a L-ascorbic acid base, you can check out the THD version that's creamier."
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All 16 takes on C E Ferulic
Stop Wasting Money on the Wrong Vitamin C—A DERM Explains What Matters | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is the one I've used the longest. I've been using vitamin C for 13 years now, and this was the first serum I started with. I still use it to this day. It's probably the one I recommend most to my patients. It's a great one if you have more normal to dry skin, maybe a little combination skin, and you're looking for one that delivers results. Of all the patients I've recommended it to, I have not had one come back and say 'I don't like it, I want to return it.' Everybody keeps coming back and repurchasing, and I'm speaking to my patients in clinic. Certainly the price point is expensive, but it is worth every penny."
Winter Skin Survival Guide from a Derm | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I love my C E Ferulic from SkinCeuticals. I do use that all year round, but say if you have a hard time tolerating a L-ascorbic acid base, you can check out the THD version that's creamier."
What a Derm Uses in Fall Updated Skincare Routine for Dry, Sensitive Skin
"My OG vitamin C serum is SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. I use this all year round, especially during the cooler months. It's pricey, but it is really the best-studied vitamin C serum. I still use it throughout the year, definitely into fall and winter, to keep my skin healthier, supporting collagen production and helping with hyperpigmentation. It's a great product to incorporate if you have mature skin and are looking for a good antioxidant product, or one that helps to brighten your skin and support collagen production. The key ingredients are 15% L-ascorbic acid, 1% vitamin E, and 0.5% ferulic acid. This is the first thing that goes on my skin after cleansing."
Budget-friendly Korean Skincare swaps | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is the most studied vitamin C serum. It's not cheap, it's $182 for 30 ml, and it's not for everyone, especially for the price. Sometimes sensitive skin individuals find it a little more irritating, but it does contain an effective concentration of 15% of pure vitamin C, which is the active form of vitamin C that does all the goodness for our skin, acting as an antioxidant, helping to brighten the skin, and supporting collagen synthesis. It also contains 1% vitamin E, which is a great antioxidant as well, along with 0.5% ferulic acid. So a trio of antioxidants that really help with improving skin texture, skin tone, and antioxidant properties. It's a great one to incorporate if you have the budget into your anti-aging regimen every morning."
Summer skincare routine | Tips from dermatologist, Dr. Jenny Liu
"Skinceuticals C E Ferulic is one that I absolutely use in the summer that I really love. It is actually sweat resistant in the sense that once you apply it on your skin and let it absorb, it really doesn't come off with sweating. And if you use it four days in a row it will saturate your skin, so for people that are on a budget but really want vitamin C, you can stretch it out by using it like every third day or so once you've got that vitamin C saturated onto your skin. Skinceuticals C E Ferulic is the holy grail of mine with the vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid that is the trio that's been shown and most studied in helping to not only reduce oxidative stress but also improve skin aging concerns like fine lines, wrinkles, and at the same time brighten your skin."
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"For me personally my Holy Grail has been SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. It's the most studied vitamin C serum that exists with great clinical studies. I love it, but it is expensive and not everybody enjoys the texture or the scent. It does smell like hot dogs."
Ultimate Dermatologist- Approved Holiday Gift Guide | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This kit contains the holy grail C E Ferulic that most dermatologists recommend and probably use and it's by far one of my favorite, probably my holy grail vitamin C serum. It is the vitamin C serum that I feel like really started the trend of vitamin C in skincare. And then their Triple Lipid Restore 242 that contains a complex of ratios of ceramides to lipids that really is designed to help nourish and support the skin as we age because the lipids in our skin does change over time. This moisturizer is rich, really ideal for more dry and mature sun damaged skin and actually has been shown in clinical studies to help reduce that retinization period, AKA reduce irritation when one is first starting a topical retinoid."
Dermatologist picks for budget-friendly skincare alternatives | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Vitamin C is super hard to formulate and when it comes to vitamin C serums nothing beats Skin Ceuticals C E Ferulic. With regards to the number of publications on its stability as well as its efficacy, Skin Ceuticals has definitely spent years tweaking this formula getting it right with a combination of ingredients and pH to demonstrate its efficacy and stability. This serum contains 15% L-ascorbic acid, 1% vitamin E, and 0.5% ferulic acid at a pH between 2.8 to 3.2 that's been shown to be effective. They've even demonstrated that after the bottle has been open, even when the color changes, it is stable up to 6 months from the date of opening the bottle. Even if you have the same ingredients, if you haven't demonstrated in studies to show that it works the same way or have the same level of efficacy, you can't call vitamin C serums that have the same formula as Skin Ceuticals C E Ferulic a dupe."
Dermatologist Travel Skincare | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is way more important than even bringing a retinol. When we travel, when we're flying, our skin is exposed to way more stronger UV radiation, so it's really essential to protect our skin alongside with sunscreen. This is the best study vitamin C serum, so I make sure that on the days that I travel when I'm flying I apply this to my skin as my morning routine before I hop on the plane and obviously carry this with me for the rest of my trip. This is one essential item that I basically will always have. I mean, I'd rather skip on retinol but will not forget my antioxidant serum."
5 ingredients and products a dermatologist will splurge on | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If I'm going to invest in a serum that I know is going to work, I am certainly going to invest in one that has been studied the most, and the vitamin C serum that has the most clinical and published studies is SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. SkinCeuticals actually holds an exact patent on their C E Ferulic formulation. Just because you have the ingredients doesn't mean ultimately the end product and how it's formulated is going to be the same. To date, there hasn't been a vitamin C serum with similar concentrations that is found in SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic that has been shown to work as well. It's one vitamin C serum that I will splurge on because it's been shown over and over again that it's not only stable but it works."
Dermatologist's favorite Antioxidants & products | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Vitamin C is really finicky, hard to formulate, and go with reputable brands. If you have ever tried this, this is one I highly recommend trying. If you are ever going to splurge on any product from SkinCeuticals, I have never had a patient that ever recommended this to come back saying it did not like it. Certainly vitamin C in pure form is not for everyone because of the acidity and the concentration, it can in general as an ingredient be irritating to certain skin types. So if you have more sensitive skin, dry skin, you may not like it as much. That irritation could flare acne. But in general, if you are interested in trying vitamin C serum and you haven't tried one and you are looking for one that is just the most evidence-based, this is by far the one to use."
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"This is hands down the most studied evidence backed vitamin C that exists on this Market period. It's really the OG that started the trend of antioxidant vitamin C serums that offer so much benefit aside from just being an antioxidant. It also helps you brighten your skin, supports collagen, and obviously offers additional protection against UV damage and sun damage on your skin, so it's a really great anti-aging product. Ingredient wise it has 15% L-ascorbic acid pure vitamin C at a pH that's formulated to be stable along with 1% vitamin E and 0.5% ferulic acid. They're truly the OG vitamin C that pairs all three, and this is one that I highly recommend."
Holiday Gift ideas from a dermatologist | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Even though C E Ferulic from SkinCeuticals is my holy grail, there's some people that just can't tolerate the pure vitamin C and for those individuals this is kind of like my alternative that I really highly recommend."
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"The C E Ferulic RX serum is my holy grail. It's got the patented 15% vitamin C along with 1% vitamin E and 0.5% ferulic acid. What I love most is that it actually has been shown and demonstrated in clinical studies to pair well with not only the fractional laser but also the ablative CO2 laser to improve wound healing so very quickly. The day after my laser, I put on my C E Ferulic and then the rescue MD serum again."
Tips for transitioning skincare from winter to spring and summer | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The most studied vitamin C serum certainly is not cheap but is definitely one worth the splurge. It's got 15% pure vitamin C, that is really a good concentration that's effective, along with 1% vitamin E and 0.5% ferulic acid. It's really the combination that ideal trio of antioxidants pair together to offer not only protection against UV but as well as damage from visible light and pollution. So highly recommend if you're looking for a good vitamin C serum, especially if your concerns are on skin texture, skin tone, and anti-aging."
Holiday Gift Set Ideas | Dr Jenny Liu
"C E Ferulic from Skin Ceuticals is my Holy Grail vitamin C serum. This is the other product that I've been using the longest in my routine for over 12 plus years, aside from moisturizer and sunscreen of course. This is really my OG antioxidant serum, one that I cannot live without. Skin Ceuticals C E Ferulic has the most studied number of studies really on this product, more than any other antioxidant serum that exists on the market. Really all the other vitamin C's that contain this triad blend of vitamin C, E, and ferulic acid, I would say it's probably inspired to a degree by this version from Skin Ceuticals. So really, hands down, it's the best. Skin Ceuticals does really invest in research, so you're getting high quality skincare that does deliver amazing results. The benefit of vitamin C antioxidant serum is a great pair to your retinol at night for anyone that is wanting to prevent or reduce the signs of skin aging. Vitamin C really helps to protect the skin against UV and environmental damage, also helps to brighten and improve uneven skin tone and hyperpigmentation. Vitamin C is also necessary when it comes to supporting collagen."
"If I had to pick like one hyaluronic acid serum that I could use for the rest of my life, this would be it. This is so good. It's so simple, only 11 ingredients. It's suitable for sensitive skin, no fragrances, and really helps to repair the skin barrier. In fact, it's been shown in studies to actually strengthen the skin barrier and increase enzymes responsible for building the skin barrier. You can use it post-procedure as well. And for those with super oily skin in the summertime, it can actually even double as a moisturizer. Even though it's like a gel serum, but it's just so lovely. It's got that Vichy volcanic water that we know is really helpful, rich in different types of minerals to support our skin barrier and then hyaluronic acid."
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All 3 takes on Mineral 89
Winter Skin Survival Guide from a Derm | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If I had to pick like one hyaluronic acid serum that I could use for the rest of my life, this would be it. This is so good. It's so simple, only 11 ingredients. It's suitable for sensitive skin, no fragrances, and really helps to repair the skin barrier. In fact, it's been shown in studies to actually strengthen the skin barrier and increase enzymes responsible for building the skin barrier. You can use it post-procedure as well. And for those with super oily skin in the summertime, it can actually even double as a moisturizer. Even though it's like a gel serum, but it's just so lovely. It's got that Vichy volcanic water that we know is really helpful, rich in different types of minerals to support our skin barrier and then hyaluronic acid."
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"I put on my hydrating serum, Mineral 89 from Vichy. It's a big bottle, but I brought it for a few reasons. Number one, aside from being a good hyaluronic acid serum, Mineral 89 actually has great clinical studies that show it helps to strengthen and repair the skin barrier. It's got different enzymes and antioxidants, so really helpful for me when I'm flying, when I know that my skin is not only going to be dehydrated but the skin barrier is going to be a little compromised."
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"A few that comes to mind that I really love is Vichy Mineral 89, it's elegant and fast absorbing."
"The iUNIK Beta Glucan Power Moisture Serum is a lightweight yet deeply hydrating serum that helps really boost moisture at different levels of the skin. It's got that beta glucan that we know is really helpful at hydrating the skin but also supporting the skin barrier. It's a good humectant as well and it's pretty lightweight. You can layer it under sunscreen, under your moisturizer, or in the summertime use it alone as almost like your moisturizer. Aside from beta glucan, it's got other wonderful humectants like glycerin and sodium PCA that are good for supporting your skin moisture barrier. And then adenosine, which is really kind of like a cell energizer that helps improve your cellular function, really used for anti-aging, improving fine lines and wrinkles."
"For something a little bit more affordable in the over the counter and drugstores is Cetaphil, their Restoring Ceramide Face Serum. This is a really lovely one, especially for those with dry and sensitive skin. And it's got lots of great actives that not only helps to soothe and hydrate the skin, support the skin barrier, but also offer some skin rejuvenation benefits at the same time. So, it's got ceramides that we know is really important, but also centella. Centella is anti-inflammatory but there's actually great emerging studies that show centella also helps to stimulate fibroblast and basically support fibroblast ability to make collagen. So in many ways it actually does have skin rejuvenating and basically anti-aging benefits. And also has elotone that we know is hydrating and soothing. This is a great serum to add on for those that are more sensitive or maybe looking for a peptide alternative."
"The six peptide skin booster serum is my favorite in this category. I think the concept is derived from the popular injectable skin boosters that are super popular in Korea but in a topical form, and I think that means making the skin more hydrated and more radiant at the end of the day, and I think the formula really does that. It's a wonderful formula because it has peptides and I love peptides. It's a multitasking serum that has six different peptides as the name implies that really helps to promote and improve skin elasticity, texture, radiance, and tone and overall skin vitality. Really designed for those who are seeking a lightweight, almost like an essence, a non-sticky essence or serum that really helps to address all of those concerns in one. The six peptide complex targets fine lines, improves radiance, improves tone, helps to improve skin hydration along with niacinamide, which is a jack of all trades that does a little bit of everything for better skin, and then glycerin that helps to hydrate. All of these ingredients really help target fine lines, skin hydration, support skin barrier, brighten the skin and make your skin look so much better."
"The hyaluronic acid intensive cream is definitely a little bit creamier and more nourishing than the snail cream. It offers really intense deep hydration and nourishment to the skin. I don't find this one to leave that tacky feeling. It's a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid and plant derived oils meant to provide that deep nourishment. I really love the cream formula and it's very suitable to use with retinoids or with actives to support your skin barrier. It's a great one not only for nighttime but in the morning in particular for those with dry skin in the winter. I've used it in the morning and it works pretty well and layers nicely under sunscreen. It's got a high concentration of plant derived extracts that really helps to nourish the skin along with hyaluronic acid that's intended to hydrate the skin and improve that dry component. This is my personal favorite, and if you want to only pick one, my personal recommendation is this one."
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All 2 takes on Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream
COSRX Skincare Favorites | Worth the Hype or Skip? | Derm Dr. Jenny Liu
"The hyaluronic acid intensive cream is definitely a little bit creamier and more nourishing than the snail cream. It offers really intense deep hydration and nourishment to the skin. I don't find this one to leave that tacky feeling. It's a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid and plant derived oils meant to provide that deep nourishment. I really love the cream formula and it's very suitable to use with retinoids or with actives to support your skin barrier. It's a great one not only for nighttime but in the morning in particular for those with dry skin in the winter. I've used it in the morning and it works pretty well and layers nicely under sunscreen. It's got a high concentration of plant derived extracts that really helps to nourish the skin along with hyaluronic acid that's intended to hydrate the skin and improve that dry component. This is my personal favorite, and if you want to only pick one, my personal recommendation is this one."
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"From Cosrx, their Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream is really nice. As long as you let it absorb, it actually layers very nicely under sunscreen. It's fragrance-free, leaves a little bit more of a nourishing residue on your skin, but it does not make you look super shiny or feel greasy."
"It provides hydration without feeling sticky and it's suitable for sensitive and acne prone skin. It's got that 10% azelaic acid that is really best at calming irritation, reducing redness along with hydrating ingredients. And then this gentle calming complex that includes flavonoids and antioxidants that really helps to further reduce and calm your irritation. So it's a great product to use alone or if you are more sensitive and acne prone wanting something in addition to maybe combat some of the irritation from your acne treatment, this will be a lovely product to incorporate."
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All 2 takes on Azelaic Acid 10% Hyaluron Redness Soothing Serum
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"This is a lightweight serum that contains 10% azelaic acid and hyaluronic acid to soothe and hydrate while reducing redness. It's really nice because it is lightweight. It's not sticky or tacky but also provides long-lasting hydration at the same time. Really ideal for those that are sensitive, maybe dehydrated and acne prone. It contains 10% azelaic acid to mostly calm redness. I don't feel like 10% azelaic acid is very effective for acne, may offer a little bit of it. But 10% I do find it to be more helpful at calming and soothing the skin. And it also contains hyaluronic acid along with a gentle calming complex that contains blue tansy oil and ubiquinone that are basically antioxidants that help to calm and soothe the skin."
My Top Picks from Anua Skincare | Dermatologist Dr. Jenny Liu
"It provides hydration without feeling sticky and it's suitable for sensitive and acne prone skin. It's got that 10% azelaic acid that is really best at calming irritation, reducing redness along with hydrating ingredients. And then this gentle calming complex that includes flavonoids and antioxidants that really helps to further reduce and calm your irritation. So it's a great product to use alone or if you are more sensitive and acne prone wanting something in addition to maybe combat some of the irritation from your acne treatment, this will be a lovely product to incorporate."
"The dual serum is a lightweight creamy serum that contains the active ingredient thiamidol along with hyaluronic acid as well as a derivative of licorice root that is really meant to help soothe and calm any sort of redness or irritation. Licorice itself does have some brightening properties. I've used it with my retinol at night as well as my vitamin C in the morning and I have not gotten any irritation. I have recommended it to many of my patients in clinic that are wanting a skin brightening product without a prescription. The one thing I would have to say is I do wish this line was fragrance-free or at least had a fragrance-free version, but I haven't had any issues being irritated by this product."
"It's their PDRN Pink Peptide Serum. The color got me at first. I've never seen a serum so pink and vibrant. The ingredients are really interesting and very fascinating, definitely catching on that salmon PDRN trend that is really popular in Korea and has made its way over here in the western side of the world. It actually does contain salmon PDRN with a peptide complex and niacinamide to overall improve skin texture, tone, and help with skin rejuvenation. It's really aimed at improving the quality of your skin, the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, hydrating your skin, improving overall even tone. It is hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive skin."
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All 2 takes on PDRN Pink Peptide Serum
K-Beauty at Ulta: What’s Actually Worth Buying?!? | Dermatologist's picks | Dr. Jenny Liu
"It's their PDRN Pink Peptide Serum. The color got me at first. I've never seen a serum so pink and vibrant. The ingredients are really interesting and very fascinating, definitely catching on that salmon PDRN trend that is really popular in Korea and has made its way over here in the western side of the world. It actually does contain salmon PDRN with a peptide complex and niacinamide to overall improve skin texture, tone, and help with skin rejuvenation. It's really aimed at improving the quality of your skin, the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, hydrating your skin, improving overall even tone. It is hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive skin."
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"It contains salmon sperm DNA peptide complex that works complimentary to the salmon sperm to enhance skin firmness and resilience. And niacinamide has so many great benefits with skin barrier support, improving texture as well as brightening the skin. So this one of all the ones that I've used is really one of my personal favorites."
"This is a sticky serum, but it's not like super uncomfortable. Of all the ones I mentioned today, this is going to be one that I feel like leaves a little bit more residue, but it is one that is great if you are acne prone, wanting one that helps to provide additional benefits in the sense of improving pores and acne marks. This would be a really good one to try."
"The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is great for oily and acne prone skin. It helps to reduce the appearance of pores, regulate sebum, and calm redness. It is lightweight, but depending on how many serums you use, it could become slightly tacky or have a little bit of a tacky residue, so just be careful if you're layering. With 10% niacinamide, it doesn't mean it's not effective, but it could potentially add irritation, so be careful of that especially if you have sensitive skin. For most people that would use this product, it's probably more geared towards oily skin wanting something to help with controlling sebum, and you're going to find it pretty well tolerated on your skin. I do love the fact that it comes with zinc. Niacinamide and zinc is a great pair because zinc also is anti-inflammatory and helps to modulate sebum and support acne prone skin. If you have oily skin, oily combination, or acne prone skin and you're looking for a serum that helps with pores and regulating that oiliness, this is a great one."
"The Olay Super Serum is one of my favorite ones from drugstores when patients and followers want a relatively affordable, easy to find serum that helps to target texture, tone, fine lines, and firmness. I just love the super serum because it is truly a multitasker. Aside from niacinamide, it's got other ingredients that helps to gently exfoliate, improving dullness, helps to brighten your skin, improving uneven skin tone at the same time supporting collagen. So it's really one that it just does it all. And it's lightweight with this kind of pearly sheen that is really pretty, too. And it's hydrating. So this one you can use it day and night. It layers really nicely under makeup, under your moisturizer, and at night too. It's pretty gentle. If you want to use it with a retinol, I think test it out first, but certainly you could make that happen. This would be like the one-stop shop product for those who are looking to simplify their routine with a serum."
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All 2 takes on Super Serum
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"This serum was at least eight years in the making. I had the privilege of speaking with one of their main scientists at Procter and Gamble about the formulation and the research that went into it, which is certainly one thing I appreciate from Olay. I really think of this as an all-star serum, one that can tackle many different skincare concerns, especially if you want to improve the science of aging, fine lines, even skin texture and skin tone, and really want just one product aside from retinol that can target those. And especially if you're someone who wants to simplify your routine and minimize the number of products, this one plus a topical retinol can just be the two actives that can help you achieve your skincare goals. Ingredient-wise, this serum contains niacinamide, vitamin C, vitamin E, lactic acid, and collagen peptides. What really makes the serum unique is that Procter and Gamble is actually one of the four leaders in niacinamide research in skincare, so they're definitely one of the leading authorities in understanding how niacinamide works for skin. With this formulation, what took so long is they actually made it what's called an activated niacinamide so that it works better in a lower pH, which is why it's formulated with lactic acid, and it's been shown to actually be more effective in targeting skin texture and skin tone."
Niacinamide, is it worth the hype? Derm explains | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Olay Super Serum is one of my favorite ones from drugstores when patients and followers want a relatively affordable, easy to find serum that helps to target texture, tone, fine lines, and firmness. I just love the super serum because it is truly a multitasker. Aside from niacinamide, it's got other ingredients that helps to gently exfoliate, improving dullness, helps to brighten your skin, improving uneven skin tone at the same time supporting collagen. So it's really one that it just does it all. And it's lightweight with this kind of pearly sheen that is really pretty, too. And it's hydrating. So this one you can use it day and night. It layers really nicely under makeup, under your moisturizer, and at night too. It's pretty gentle. If you want to use it with a retinol, I think test it out first, but certainly you could make that happen. This would be like the one-stop shop product for those who are looking to simplify their routine with a serum."
"Nutrium Niacinamide Gel Cream 5% is another great option. This one from Nutrium is a little bit more water-based, and along with this 5% concentration niacinamide, it is wonderful for those that have super oily skin, wanting sebum control, wanting something that's lightweight, oil-free, non-pore clogging, but also helping with maybe oiliness or post acne marks. I actually used this one a couple years back when I was in Singapore for two weeks for a conference during the summertime, hot and humid, and this was literally the moisturizer I used when I was there. It was lovely and just really elegant and layers nicely under sunscreen. It's got 5% niacinamide along with coconut juice extract that offers great soothing properties helping to support your skin barrier, along with plant derived polysaccharides that help to hydrate your skin and help to better retain water within your skin. So another great option for those that have combination oily skin wanting a moisturizer that also has additional benefits, or if you have more sensitive skin, maybe dry sensitive skin, wanting a lightweight moisturizer that you can use under sunscreen."
"It's from Allies of Skin and they make wonderful really elegant products and it's the Multipeptides & Growth Factor Advanced Lifting Serum that retails for $188. Not cheap but definitely a little bit cheaper. I've been using it in my nighttime routine and I love it, I love it for the benefits, I love it for the texture and just the way it makes my skin feel. The benefit of growth factor is that it works really well synergistically with your retinoids. You don't have to worry about it causing irritation like acids or vitamin C. So it's a great one to use either standalone, for example if you can't tolerate retinoids or can't use it for some reason, or combining with your topical retinoids and helping to synergistically improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and skin sagging. This is a high performance serum that's powered by 3% growth factor and 9% lifting peptides that work together to visibly smooth, firm and re-energize the skin, which really helps to reduce the visible appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, skin crepiness and skin sagging. I love the texture. It's got this really pretty dark navy blue color. It's really hydrating but not sticky or tacky and doesn't peel. Wonderful silky smooth texture that layers beautifully, which is why I'm really obsessed with it."
"It's from SkinMedica. Their TNS Advanced+ Serum certainly is not cheap. It retails for $295, but the formulation as well as just the level of evidence and clinical studies, really no other product can beat that. This supports skin rejuvenation with a dual chamber system that's really unique where it combines growth factors along with peptides and antioxidants, helps to visibly reduce and smooth appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and even helps with skin sagging and also a little bit of skin tone and hyperpigmentation. You can start to see visible results in just two weeks, up to 24 weeks of use is when they stopped the studies, looking at the data. So it's definitely something that you can use immediately post procedure as well as continue to use even after procedure for continuing those benefits. The chamber system is really interesting. You have chamber one, the TNS MR, which is the advanced formula with basically next generation of growth factors that really supports healthy skin function and innovative peptide complex that helps to nourish your skin. And then chamber two is what they call the RSC system, which is basically actives of botanical extracts and marine extracts."
"It's called Elastic Skin and it retails for $46. Definitely probably the most affordable product that we're talking about today. This is a vegan derived product formulation that contains growth factors along with other ingredients that helps to visibly lift firm and help to deeply hydrate the skin. And I really enjoy the hydrating nature. It's definitely more of a bouncy serum if you will. It hydrates. There is a slight residue a little bit of a more because of the hydrating nature, so if you don't enjoy any sort of texture on your skin or the residual feel this may not be the best for you, but certainly is a great product for its price. It can easily layer with your retinol or use it as a standalone product. It is designed to support skin barrier health, to visibly firm, and help with anti-aging and skin rejuvenation goals. The ingredients include 6% copper and biohacking peptides that help with visibly lift and support collagen production along with 6% growth factors."
"The Ordinary Azelaic Acid 10% really offers more calming and soothing benefits. If you're looking for anti-pigmentation and helping with hyperpigmentation, it's really prescription strength of 15 to 20% that's shown to have the best evidence. But 10% offers probably more calming and soothing benefits. This one is affordable, helps to target maybe helping with some uneven skin tone, dullness, but really has antioxidant benefits as well and also has squalane and the 10% azelaic acid that may offer some barrier support along with glycerin."
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All 2 takes on Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
Dermatologist top alternatives to vitamin C | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Ordinary makes a 10% azelaic acid suspension that is a little bit more creamy. It contains 10% azelaic acid along with zinc and glycerin. Both are great because they have 10% azelaic acid that may help with uneven skin tone, skin barrier repair, and doesn't really have a lot of other added ingredients that may potentially add irritation."
Skincare routine for sensitive and rosacea-prone skin by Dermatology | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Ordinary Azelaic Acid 10% really offers more calming and soothing benefits. If you're looking for anti-pigmentation and helping with hyperpigmentation, it's really prescription strength of 15 to 20% that's shown to have the best evidence. But 10% offers probably more calming and soothing benefits. This one is affordable, helps to target maybe helping with some uneven skin tone, dullness, but really has antioxidant benefits as well and also has squalane and the 10% azelaic acid that may offer some barrier support along with glycerin."
"Nutrium Multipeptide Advanced Serum is a really great multi-purpose product for anyone really wanting to simplify their routine, looking for one product, one-stop shop that does kind of the anti-aging concerns, skin firming benefits, but also at the same time protecting your skin from environmental damage. It helps to not only firm and soothe the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles but also protect your skin. It has great encapsulated peptide technology so encapsulation means that it basically better delivers the product into your skin. For anyone that really can't tolerate a vitamin C serum but also doesn't want to add too much other products into a routine, this could be a great one-size-fits-all. It has encapsulated copper peptides, copper helps to repair the skin, helps to boost collagen, but also it's a great antioxidant. Copper can be a great alternative because copper has great antioxidant benefit."
"The OGX Coconut Miracle Oil is really nice. A little bit goes a long way. You can coat this on your ends almost like it's a coconut oil treatment before you shampoo. It contains coconut oil and vanilla bean extract that provides a nice luxurious scent, and other plant extracts that help add shine and smoothness. This oil can act as a buffer to protect your hair from the stripping effects of shampoo, so for those that have an oily scalp and need to wash their hair frequently but worry about damaging their hair, this would be a really cool product to use. They do make a lighter version for fine hair, but the regular version is a little bit heavier."
"It's got their C-Firma vitamin C serum that is a great antioxidant serum to use every morning. It's got 15% lactic acid along with ferulic acid and pumpkin seed extract for some added radiance."
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All 2 takes on C-Firma Fresh Day Serum
Ultimate Dermatologist- Approved Holiday Gift Guide | Dr. Jenny Liu
"They have their vitamin C antioxidant serum, the C-Firma Fresh Day Serum, and you guys know I am obsessed with vitamin C. It is a must have in my morning skincare routine."
Holiday Gift Set Ideas | Dr Jenny Liu
"It's got their C-Firma vitamin C serum that is a great antioxidant serum to use every morning. It's got 15% lactic acid along with ferulic acid and pumpkin seed extract for some added radiance."
"Protini Polypeptide Cream is one of my favorite moisturizers from Drunk Elephant. It's this lightweight gel cream, so certainly for the wintertime it's better suited for oily combination skin, but it's lightweight, helps to hydrate without leaving any heaviness. It contains a blend of amino acids and peptides to plump the skin, help to support collagen, reduce appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, along with natural moisturizing factors and other hydrating ingredients that hydrate without leaving heaviness."
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All 2 takes on Protini Polypeptide Cream
Ultimate Dermatologist- Approved Holiday Gift Guide | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Protini Polypeptide Cream is a lightweight gel moisturizer with a blend of peptides that helps to hydrate the skin, nourish the skin without heaviness. It absorbs instantly and is a lightweight gel cream."
Holiday Gift Set Ideas | Dr Jenny Liu
"Protini Polypeptide Cream is one of my favorite moisturizers from Drunk Elephant. It's this lightweight gel cream, so certainly for the wintertime it's better suited for oily combination skin, but it's lightweight, helps to hydrate without leaving any heaviness. It contains a blend of amino acids and peptides to plump the skin, help to support collagen, reduce appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, along with natural moisturizing factors and other hydrating ingredients that hydrate without leaving heaviness."
"This is a really luxurious rich and nourishing antioxidant serum that is creamy and hydrating. I honestly really love this for my sensitive skin and rosacea. Even though vitamin C serum is my holy grail, there's some people that just can't tolerate the pure vitamin C, and for those individuals this is kind of like my alternative that I really highly recommend. It doesn't have as many studies, but certainly it's up there when it comes to the amount of clinical studies that do exist regarding vitamin C and antioxidant benefits. The benefit of this antioxidant serum is to support collagen, reduce appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin texture and skin tone, and also helps to calm and support the skin barrier. In addition to lipid soluble C and vitamin E, there are 17 additional antioxidants that work together along with green tea and coenzyme Q10. It's just a lovely creamy serum. I honestly really love using it in the winter time when my skin may not always handle the pure vitamin C as well due to the acidity of that serum. I highly recommend checking this one out for anyone that has super sensitive skin."
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All 3 takes on Alto Advanced Defense and Repair Serum
Best Splurge-Worthy products of 2023 from a Dermatologist | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I am like obsessed with this form of vitamin C serum and literally if I could pick two vitamin C serums in different formulas to use for the rest of my life, the watery one that contains pure vitamin C would be one, and then this one from SkinBetter Alto Defense would be my choice for lipid soluble vitamin C, which is the star ingredient in this product. In addition to lipid soluble vitamin C, it also contains vitamin E along with 17 additional antioxidants derived from berries, plants, and Co enzyme Q10, lots of different things that really work synergistically to not only defend your skin against environmental aggressors but also help to brighten by supporting collagen synthesis and overall improve uneven skin texture and skin tone. I absolutely love the rich creamy texture that the serum has and it's really lovely for those with dry skin or to use in the winter time or those with sensitive skin who have a hard time tolerating traditional pure vitamin C serum and a watery serum. This is one I highly highly recommend checking out."
Vitamin C serums and moisturizers for sensitive skin | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The SkinBetter Alto Advanced Defense and Repair Serum retails for $165. It contains the lipid soluble THD ascorbate along with vitamin E and 17 additional other antioxidants for example polyphenols from green tea, turmeric, coenzyme Q10, superoxide dismutase, as well as additional ones that are plant derived. It also contains licorice and peptides that can be soothing and peptides that can help to support the skin barrier. What I love about this serum is the texture and lack of weird odor. If you ever use vitamin C, a lot of people have told me it smells like hot dogs or something really unpleasant and this serum certainly does not. I really love about this serum is the texture and spreadability. What I do every morning is just take two pumps which is actually not a lot and it just spreads so nicely on my skin and I'm able to cover my face and neck. It's rich and soothing and hydrating. There's quite a bit of publications around the efficacy of this product and I've been loving it myself. I really have been enjoying it."
Holiday Gift ideas from a dermatologist | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is a really luxurious rich and nourishing antioxidant serum that is creamy and hydrating. I honestly really love this for my sensitive skin and rosacea. Even though vitamin C serum is my holy grail, there's some people that just can't tolerate the pure vitamin C, and for those individuals this is kind of like my alternative that I really highly recommend. It doesn't have as many studies, but certainly it's up there when it comes to the amount of clinical studies that do exist regarding vitamin C and antioxidant benefits. The benefit of this antioxidant serum is to support collagen, reduce appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin texture and skin tone, and also helps to calm and support the skin barrier. In addition to lipid soluble C and vitamin E, there are 17 additional antioxidants that work together along with green tea and coenzyme Q10. It's just a lovely creamy serum. I honestly really love using it in the winter time when my skin may not always handle the pure vitamin C as well due to the acidity of that serum. I highly recommend checking this one out for anyone that has super sensitive skin."
"If you're looking for a lipid soluble vitamin C that helps to brighten your skin as well as protect your skin then you got to check out the Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum. This is kind of like an all-in-one product that contains five different types of vitamin C derivative including THD ascorbate, so we do know that when it comes to vitamin C derivatives it's the pure vitamin C ascorbic acid and then the lipid soluble THD ascorbate that really has the most number of evidence when it comes to efficacy and working as an antioxidant, helping to brighten your skin and supporting collagen. So this serum does contain that along with other vitamin C's including vitamin C derived from guava extract, and it also contains tranexamic acid that we know helps to offer some skin brightening properties as well as Vitamin E and ferulic acid. This is a great hydrating serum, really suitable for those that have more dry skin or maybe is sensitive to salicylic acid wanting an antioxidant serum at the same time, helping to target hyperpigmentation. So if you're struggling with hyperpigmentation but wanting an antioxidant serum that is more hydrating, highly recommend checking this one out."
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All 3 takes on Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum
Sephora Savings Event 2023 Dermatologist Top Picks | Dr Jenny Liu
"It helps with evening out skin texture and skin tone but also can serve as a great antioxidant serum. If you are struggling with uneven skin tone whether that's from post-acne marks or sun damage, or you're looking for ways to minimize your routine or just want to use an antioxidant serum in the morning that also has brightening benefits, I highly recommend this one. With the creamier, more hydrating texture, it's really not watery. It's definitely more of a light lotion. I think it's better suited for everyone, but especially for those that have more dry skin or those that have sensitivity and can't tolerate the lower pH, watery version of pure ascorbic acid-based vitamin C serums."
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"The Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum is one of the first I find fairly affordable lipid soluble vitamin C serums that I just fell in love with. It is so elegant and I feel like it really does so many different things. It's not only an antioxidant serum but also has wonderful ingredients that helps to brighten skin. For those wanting something to help with reducing oxidative stress in the morning but also at the same time struggling with uneven skin tone, this is a great one. Lipoic vitamin C is also far less irritating. I love the hydrating texture of the serum. Ingredient-wise, it contains five different types of vitamin C including lipid soluble vitamin C and THD ascorbate along with other ones that helps to brighten, but also contains guava seed oil that is rich in vitamin C, also has vitamin E, ferulic acid, and then tranexamic acid that is one of my favorite ingredients for brightening and improving uneven skin tone. I love the pretty color of the serum and again it's very hydrating, so really ideal for those who are looking for a non-irritating vitamin C serum. For those who can't tolerate traditional pure vitamin C, looking for an antioxidant serum but at the same time help to brighten your skin and improve uneven skin tone, this is the one to try."
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"If you're looking for a lipid soluble vitamin C that helps to brighten your skin as well as protect your skin then you got to check out the Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum. This is kind of like an all-in-one product that contains five different types of vitamin C derivative including THD ascorbate, so we do know that when it comes to vitamin C derivatives it's the pure vitamin C ascorbic acid and then the lipid soluble THD ascorbate that really has the most number of evidence when it comes to efficacy and working as an antioxidant, helping to brighten your skin and supporting collagen. So this serum does contain that along with other vitamin C's including vitamin C derived from guava extract, and it also contains tranexamic acid that we know helps to offer some skin brightening properties as well as Vitamin E and ferulic acid. This is a great hydrating serum, really suitable for those that have more dry skin or maybe is sensitive to salicylic acid wanting an antioxidant serum at the same time, helping to target hyperpigmentation. So if you're struggling with hyperpigmentation but wanting an antioxidant serum that is more hydrating, highly recommend checking this one out."
"The Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum with propolis and niacinamide is a lovely serum I love it for lots of different reasons including the fact that it has a good concentration of niacinamide at 2%, which is actually the ideal concentration between 2 to 4% because it has the most number of studies showing its efficacy. This one not only contains that 2% niacinamide, but also contains 60% propolis, which is derived from honey and bees, that has hydrating and skin barrier support benefits. Together in this hydrating serum, it really gives you so many benefits including helps to brighten your skin, improving skin texture and skin tone, and may even offer some sebum reduction since niacinamide is one of the benefits that helps to temporarily reduce oiliness. So for those that are acne prone or struggling with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, this is something you can add into your routine."
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All 2 takes on Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide
Dermatologist shares favorite Korean skincare ingredients | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum contains 60% propolis and 2% niacinamide. This is a really nice slightly thicker serum but very lightweight, non-sticky, and leaves your skin very hydrated. With the propolis and the niacinamide, I can see this being beneficial for individuals who are suffering from hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone, since niacinamide can be really helpful with that. And then the propolis can really help to hydrate and plump the skin. It's just a really nice hydrating serum."
Oct Amazon Prime Day Asian Skincare must buys | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum with propolis and niacinamide is a lovely serum I love it for lots of different reasons including the fact that it has a good concentration of niacinamide at 2%, which is actually the ideal concentration between 2 to 4% because it has the most number of studies showing its efficacy. This one not only contains that 2% niacinamide, but also contains 60% propolis, which is derived from honey and bees, that has hydrating and skin barrier support benefits. Together in this hydrating serum, it really gives you so many benefits including helps to brighten your skin, improving skin texture and skin tone, and may even offer some sebum reduction since niacinamide is one of the benefits that helps to temporarily reduce oiliness. So for those that are acne prone or struggling with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, this is something you can add into your routine."
"With the winter, with sensitivity, my skin has just been not the happiest and I've been relying a lot on this serum to keep it hydrated and reduce inflammation and irritation. That is their newest Soothing and Barrier Support Serum that costs $17. It's a serum that is meant to strengthen and repair damaged irritated skin barrier, calming the skin barrier. It is a pink watery serum that is also hydrating, absorbs really quickly, not greasy, not heavy, really suitable for all skin types. Ingredient-wise, it contains vitamin B12 that has some anti-inflammatory properties and it's what gives the serum its characteristic pink color. It also contains gallic acid derivatives, which is basically another antioxidant anti-inflammatory compound derived from polyphenols that we commonly find in green tea. It also contains ceramides along with 2% niacinamide."
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All 2 takes on Soothing and Barrier Support Serum
Ultimate Dermatologist- Approved Holiday Gift Guide | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Ordinary Soothing and Barrier Support Serum is intended to support a skin barrier, to soothe and repair damaged skin barrier. It has wonderful ingredients. It contains vitamin B12 that gives the serum that characteristic pink hue, but vitamin B12 has some anti-inflammatory properties, some soothing, calming properties. It also contains centella, which we know is a wonderful anti-inflammatory, calming, soothing ingredient, along with gallic acid that's been shown to help reduce visible redness. So all around, just a great product, really ideal to give to anyone during the winter time, especially if you have friends that have more sensitive skin that are prone to redness."
Dermatologist favorites from The Ordinary | Dr. Jenny Liu
"With the winter, with sensitivity, my skin has just been not the happiest and I've been relying a lot on this serum to keep it hydrated and reduce inflammation and irritation. That is their newest Soothing and Barrier Support Serum that costs $17. It's a serum that is meant to strengthen and repair damaged irritated skin barrier, calming the skin barrier. It is a pink watery serum that is also hydrating, absorbs really quickly, not greasy, not heavy, really suitable for all skin types. Ingredient-wise, it contains vitamin B12 that has some anti-inflammatory properties and it's what gives the serum its characteristic pink color. It also contains gallic acid derivatives, which is basically another antioxidant anti-inflammatory compound derived from polyphenols that we commonly find in green tea. It also contains ceramides along with 2% niacinamide."
"This is a lovely, beautifully elegantly packaged line. The serum is beautiful and I personally really love the serum. This line really utilizes plant-derived extracts in helping to add radiance to the skin, support collagen synthesis, improve skin renewal, skin tone, radiance and hydration. Shiseido has done clinical studies to back up these claims. This bottle of serum is sold every 7 seconds around the world globally, so definitely a wonderful product that is worth exploring and worth trying. It contains fermented Roselle extract that increases skin's ability to hold on to water. There's heartleaf extract, another really popular ingredient that helps to soothe and hydrate the skin and support the skin moisture barrier."
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All 2 takes on Ultimune Power Infusing Serum
Dermatologist skincare picks for Chinese New Year | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Serum is made with a blend of plant derived extracts along with a pepti complex that really helps to hydrate the skin, add radiance over time, and improve skin texture and skin tone. Shiseido, even though it is a very popular and considered luxury brand, actually has over 150 years of research and great clinical studies backing their products. The serum and moisturizer in this line now both come with refills that can hopefully reduce some of that packaging waste, so not only is it beautifully packaged with wonderful ingredients but it's also more environmentally friendly at the same time."
Luxury Japanese Skincare and beauty products | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is a lovely, beautifully elegantly packaged line. The serum is beautiful and I personally really love the serum. This line really utilizes plant-derived extracts in helping to add radiance to the skin, support collagen synthesis, improve skin renewal, skin tone, radiance and hydration. Shiseido has done clinical studies to back up these claims. This bottle of serum is sold every 7 seconds around the world globally, so definitely a wonderful product that is worth exploring and worth trying. It contains fermented Roselle extract that increases skin's ability to hold on to water. There's heartleaf extract, another really popular ingredient that helps to soothe and hydrate the skin and support the skin moisture barrier."
"Remedy Dark Spot is a really nice product because I feel like there needs to be more products that are formulated with ingredients that work together synergistically to target hyperpigmentation from various angles at the same time, which minimizes the need to layer on all these products so you reduce irritation. Remedy Dark Spot does exactly that, helps to reduce hyperpigmentation, helps to brighten the skin, improve skin texture and skin calm. The ingredient list is wonderful and I'm really excited to see it has many of my favorite ingredients to battle hyperpigmentation."
"The Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum is a holy grail serum for skin barrier support and hydration, made with wonderful ingredients to not only reduce transepidermal water loss but also hydrate your skin, keep your skin hydrated, plump, supple, and help support your skin's own ceramide production. Ingredient-wise, it is made with five different ceramides along with ceramide precursors that support your skin's internal ceramic protection, along with a blend of fatty acids and humectants like beta glucan. I love the fact that it is a milky emulsion-like serum that is hydrating but lightweight and fast-absorbing, so very elegant and great to use with your other actives in a very non-irritating way. It doesn't really interact with your other actives, so great to use once a day or twice a day or as needed."
"This is the one to use because it really is formulated in a way where it has all the common ingredients that we talk about and recommend in one bottle but in a way that is gentle but yet effective and not irritating. It's got your antioxidants, stabilized vitamin C, stabilized retinol, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid as well as your alpha hydroxy acids. It's creamy and hydrating but not heavy or greasy, very elegant, and super gentle so that you should actually be using it twice a day. It really helps to address most of the skin concerns that we encounter day-to-day with one product. If you're looking for something to really simplify your routine and condense those steps into one, this would be the one to use."
"From Peach and Lily, their Copper Peptide Pro Firming Serum contains 0.2% of copper peptides along with 12 additional peptides and amino acids, and great hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid that's really going to help to plump your skin instantly and keep your skin hydrated. Over time, the copper peptide is going to improve skin firmness, improve fine lines and elasticity, really helping to hone in on your anti-aging concerns."
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All 2 takes on Copper Peptide Pro Firming Serum
Dermatologist top alternatives to vitamin C | Dr. Jenny Liu
"From Peach and Lily, their Copper Peptide Pro Firming Serum contains 0.2% of copper peptides along with 12 additional peptides and amino acids, and great hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid that's really going to help to plump your skin instantly and keep your skin hydrated. Over time, the copper peptide is going to improve skin firmness, improve fine lines and elasticity, really helping to hone in on your anti-aging concerns."
Dermatologist updated Morning Skincare Routine | Tips for winter and layering skincare
"This is a great watery serum that is just hydrating but with that 12% poly hydroxy acid can also offer some antioxidant benefits. The next ingredient is copper peptides. Copper is having its moment right now. Copper can be great and beneficial for a couple reasons: number one it's a great antioxidant, also has anti-inflammatory benefits, but also has wound healing benefits and have been shown to help stimulate collagen and support collagen production. This serum is really watery, lightweight but still hydrating. One thing you do not want to do when it comes to layering products is add copper to your alpha hydroxy acid or vitamin C because copper could potentially oxidize alpha hydroxy acid. It's probably okay with THD ascorbyl based vitamin C because that vitamin C derivative is way more stable. But because I'm already using antioxidant vitamin C in the morning, I typically reserve the copper peptides and the other anti-aging products for the evening."
"If you're looking for like a dewy glow, one that's really nice is the Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum. It contains 68% rice extract along with 2% of alpha arbutin, and rice also has some brightening benefits at the same time. You can use it all over and it's a great hydrating serum. I find it to have a little bit of a sticky tacky texture but it's great, it does really help to plump your skin. Alpha arbutin is so gentle, it's not going to cause any excessive bleaching of your skin like hydroquinone can, where if you're treating a dark spot you may end up with a ring of white around your skin. Alpha arbutin is not going to do that, so you can kind of safely use it all over your face, which may help to even out your skin tone but won't be as intense and won't be as irritating at the same time."
"This cream has got more emollient and inclusives, namely plant-derived oils for example safflower oil, apricot kernel oil, and argan oil that really offer better occlusive properties to really help reduce transepidermal water loss. With that it's going to be more suitable for those that have combination to dry and dry skin, and that is what I really love and what I use during the winter time mostly in the morning. It's a cream but it's still really lightweight so I think it's really great to use in the morning under sunscreen. But for me as someone who prefers something ultra rich and nourishing at night, I find this to not be enough. And so if you have super dry skin, you may not also find this to offer enough support for your skin. But otherwise I love using this in the morning in the winter time. In the evening I would probably use this during the summer time if I were to use this as my evening moisturizer. It's fairly versatile and it's elegant and lightweight but you just have to play around with it to see when and which time of the year would best suit your skin."
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All 3 takes on Hyaluronic Acid Moist Cream
How to apply topical retinoid, tips from dermatologist | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is a lightweight cream that absorbs really quickly. It contains 10 different types of hyaluronic acid. The formulation for my skin, for my combination dry skin, I love using in the morning because it's lightweight but hydrating, still supporting my skin but won't cause peeling or problems under sunscreen. I recommend applying it on damp skin all over your face, then wait for about maybe 5 minutes or so for that to fully absorb."
Dermatologist favorite products from Isntree | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This cream has got more emollient and inclusives, namely plant-derived oils for example safflower oil, apricot kernel oil, and argan oil that really offer better occlusive properties to really help reduce transepidermal water loss. With that it's going to be more suitable for those that have combination to dry and dry skin, and that is what I really love and what I use during the winter time mostly in the morning. It's a cream but it's still really lightweight so I think it's really great to use in the morning under sunscreen. But for me as someone who prefers something ultra rich and nourishing at night, I find this to not be enough. And so if you have super dry skin, you may not also find this to offer enough support for your skin. But otherwise I love using this in the morning in the winter time. In the evening I would probably use this during the summer time if I were to use this as my evening moisturizer. It's fairly versatile and it's elegant and lightweight but you just have to play around with it to see when and which time of the year would best suit your skin."
10 Tips to Switch Up your Skincare Routine: Summer to Fall
"Another one that I really have been loving lately that's very hydrating and moisturizing but not heavy is from isntree and it's their Hyaluronic Acid Moist Cream. It is a cream that absorbs really quickly, has various different blends of hyaluronic acid and plant-derived oils. It's nourishing but not heavy and so I love it right now as my nighttime moisturizer, but I envisioned that in the middle of the winter when it's like just dead cold, when it's like negative 40 degrees out, this probably make a really nice one for it to use in the morning."
"This vitamin C serum retails for roughly $29.99 to $30 in drugstores. It does contain the active form ascorbic acid at 10% concentration along with vitamin B5, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid. I recommend this one for a few reasons: number one, it does contain a lower concentration but still an effective concentration of ascorbic acid, so it's going to be less irritating than some of the higher concentrations like 15% or 20%. Two, it's formulated in a rich, creamier serum that is not watery, so it's less acidic and therefore usually less irritating and causes less burning sensation on the skin. The serum is also developed in a way where it's more for dry and sensitive skin, and like all the products I mentioned today, it's also fragrance-free. Texture-wise, it is pretty lightweight. I find that it is pretty comparable to other vitamin C serums, maybe slightly more nourishing and moisturizing, but I certainly have not had any issues."
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All 3 takes on Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum
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"The CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum is one of the more affordable options that exist."
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"This vitamin C serum retails for roughly $29.99 to $30 in drugstores. It does contain the active form ascorbic acid at 10% concentration along with vitamin B5, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid. I recommend this one for a few reasons: number one, it does contain a lower concentration but still an effective concentration of ascorbic acid, so it's going to be less irritating than some of the higher concentrations like 15% or 20%. Two, it's formulated in a rich, creamier serum that is not watery, so it's less acidic and therefore usually less irritating and causes less burning sensation on the skin. The serum is also developed in a way where it's more for dry and sensitive skin, and like all the products I mentioned today, it's also fragrance-free. Texture-wise, it is pretty lightweight. I find that it is pretty comparable to other vitamin C serums, maybe slightly more nourishing and moisturizing, but I certainly have not had any issues."
Dermatologist creates anti-aging routine for $100 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"CeraVe vitamin C serum retails for $18.49 and this is quite a steal. It contains 5% THD ascorbate, a lipid soluble vitamin C that is more stable than traditional pure ascorbic acid but also has been proven to work effectively as an antioxidant and helps with brightening benefits and collagen support. This one is a great option for those who have more sensitive skin as well for those that may be more sensitive to pure vitamin C. THD ascorbate is actually my go-to vitamin C derivative that I recommend that has been well studied. This also contains ceramides and it comes in a great airless pump that basically helps to keep the vitamin C stable. It has a white milky color and that is because THD ascorbate itself sometimes can be colorless or white. The airless pump really reduces the need of additional preservatives so great if you have dry and sensitive skin or prone to irritation caused by pure vitamin C."
"Vanicream's new vitamin C serum is wonderful and affordable, retailing for about $19 to $20 in drugstores. Vanicream is a line that was made for those who are eczema prone, have sensitive skin and rosacea, so their ingredients already are devoid of common allergens and irritants that individuals with sensitive skin and rosacea often can't tolerate. This serum is simple and elegant and contains the active THD ascorbate formulation of vitamin C, which is better suited for individuals with more sensitive skin. Texture-wise, this is a lightweight white milky creamy serum. It's stable, absorbs quickly, and is non-sticky, so I think it's really suitable for all skin types. Certainly if you have sensitive and dry skin, I think this is a great one, but even if you have more oily and combination skin, because of how quickly it absorbs, I think it can also be suitable for those individuals as well."
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All 3 takes on Vitamin C Serum
Best Drugstore Skincare of 2023 Picked by a Dermatologist
"I really love this product. I love that it was easily accessible, pretty affordable. The formula is great, it's hydrating, and finally a vitamin C derivative that's lipid soluble that's stable that works well. It's also great for those with sensitive and dry skin. It's literally a milky, lightweight serum that is hydrating, non-sticky, but it has THD ascorbate that's lipid soluble, a lot more stable than pure vitamin C, better suited for sensitive skin, but also has antioxidant benefits and may help to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and help even out skin tone. If you have dry and sensitive skin or just looking for a good, affordable vitamin C serum without breaking the bank, this is a must try."
Vitamin C serums and moisturizers for sensitive skin | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Vanicream's new vitamin C serum is wonderful and affordable, retailing for about $19 to $20 in drugstores. Vanicream is a line that was made for those who are eczema prone, have sensitive skin and rosacea, so their ingredients already are devoid of common allergens and irritants that individuals with sensitive skin and rosacea often can't tolerate. This serum is simple and elegant and contains the active THD ascorbate formulation of vitamin C, which is better suited for individuals with more sensitive skin. Texture-wise, this is a lightweight white milky creamy serum. It's stable, absorbs quickly, and is non-sticky, so I think it's really suitable for all skin types. Certainly if you have sensitive and dry skin, I think this is a great one, but even if you have more oily and combination skin, because of how quickly it absorbs, I think it can also be suitable for those individuals as well."
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"Vanicream has a milky lightweight serum that's not watery but it's still more hydrating than a watery vitamin C. It contains THD ascorbic acid along with ceramides, and Vanicream is just a great line, especially if you have eczema-prone, sensitive skin, or rosacea-prone skin."
"The Ordinary's 10% lactic acid serum is a great one because lactic acid is more gentle but is still beneficial for all skin types. The 10% is a good concentration that over time with use is going to improve dullness, uneven skin texture and skin tone. After cleansing, you apply the serum and then finish it off with your moisturizing lotion. When you do this consistently, alternating with your topical retinol a few times a week, it's really going to over time better improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation as well as dullness."
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All 2 takes on Lactic Acid 10% + Hyaluronic Acid
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"The Ordinary has lactic acid 10% plus hyaluronic acid and this is a great serum that is hydrating, really suitable for sensitive skin, it's fragrance-free, and with the hyaluronic acid you're going to get the hydration and skin plumping effect as well. Over time with use it's going to help improve dullness, skin texture and skin tone."
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"The Ordinary's 10% lactic acid serum is a great one because lactic acid is more gentle but is still beneficial for all skin types. The 10% is a good concentration that over time with use is going to improve dullness, uneven skin texture and skin tone. After cleansing, you apply the serum and then finish it off with your moisturizing lotion. When you do this consistently, alternating with your topical retinol a few times a week, it's really going to over time better improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation as well as dullness."
"Another serum if you're looking for an actual brightening serum with centella is the one from Beauty of Joseon, their Light On Serum that contains centella and vitamin C, and this vitamin C is an ethyl vitamin C, so a vitamin C derivative that has mostly brightening properties along with centella. That is, I think, 68% centella extract. Another really nice creamy but hydrating serum, great to use for those who are looking for a brightening product that is more gentle to help even out uneven skin tone."
"Another great anti-aging serum that doesn't contain retinol or alpha hydroxy acid is from Glow Recipe their Pomegranate Peptide Firming Serum. It's beautifully packaged with a magenta red color. It contains a few different ingredients that can help target fine lines and wrinkles. Number one, it contains a polypeptide complex including copper tripeptide, which has been shown to be one of those peptide complexes that can help improve appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and to support collagen and elastin production. It also contains extracts from pomegranate that is rich in antioxidants along with hyaluronic acid. So just a really nice serum to work into anyone's routine who has concerns of wanting to improve skin aging, fine lines, and wrinkles. With the ingredients it works really well, even layering it with retinol if one wants to."
"I love this serum. It's beautifully packaged, watery, elegant, lightweight, fast absorbing. It's also fragrance-free. Ingredient-wise, it contains niacinamide, glycolic acid, tranexamic acid, along with vitamin C derivative and rice protein, and also Vichy's volcanic water. All of these ingredients are really going to be helpful in targeting concerns of fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, whether that is from melasma, excessive sun damage, or even acne. But also at the same time helping to improve dullness and that uneven skin texture and skin tone. I really love this serum for anyone that is interested in combating basically signs of skin aging and dullness. It's a great one to incorporate into morning and or evening routine and can work synergistically with topical retinol to combat skin aging concerns."
"Plated Intense Serum that's $267, so definitely not cheap and hard to tell from their website where the exosomes are derived from. I think more research needs to be done on their efficacy when it comes to skincare formulation and how we can more safely and ethically harvest exosomes."
"Their green tea seed serum, which is actually my first introduction into Korean skincare. It contains green tea extract that is derived specifically from Jeju Island, which is a lovely beautiful island from Korea. They handpick each of the green teas to produce this serum. It contains green tea extract along with different blends of hyaluronic acid that just makes a great lightweight hydrating serum. Green tea has great antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory properties, helps to hydrate the skin, repair the skin barrier, and may even offer some anti-aging benefits. So great all around. And also if you have oily skin, green tea may help to support or reduce that sebum control temporarily, so really suitable for all skin types."
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All 2 takes on Green Tea Seed Serum
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"Their green tea seed serum, which is actually my first introduction into Korean skincare. It contains green tea extract that is derived specifically from Jeju Island, which is a lovely beautiful island from Korea. They handpick each of the green teas to produce this serum. It contains green tea extract along with different blends of hyaluronic acid that just makes a great lightweight hydrating serum. Green tea has great antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory properties, helps to hydrate the skin, repair the skin barrier, and may even offer some anti-aging benefits. So great all around. And also if you have oily skin, green tea may help to support or reduce that sebum control temporarily, so really suitable for all skin types."
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"The teas are uniquely picked to formulate the final product so you're getting lots of variety of different polyphenols and compounds in here along with five different blends of hyaluronic acid to give you this really nice lightweight elegant hydrating serum that offers a ray of benefits. It's highly suitable for all skin types, it's lightweight, non-sticky, hydrating, so even if you have acne skin I think this could be something that you can incorporate into your routine that may help with improving post-acne marks and maybe offer some sebum control."
"Other brands I really enjoyed using include Neutrogena, whether it's their straight Retinol Serum versus eye cream, both are great, pretty lightweight. I don't think it's very heavy at all."
"It's hydrating but not watery like runny watery serum. Ingredient wise it contains wonderful ingredients including plant extracts like licorice and feverfew that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and soothing properties, also contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid as well as beta glucan which is great to help plump the skin. This is just a great lovely serum. It's kind of that in-between where it's not extra watery but still nourishing and hydrating."
"This is a great one if you have dry sensitive skin or for the winter. Ingredient wise it has their patented 3% triple lipid complex that basically is a blend of lipids that helps to restore the ceramides and restore fatty acids that's naturally present in our skin but often deficient in the winter or for those who have dry skin. In addition it also contains a peptide blend that helps to calm soothe the skin and offers additional support of our skin barrier along with other great humectants. It's just all around a very nourishing creamy moisturizer that is a must have for the winter time especially if you have dry skin. I also love the fact that this is vegan cruelty free and also refillable so there's less waste."
"Rosemary oil, but really at best in one study and we need more studies really to truly know whether it's helpful or not. That study compared rosemary oil to 2% minoxidil and we do know 5% works best. Nothing can beat topical minoxidil when it comes to stimulating hair growth."
"The Naturium Azelaic Acid Emulsion 10% contains ten percent azelaic acid brightening complex along with niacinamide. These ingredients are all great for soothing but also help to brighten uneven skin tone. With the emulsion texture it's like a light lotion, so more nourishing but fast absorbing, not sticky. Really ideal for those with more dry skin who are looking for something that helps to brighten the complexion and help with improving uneven skin tone."
"Another one I have talked about before is from Peach and Lily. This one contains a blend of lactic acid and plant extracts and antioxidants that's very lovely. I use that throughout my pregnancy as my substitute for my topical retinoid. I didn't get irritation. I felt it was very elegant serum that was well tolerated."
"I have actually been trying this one out on my neck, and I really love the texture. It's from Necessaire and it's the neck serum that is fragrance free, and it's this lightweight creamy serum that's more nourishing, more hydrating, and again just contains a blend of peptides that is great for the neck skin because the neck has less oil glands and tends to be more sensitive and dry out more quickly."
"The Drunk Elephant Protini Power Peptide Resurfacing Serum contains a blend of very different peptides and lactic acid that can work synergistically to target fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone."
"The Axis-Y Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum contains niacinamide along with hyaluronic acid. It's also hydrating as well as six different plant-derived ingredients that are helpful for brightening and evening out skin texture, including rice. Rice is able to inhibit the tyrosinase enzyme, which is one of the first steps in creating pigment, but it does not cause a lot of irritation. So for individuals who have a hard time tolerating traditional brightening ingredients, which tend to be irritating, this one would be a great one to use. Texture-wise it is a thicker, slightly milky serum that is very hydrating, not heavy, sticky, or tacky, so great to use twice daily as tolerated."
"This is just an all-around Rockstar that is suitable for all skin types. It's a cream texture that contains various different blends of hyaluronic acid that hydrates and works well to help with dehydrated skin. It does not leave your skin feeling greasy, shiny, sticky, or heavy."
"Polyglutamic acid is essentially multiple glutamic acids stringed together and it's a very large molecule, great for drawing water to the top layer of the skin. Some argue that polyglutamic acid is four times more potent than hyaluronic acid. It's a great, slightly underrated humectant. This serum contains three percent polyglutamic acid along with glycerin, two wonderful humectants, as well as rice bran extract which has soothing properties, hydrating properties, and even arguably some brightening properties. It's a really wonderfully formulated, lightweight, hydrating serum that is really suitable for all skin types. It's a really nice, lightweight, non-sticky hydrating serum, so great for individuals looking for a hydrating serum that doesn't contain hyaluronic acid. It's great for improving fine lines and wrinkles, temporarily plumping the skin, and improving dry skin as well as dehydrated skin."
"CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is great for the face, the body, babies, the whole family. It's non-comedogenic, so you don't have to worry about clogging your pores. It's creamy and not suffocating, but it is more rich than the lotion version, so I think it's still more suitable for those with more dry skin. It's got a 5% humectant active along with ceramides that are really important for our skin barrier, and shea butter."
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All 6 takes on Moisturizing Cream
Winter Skin Survival Guide from a Derm | Dr. Jenny Liu
"CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is great for the face, the body, babies, the whole family. It's non-comedogenic, so you don't have to worry about clogging your pores. It's creamy and not suffocating, but it is more rich than the lotion version, so I think it's still more suitable for those with more dry skin. It's got a 5% humectant active along with ceramides that are really important for our skin barrier, and shea butter."
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"This is a great moisturizer especially if you have dry, eczema prone skin or have sensitive skin, rosacea prone skin. I love the fact it comes in a big jar you can pump out and great to use on face and body, great to use for the whole family for babies and kids. CeraVe is one line that I always point my sensitive skin, rosacea prone skin patients to, especially those that have a history of contact dermatitis, allergies where you may be sensitive to common preservatives and fragrances. This moisturizing cream is really nice and heavy but is not going to be super thick and occlusive, so even for those that have dry, acne prone skin it is great to use. I personally love this. In the summertime I would use it in the evening as my facial moisturizer, use it as my whole body moisturizer, use it on my kids, and especially in the wintertime this would be like one of our go-to to use on face and body. Ingredient wise, it's got nice hydrating ingredients. It also has petrolatum which does offer that occlusive nature, but again it's not heavy or sticky, and it also contains dimethicone which is a silicone that helps to act as an emollient but also offers skin repair properties."
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"The CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is something thick that will kind of coat your hand but not super greasy. This one is really rich and nourishing but at the same time not going to be really oily and make your hands super slippery. It contains three essential ceramides along with niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and petrolatum to effectively support and seal in the moisture and help your skin repair."
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"This is just such a wonderful product and I've recommended it for over 15 years and I continue to recommend because it is just that good. It is a thick cream that's nourishing but it's non-greasy, fast-absorbing, great for all skin types, during the winter time especially if you have dry skin, eczema-prone skin, and sensitive skin. It is suitable to use on face and body, so literally one-stop shop to it. It's fragrance-free and it's accepted by the National Eczema Association. This has three essential ceramides that we know is really the cool core of CeraVe products along with hyaluronic acid that helps to hydrate, and petrolatum that makes a great occlusive to reduce transepidermal water loss. What is unique to all of CeraVe products is it's formulated not just with those ingredients but in a unique packaging system called MVE multivesicular emulsion technology. Basically, you can think of it as all the active ingredients are packaged into little tiny vehicles within the cream, and then when it's applied on the skin it is slowly released into your skin over time, so it basically is more gentle but also delivers better hydrating, moisturizing results over time."
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"You can follow that with a basic moisturizer like the one from CeraVe Moisturizing Cream for dry skin."
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"One of the first products I recommend for those individuals with eczema prone skin and dry skin to use is CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. This is one of the go-to ones that dermatologists recommend all around for dry skin eczema prone skin. It is a thick cream that is really helpful at keeping the skin hydrated. It also has hyaluronic acid and petrolatum that are great at hydrating the skin preventing transepidermal water loss, but also contains their three essential ceramides and this MVE technology that really helps to deliver these active ingredients slowly over time. Ceramides are super important and have been shown to really help restore the skin barrier. In fact, ceramides is one of the lipids that is lacking often in dry and eczema prone skin, and certainly studies have shown that using moisturizers with ceramides can definitely help to restore our skin barrier and also help to improve eczema prone skin. I also love the fact that this is a very big volume and great for face and body. It is non-comedogenic."
"This is a must-have for anyone, but especially for those with dry and sensitive skin. It's great at soothing the skin and really reducing irritation if you've got a damaged barrier, but surprisingly light while still nourishing at the same time. It's got the right number of lipids, the triglycerides and fatty acids our skin barrier needs to repair itself: ceramides, squalane, cholesterol, fatty acids, and panthenol. And it's got these little capsules of lipids that you break open as you rub it on your skin. I love it both morning and night, but especially in the morning for those that are really dry. It can be very supportive but doesn't feel heavy at the same time."
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All 2 takes on Atobarrier 365 Cream
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"The Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream is really their best seller and honestly my favorite. It's a great moisturizer, multitasker -- you can use it as a facial moisturizer, as a body moisturizer, great for the wintertime. One thing I love about this cream is that it is nourishing but not heavy or greasy. The texture is so much lighter and more elegant, especially for those who are more oily or combination and want something nourishing but don't like that heavy feel. This cream is really designed for that. It really helps to support and replenish the ceramides and lipids in our skin with those little tiny capsules. Fragrance-free, non-irritating, and has been clinically tested on eczema-prone and sensitive skin. You can use it as your facial moisturizer to help you tolerate things like retinoids or tranexamic acid."
Winter Skin Survival Guide from a Derm | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is a must-have for anyone, but especially for those with dry and sensitive skin. It's great at soothing the skin and really reducing irritation if you've got a damaged barrier, but surprisingly light while still nourishing at the same time. It's got the right number of lipids, the triglycerides and fatty acids our skin barrier needs to repair itself: ceramides, squalane, cholesterol, fatty acids, and panthenol. And it's got these little capsules of lipids that you break open as you rub it on your skin. I love it both morning and night, but especially in the morning for those that are really dry. It can be very supportive but doesn't feel heavy at the same time."
"This is a great one because it's really like a multifunctional cream in the sense you can use it all over like almost like slugging once in a while to restore your skin barrier. You can also use it regularly if you have super dry, eczema-prone, sensitive skin as your moisturizer or you can even put this on to spot treat additional flaky areas on top of your moisturizer. I use this, I love it post procedure. I love it when I get irritated like from my retinoids or my skin gets really sensitive. I will occasionally use it as just my moisturizer on my rest days if my skin is not happy. It's great for wounds, it's great for shaving, diaper rashes. It is a thicker balm, nourishing and creamy and occlusive. So if you're acne prone, I think that's why you just have to be careful and not use it on a daily basis and just watch what you put on underneath it because that's really the problem. Ingredient wise, it's got C+ Restore, which is this probiotic blend that really helps to support the skin barrier along with copper and zinc that we also know is important for our skin barrier health."
"The Heimish All Clean Balm is a really nice cleansing balm that removes everything, including all the water resistant makeup, so I'm not aggressively scrubbing at my lashes either. It contains shea butter and coconut extract along with white flour complex. And I feel like this one rinses out pretty nicely."
"The snail 92 all-in-one cream is definitely going to be a little bit more, it's still tacky like the mucin essence, but meant to really deliver rich hydration. I think this one with the formula is more intended for those who are seeking kind of a deeper hydration. It locks in moisture. It doesn't leave, it doesn't feel heavy, but you are going to kind of get a little bit of that slight tackiness from this snail mucin. So great for those who are still wanting a lightweight formula that doesn't feel heavy but slightly kind of just there's something there that you put on your skin. It's really suitable for those who have really dry skin wanting kind of this more intense hydration and repair. With 92% snail mucin secretion filtrate that helps strengthen and nourish damaged skin barrier."
"I've switched to the Cetaphil Skin Activator Hydrating and Firming Cream for the fall season and I absolutely love it. I'm using the one for the face and neck because of all the textures, it's much creamier and more nourishing, which is exactly what I love and need as we transition into fall and winter. It's a nice creamy moisturizer but is not heavy or thick and layers nicely under sunscreen. It has a unique technology that is a micro dose mandelic acid and encapsulated centella. Centella we know not only helps soothe but actually also has skin rejuvenation benefits. With these two combinations in their formulation, it's proven to really help with crepey skin, fine lines, and wrinkles. So it's really ideal for those that have more mature skin wanting to firm up their skin at the same time while using a moisturizer that's nourishing and beneficial for supporting the skin barrier. I've been using it morning and at night, and it's a great affordable moisturizer."
"It's not greasy and great to use on a daily basis. I actually bring this when I travel as my moisturizer. It's really lovely. It layers great with your retinoid. It layers great in the morning under sunscreen. It's fragrance-free. So all around I feel like it can benefit so many different skin types. Regardless of your skin type or skin concern, it's just a great product in general. It's super versatile and can really fit into anyone's skincare routine."
"This is probably one of my favorite products I recommend routinely to patients that contain niacinamide at a good concentration that works wonders and is super elegant and affordable. This is just a great moisturizer, especially if you have oily combination skin because it's oil free and it's lightweight. It's not like mattifying, but it's not greasy at all. And even though it's PM, it's suitable for morning and nighttime use, just depends on your skin type and the time of the year. It's great for oily, combination skin, acne prone skin. And if you're acne prone, using a retinoid, want something lightweight that's going to also complement your retinoid, this is the one to use. It contains 4% niacinamide, a good concentration that we know really is effective, and then also three essential ceramides that is the core of CeraVe products and hyaluronic acid. So lovely texture, effective concentration niacinamide. If you're looking for just a moisturizer with niacinamide, this is one of my go-to. Highly recommend, especially for those that struggle with acne, oiliness, or just want a lightweight moisturizer to use in the summer time."
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All 5 takes on PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
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"CeraVe PM lotion. Even though it's PM, it's great for AM and PM use. It's great if you have super dry skin, want something like a lotion that's going to be supportive because it's also oil free. It's not mattifying, but definitely feels like you're not wearing anything at all. Also contains ceramides and 4% niacinamide. That's lovely. So it's great for dry skin in the morning or like oily skin if you want to use something a little bit more nourishing to support your retinoids, whatever actives you're using in the evening."
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"CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is an all-star moisturizer that is suitable for all different skin types, just depending on the season. I love that it's fragrance-free, so it's even ideal for those with sensitive skin. It contains the essential ceramides along with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to help support your skin barrier. It's oil-free, fast absorbing, and non-comedogenic, so it's really ideal for those with oily, combination, and acne-prone skin. It's great to use for morning and evening if you have oily and combination skin, and if you have more dry skin, I actually think this would be a great formula to use in the morning under sunscreen."
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"I love CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion. Even though the name says PM, I think it's a great moisturizer to use both morning and night. This is an oil-free moisturizer so it doesn't have any ingredients that could potentially clog pores, really suitable for teens that are more acne-prone, and it has a really lightweight finish. It's not shiny, it's not greasy, it absorbs really quickly. It has ceramides and hyaluronic acid, wonderful ingredients that are anti-inflammatory and supporting your skin barrier at the same time."
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"I really actually love their PM facial lotion. Even though it's for PM, I often use it in the morning because it's oil-free lotion. It actually is great at supporting your skin barrier with the three central ceramides and niacinamide, but does not add heaviness, greasiness, or shine. So certainly it is something that you could use in the morning if you have super dry skin but want something that's elegant that's not going to add a lot of weight to your skin."
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"This is probably one of my favorite products I recommend routinely to patients that contain niacinamide at a good concentration that works wonders and is super elegant and affordable. This is just a great moisturizer, especially if you have oily combination skin because it's oil free and it's lightweight. It's not like mattifying, but it's not greasy at all. And even though it's PM, it's suitable for morning and nighttime use, just depends on your skin type and the time of the year. It's great for oily, combination skin, acne prone skin. And if you're acne prone, using a retinoid, want something lightweight that's going to also complement your retinoid, this is the one to use. It contains 4% niacinamide, a good concentration that we know really is effective, and then also three essential ceramides that is the core of CeraVe products and hyaluronic acid. So lovely texture, effective concentration niacinamide. If you're looking for just a moisturizer with niacinamide, this is one of my go-to. Highly recommend, especially for those that struggle with acne, oiliness, or just want a lightweight moisturizer to use in the summer time."
"Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is a lightweight moisturizer that really is oil-free, non-comedogenic, and delivers long-lasting hydration without any feeling of heaviness or residue on your skin. It's got a little bit more of a kind of weight to it compared to some others, but it's not heavy and absorbs super quickly. It contains hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and dimethicone. Dimethicone gives it a little bit more of that weight, but it's a great emollient that's not heavy and provides a smooth finish. If you have super oily skin, go with a different option. If you have combination or even combination-dry skin, the Neutrogena one would be a great option. This one comes in a fragrance and non-fragrance formula, so if you have sensitive skin, go with the fragrance-free one."
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"This one is so good. If you're looking for a lightweight gel moisturizer that hydrates without heaviness or stickiness, this is it. She just provides so much hydration, really ideal for oily skin and really all skin types, especially during the summer time. I love using this even though I have more like dry combination skin. In the summer time it's great to use in the morning under a sunscreen. It won't peel. There is a fragrance and non-fragrance version, so just make sure you get the right one if you are sensitive to fragrance. Ingredient-wise it's got hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and dimethicone, so it really helps to seal in that moisture barrier without adding any heaviness to your skin."
Derm Approved Top Lightweight Moisturizers for Hot, Humid Weather | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is a lightweight moisturizer that really is oil-free, non-comedogenic, and delivers long-lasting hydration without any feeling of heaviness or residue on your skin. It's got a little bit more of a kind of weight to it compared to some others, but it's not heavy and absorbs super quickly. It contains hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and dimethicone. Dimethicone gives it a little bit more of that weight, but it's a great emollient that's not heavy and provides a smooth finish. If you have super oily skin, go with a different option. If you have combination or even combination-dry skin, the Neutrogena one would be a great option. This one comes in a fragrance and non-fragrance formula, so if you have sensitive skin, go with the fragrance-free one."
Drugstore moisturizers for winter $35 or less | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Neutrogena Hydro Boost is one of my favorite lines from them. This moisturizer is fragrance-free, so great to use on everyone even if you have sensitive skin. It contains a wonderful blend of ingredients including hyaluronic acid, ceramides, natural moisturizing factors, and amino acids that really helps to plump and hydrate the skin and keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. With the water gel texture, it's lightweight and fast-absorbing, and with that I think it's definitely better suited for wintertime for those with more oily and combination skin. It's also non-comedogenic, so definitely suitable for acne-prone skin as well. If you're more like me, that's on the drier side, or live somewhere that's super dry and cold, I think you can definitely try this out for the morning. For me personally in the evening I like something a little bit more creamy, more nourishing, but definitely this formula I loved using in the summertime as my morning and evening moisturizer."
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"Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is an amazing product that I feel like can benefit most people. I love the fact that it is a moisturizer that really hydrates your skin without leaving much residue. It is fast absorbing, really great. This is one of my go-to recommendations for those with oily and combination skin to use all year round, morning and evening. And for those with more dry skin like myself, I love this one in the summertime where it's more hot and humid. Ingredient-wise, it's got epidermal lipids that focus on skin barrier health, so ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids that we know is really important in helping to build that moisture barrier, along with hyaluronic acid and glycerin, wonderful hydrating ingredients to help keep that skin barrier hydrated and functional. So again, wonderful moisturizer, highly recommend."
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"a gel water gel cream formulation like Neutrogena Hydro Boost that's great to help with dehydrated skin that's little more fast absorbing more ideal for like oily and combination skin"
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"Hydro Boost is one of my favorite lines from Neutrogena. This gel is great if you have oily combination skin. It really helps to hydrate your skin with the hyaluronic acid and glycerin, adding long lasting moisture and plumping your skin without adding heaviness, shininess or greasiness. It also comes in a fragrance-free version for options for everyone, and comes in a water gel cream that is great if you have more dry skin to use in the morning so it helps to keep your skin hydrated but still feels great and looks wonderful and elegant under sunscreen and makeup."
"The double repair moisturizer in the blue bottle is a gel cream formula, more suitable for normal to oily skin, but definitely if you have dry combination skin, I still really like using this in the summertime in my morning routine, especially when it's super hot and humid outside. I want something that also offers a little bit of a mattifying property and layers nicely under sunscreen. It provides really great hydration without really feeling like there's much on your skin. It helps to keep your skin barrier protected and supported, and it has a really nice and elegant texture. If you have oily skin, the properties of this moisturizer really keeps you from looking shiny like midday. Ingredient wise, it's got ceramides and niacinamide."
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Derm Approved Top Lightweight Moisturizers for Hot, Humid Weather | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The double repair moisturizer in the blue bottle is a gel cream formula, more suitable for normal to oily skin, but definitely if you have dry combination skin, I still really like using this in the summertime in my morning routine, especially when it's super hot and humid outside. I want something that also offers a little bit of a mattifying property and layers nicely under sunscreen. It provides really great hydration without really feeling like there's much on your skin. It helps to keep your skin barrier protected and supported, and it has a really nice and elegant texture. If you have oily skin, the properties of this moisturizer really keeps you from looking shiny like midday. Ingredient wise, it's got ceramides and niacinamide."
Derm Approved Top Lightweight Moisturizers for Hot, Humid Weather | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I really like using this in the summertime in my morning routine, especially when it's super hot and humid outside, and I want something that also offers a little bit of a mattifying property and layers nicely under sunscreen. It provides really great hydration without really feeling like there's much on your skin. It helps to keep your skin barrier protected and supported, and it has a really nice and elegant texture. If you have oily skin, the properties of this moisturizer really keeps you from looking shiny like midday. Ingredient wise, it's got ceramides and niacinamide that helps to support your skin barrier. Niacinamide also offers some sebum control which is really nice especially for oily skin. It also has perlite which is a volcanic mineral that helps absorb excessive oil and then silica too provides that mattifying property. And then of course La Roche-Posay thermal spring water that is really mineral rich and helps to balance our skin microbiome. It's suitable for all skin types, even sensitive skin, because I believe this is fragrance-free."
"This is a great moisturizer for oily combination skin and great even for teens and tweens who need a light moisturizer but don't want anything too heavy or greasy. It really delivers wonderful hydration without the feeling of heaviness. It's lightweight, oil-free, non-comedogenic. So great if you have oily, even acne-prone skin. It really helps to restore that hydration, that water moisture barrier in your skin without feeling like you are really putting on anything at all. It's got green tea extract that offers antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties along with aloe and hyaluronic acid. So a great option for oily combination skin to use in the morning and even at night."
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Derm Approved Top Lightweight Moisturizers for Hot, Humid Weather | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is a great moisturizer for oily combination skin and great even for teens and tweens who need a light moisturizer but don't want anything too heavy or greasy. It really delivers wonderful hydration without the feeling of heaviness. It's lightweight, oil-free, non-comedogenic. So great if you have oily, even acne-prone skin. It really helps to restore that hydration, that water moisture barrier in your skin without feeling like you are really putting on anything at all. It's got green tea extract that offers antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties along with aloe and hyaluronic acid. So a great option for oily combination skin to use in the morning and even at night."
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"It's by far one of my favorite moisturizers for the summer and for those with oily and combination skin all year round depending on where you live. It's just such a lightweight gel moisturizer that absorbs really quickly and helps to keep your skin hydrated without feeling heavy, looking shiny or greasy. Really ideal for those with oily skin because yes, oily skin individuals can still get dehydrated and you still want to use a moisturizer that is going to improve skin hydration without adding heaviness. Ingredient-wise it contains green tea leaf extract which may offer some skin barrier support and anti-inflammatory benefits along with aloe and hyaluronic acid. This is my go-to in the summer and in the morning. It layers nicely under sunscreen or if you have oily skin, combination skin, and just want to use a nice elegant moisturizer all year round that's not going to feel heavy or shiny, this is one that you must check out."
"This toner here is great not just for oily skin but really any skin type wanting to improve uneven skin tone whether it's from sun damage or acne, or just wanting a good toner to use that offers some of those hydrating and skin tone improving, hyperpigmentation benefits. It's pretty budget friendly."
"This is a great rich elegant barrier balm that I think is great actually for a couple things. Number one, post redness laser so Vbeam or broadband light targeting redness, or say after your skin has healed up from microneedling and fractionated laser like after a couple days, this would be great one to further repair your skin, to provide that hydration, nourishment, and help your skin heal faster. Another way you can use it is if you have retinoid uglies or say you overexfoliated, your skin is just peeling and really uncomfortable, this would be a great kind of recovery balm to help your skin soothe, recover faster, and repair any sort of damage that may have been done to your skin from just overuse of skincare products. It contains ingredient wise palm oil, tripeptide 8 that is great at repairing the skin, reproving redness, along with niacinamide, panthenol, squalane, and ceramides. I mean, just a wonderful list of ingredients that helps to further strengthen your skin barrier but also support your skin in various different ways, helping with brightening, improving serum production, helping with improving some of the uneven skin texture and skin tone with the niacinamide in there."
"I personally find that texture-wise CeraVe is actually the lightest so you can either go with that because you don't want something super thick."
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"I personally find that texture-wise CeraVe is actually the lightest so you can either go with that because you don't want something super thick."
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"There's also CeraVe and Cetaphil healing ointment although I do find those two to be not as occlusive enough. I honestly when it comes to lips I much rather prefer just 100% petrolatum or Aquaphor. I find that these two really add the most long-lasting occlusive protective benefits to my lips compared to the other two. The other two I feel like look just a little bit more lightweight so not so much great for the lips based on my personal opinion but I love it for other places like chapped flaky skin on the face or say like chafing on the underarms it works really well but it's not as sticky or heavy."
"It is really hydrating, yeah lightweight but very supportive of your skin barrier and really ideal for those that have sensitive and dry skin to use when their skin barrier needs a little help or to even just use regularly as a moisturizer. I've done a ton of traveling and my skin always gets so stressed with that and this moisturizer has really been a holy grail in my routine just regularly to keep my skin barrier healthy. I love the fact that the texture is really elegant, it's nourishing but lightweight and fast absorbing. It is not heavy, not sticky, not greasy and really makes a wonderful moisturizer morning and night. Essentially what it has is these lipid capsules that house ceramides and lipids in there and these capsules break down as you rub in the product on your face and really helps to deliver effectively the lipids to help restore your skin barrier. It contains ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids as well as panthenol, so all wonderful ingredients that your skin needs to help repair itself and to better support your skin barrier. If you are like me who get sensitive skin frequently, whether it's due to stress or that time of the month or just have sensitive skin at baseline, rosacea-prone skin, or like need something occasionally when your skin freaks out, this would make a wonderful moisturizer. It is a wonderful one just to use daily as your go-to moisturizer for the winter, especially if you have eczema-prone and dry skin."
"Clinique Moisture Surge 100H is a lightweight gel cream that hydrates so well and leaves your skin plump yet at the same time not heavy. What's really cool about it is that in addition to hyaluronic acid, it has aloe vera ferment so they really ferment the aloe vera, making it super lovely and breaking down the ingredients so it has additional hydrating and plumping benefits. You can actually even put it on the ends of your hair to help calm and instantly reduce frizziness and smooth out hair, and you can also put it on your cuticles, so there are a lot of other ways of using this moisturizer if you wanted to."
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"This is one of my all-time favorite products from Clinique. This is a lightweight gel cream moisturizer that honestly you can probably use all year round. It does a wonderful job at hydrating your skin without leaving a heavy and sticky feel, definitely something worth checking out and using during the summer months especially. I actually love the fact that it comes in various different sizes so you can have one at home and I actually take the smaller one with me for when I travel, apply on my skin before I fly out to keep my skin plump and hydrated. You can even use it as a five minute leave-on mask to instantly help hydrate your skin. Formulation-wise it's really unique what Clinique has done is take an aloe extract and essentially fermented that multiple times to really get all the wonderful bioactives, small bioactives that is more readily able to penetrate your skin because we do know that fermented ingredients do offer additional benefits than regular ingredients. So the bioactives from the aloe ferments here, Clinique has essentially fermented that so you're getting more effective hydrating ingredients."
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"Clinique Moisture Surge 100H is a lightweight gel cream that hydrates so well and leaves your skin plump yet at the same time not heavy. What's really cool about it is that in addition to hyaluronic acid, it has aloe vera ferment so they really ferment the aloe vera, making it super lovely and breaking down the ingredients so it has additional hydrating and plumping benefits. You can actually even put it on the ends of your hair to help calm and instantly reduce frizziness and smooth out hair, and you can also put it on your cuticles, so there are a lot of other ways of using this moisturizer if you wanted to."
"The water cream is one of the OG best sellers from Tatcha. It is a lightweight moisturizer that hydrates. It feels so lush on your skin but at the same time it's not heavy, and it has their fermented hadashi 3, which is a blend of green tea, rice, and algae extract that helps to plump your skin, helps to hydrate your skin, and brighten your skin, as well as wild roast extract that serves as an antioxidant and helps to brighten your skin. It's great for the majority of skin types but especially if you are more oily prone or combination skin."
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Dermatologist picks for budget-friendly skincare alternatives | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Tatcha's Water Cream retails for $72. This one is great, it's lightweight, fast absorbing, great for individuals that have combination or oily skin or anyone that gets easily dehydrated but wanting a moisturizer that won't add heaviness, greasiness or shine. This one absorbs really quickly, is great at hydrating the skin at the same time, helping to control sebum and over time improving the appearance of pore size. Ingredient wise it contains Tatcha's proprietary Hadasei-3 blend which is basically fermented ingredients from green tea, brown algae and rice along with other plant-derived ingredients that is just really soothing and calming. So a lovely moisturizer, however certainly $72 is really expensive."
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"The water cream is one of the OG best sellers from Tatcha. It is a lightweight moisturizer that hydrates. It feels so lush on your skin but at the same time it's not heavy, and it has their fermented hadashi 3, which is a blend of green tea, rice, and algae extract that helps to plump your skin, helps to hydrate your skin, and brighten your skin, as well as wild roast extract that serves as an antioxidant and helps to brighten your skin. It's great for the majority of skin types but especially if you are more oily prone or combination skin."
"La Roche-Posay their Lipikar moisturizer is great for the winter."
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"La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm AP+M retails for twenty bucks. This moisturizer I first mentioned it probably a couple years back when I first recommended moisturizers for eczema and dry skin and to this day it's still one of the products that we use regularly in my household especially during the winter time. I love number one the formula, the cream formula that's really suitable to use in the winter especially if you yourself or your kids and your family members struggle with dry and eczema prone skin. Two, I love the fact that it comes in a pump, it's really easy to dispense, making bath time routines especially if you have little ones much more doable. It's actually approved for babies two weeks and older and also has the National Eczema Association seal of approval. It's fragrance-free, really ideal on eczema prone and sensitive skin. And lastly it's just versatile in the sense you can use it on face and body so really helps to simplify your skincare routine. For households, for parents that really want to simplify their routine and just really make bedtime routine manageable and easy while making sure that your kids' skin stays hydrated and supported, if you struggle with eczema during the winter time this is the moisturizer I recommend."
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"La Roche-Posay their Lipikar moisturizer is great for the winter."
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"I am a huge fan of the Lipikar line in general. The Lipikar AP+M is our go-to moisturizer for the entire family during the winter. I love it for a few reasons: it's a big bottle that's in a pump style so really easy to dispense. It has wonderful ingredients including La Roche-Posay's thermal spring water that we know is soothing and calming, glycerin, shea butter, and niacinamide. What is unique about this one is that in addition to those it also contains 1% colloidal oatmeal. We know that colloidal oatmeal is soothing and calming and it actually has been shown clinically to help reduce the intensity of eczema flares. This moisturizer is very nourishing and can really help to reduce the itching and the inflammation from eczema."
"The one I absolutely am just obsessed with, I use it regularly morning and night, is the Aestura A-Cica 365 Cream. If you really struggle with sensitive skin, eczema prone skin, you really need to check this out. Aestura is the number one most recommended brand by Korean dermatologists, was founded in a Dermatology Clinic Pharmacy because it made products for sensitive and eczema prone skin, and that is what you're getting here with that cream. It's got these lipid particles that kind of will break open and melt away that contains a good ratio of ceramides to lipids that really help to support and restore your skin barrier. I love that it is rich and nourishing but when I say that it is not heavy or sticky. It's actually very fast absorbing, and so even in the morning time if you have dry skin, especially as we transition to fall and winter, I think this would be an amazing moisturizer to better support your skin so that way your dry skin doesn't feel really tight and dry immediately afterwards."
"This is a spray moisturizer that comes out in a fine mist that is actually deeply hydrating and really fits the Japanese philosophy of double moisturizing with a hydrating toner essentially, but you're spraying it on your skin. It is very hydrating and moisturizing at the same time. You can actually use it as a moisturizer if you have oily combination skin and don't desire anything heavy or greasy, or if you have more dry skin you can definitely spritz it on your face, pat it in like you would a normal water-based toner or mist, and then go on with the rest of your skincare routine to provide that double layer of moisturizing. It's such a great multitasker and really something to stock up on, especially for fall and winter. It's kind of fun to use especially if you've got young kids, my kids love spraying it, gets them to moisturize in a fun way, and it's really suitable for the whole family."
"AmLactin makes a great lactic acid based moisturizer that I love for keratosis pilaris but also great would be great options for your hands and fingernails and those ingredients are also really going to be helpful if you are prone to getting dryness and fissures of your fingertips as well as getting like thickened buildup of dead skin on your hands because of the frequent hand washing and dryness just be mindful because lactic acid or alpha hydroxy acid based moisturizers can cause some temporary burning sensation when there are micro tears in your skin so maybe not the most ideal to use if you actually have cracked and fissured fingertips."
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"AmLactin makes a great lactic acid based moisturizer that I love for keratosis pilaris but also great would be great options for your hands and fingernails and those ingredients are also really going to be helpful if you are prone to getting dryness and fissures of your fingertips as well as getting like thickened buildup of dead skin on your hands because of the frequent hand washing and dryness just be mindful because lactic acid or alpha hydroxy acid based moisturizers can cause some temporary burning sensation when there are micro tears in your skin so maybe not the most ideal to use if you actually have cracked and fissured fingertips."
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"If you have mild acanthosis nigricans, one of the most effective things you can try over the counter is ammonium lactate based moisturizer, so for example AmLactin, it also contains one that's 12% which can be more irritating but it can also be effective. What is happening here is the exfoliation from the lactic acid helps to reduce the thickening of the acanthosis nigricans, which is essentially what it is. But it takes time and you want to be careful because it can be irritating, so you certainly don't want to have secondary hyperpigmentation from the irritation."
"If you're looking for something a little bit lightweight, go with La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5. I use this in the morning because it just absorbs a little bit nicer and layers a little bit nicely under sunscreen. I really love it. Compared to other products, I just think the texture is a little bit more fast absorbing even though it's heavy duty and multitasking. Even though it is heavy duty, it is not as thick, and so I personally like it in the morning because it layers better under sunscreen. Ingredient-wise, it's got La Roche-Posay thermal spring water, it's got vitamin B5, shea butter, glycerin, derivatives of centella, and other antimicrobial anti-inflammatory ingredients. With its texture, I think for somebody who maybe wants something that's not super heavy or occlusive, or maybe prone to acne, this would be a better option for you."
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"This is one of my favorite products from La Roche-Posay. La Roche-Posay as a brand is one that's near and dear to my heart. I really appreciate and value all the science and research they put into not just their products but skin health and the microbiome in general. I really love their formulas and their mission, not only aiming to help those with eczema and sensitive skin but even patients who are undergoing chemotherapy. As a dermatologist, this is a brand that I recommend on a daily basis to my patients. This product is really nice to see it go viral because you don't think of a balm as something that would be utilized by so many different individuals with different skin types and skin concerns, but the fact that it's gone viral and has been used that way really speaks to the versatility and the ability of this product to multitask, which is why I think it's really worth having this product in your skincare arsenal."
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"I brought this one from La Roche-Posay, the Cicaplast Baume B5, it's like a one-stop shop moisturizer, hand cream, even use it on your lips. It's thick but not super heavy, so basically I just seal in all the moisture with this."
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"Barrier creams like the Cicaplast from La Roche-Posay are a really great option for post-peel care. A thick moisturizer with really no actives, particularly no actives like additional alpha hydroxy acid, salicylic acid, or retinol, is really what your skin needs."
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"This is a multitasking repair cream that you can really use for all sorts of things to spot treat as needed on areas of irritation on your face or body, to reduce chafing. You can also put it all over your face, and I sometimes will do that in the winter time or post procedure, or for people that want to slug but really don't like the greasiness of petrolatum. It contains vitamin B5 panthenol, which is soothing, shea butter, glycerin, La Roche-Posay thermal spring water, along with centella extracts as well as antimicrobial ingredients that reduce inflammation along with other minerals to help soothe and heal your skin barrier. Texture-wise it is more of a dense cream, but I really love the fact that it absorbs really quickly and does not feel like you put too much on your skin afterwards, but still offers your skin barrier support at the same time."
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"One of my favorites is a good thick moisturizer or one that has active ingredients like Cicaplast Baume B5 from La Roche-Posay that contains B5 vitamin as well as soothe ingredients derivatives from centella that have soothing properties. This is really nice because you can use this after showering, after shaving, but also it's so lightweight and fast absorbing yet it really helps to coat and protect your skin. That is definitely a better alternative if you really don't like that sticky greasy feel."
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"La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 is a rich creamy balm but it actually absorbs super quickly. It's really lightweight and leaves minimal residue or tackiness on the skin, so this is really ideal if you have oily skin and areas that you want to slug over and repair. You can put this all over your face, though it is pretty heavy, but to spot treat areas where you need to can be really helpful. Ironically, people have reported this to be helpful for their acne, and I think in part that's because you are supporting and repairing your skin barrier, and the ingredients in here are anti-inflammatory and soothing and calming. Aside from the vitamin B5 and shea butter and glycerin, it contains centella derivatives along with zinc and copper that we know are anti-inflammatory, soothing, and help with skin barrier repair, along with antimicrobial agents. So all around, I think this is great if you want to do a little bit of slugging to help repair the skin but have oily skin or are prone to acne. This would be a great alternative to petrolatum."
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"If you're looking for something a little bit lightweight, go with La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5. I use this in the morning because it just absorbs a little bit nicer and layers a little bit nicely under sunscreen. I really love it. Compared to other products, I just think the texture is a little bit more fast absorbing even though it's heavy duty and multitasking. Even though it is heavy duty, it is not as thick, and so I personally like it in the morning because it layers better under sunscreen. Ingredient-wise, it's got La Roche-Posay thermal spring water, it's got vitamin B5, shea butter, glycerin, derivatives of centella, and other antimicrobial anti-inflammatory ingredients. With its texture, I think for somebody who maybe wants something that's not super heavy or occlusive, or maybe prone to acne, this would be a better option for you."
Dermatologist eczema and dry skincare tips for winter | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If a multi-functional product sounds good to you but you really don't enjoy the heaviness and the greasiness of a petrolatum ointment based product then you need to check out one of my all-time favorites which is the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5. It's been trending for a long time and for the right reasons. It literally is used from chapped lips to dry skin to chafing, avoiding areas of friction like underarms and back area, to using it to heal diaper rashes. I've also seen people claim that this has helped to repair their perioral dermatitis, cracked fissured hands and corners of the lip. I personally love it for many reasons. Number one, the ingredients are wonderful: La Roche-Posay thermal spring water, dimethicone, shea butter, glycerin, so great, wonderful skin repair ingredients. Also contains anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial ingredients including zinc and copper. Additionally it contains derivatives of centella, which we know are anti-inflammatory and soothing. What makes it really popular and really nice to use is the texture. It is a dense thick balm but once you apply it, it absorbs really quick."
"With the three essential ceramides, this lotion also contains hyaluronic acid, so it's a great multi-functional moisturizer that can be used by pretty much everyone including the whole family. It's fragrance free and paraben free, so it's suitable even for those with sensitive and eczema problem skin. The ceramides are encapsulated in this technology that not only delivers them more effectively but also releases them over time, so it provides long lasting hydration."
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All 4 takes on Daily Moisturizing Lotion
Korean vs Western Skincare | Dr. Jenny Liu
"With the three essential ceramides, this lotion also contains hyaluronic acid, so it's a great multi-functional moisturizer that can be used by pretty much everyone including the whole family. It's fragrance free and paraben free, so it's suitable even for those with sensitive and eczema problem skin. The ceramides are encapsulated in this technology that not only delivers them more effectively but also releases them over time, so it provides long lasting hydration."
Dermatologist creates anti-aging routine for $100 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I'm recommending the CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion that retails for about $11.69. This is a great one because it comes in a pretty decent size, you can also use it for face and body, but it's lightweight yet at the same time moisturizing and it's fast absorbing, so great to use in the morning under sunscreen. It contains three essential ceramides along with hyaluronic acid that's overall going to really keep our skin moisturized and hydrated throughout the day."
How to treat BODY ACNE - Back, Chest, & More | Dr. Jenny Liu
"CeraVe's moisturizing lotion comes in a pump, it's a light lotion but it's actually very nourishing but it's not super heavy or rich so I actually really love this one for the summertime for my skin."
How to treat BODY ACNE - Back, Chest, & More | Dr. Jenny Liu
"CeraVe's moisturizing lotion is a great one. It comes in a pump, it's a light lotion but it's actually very nourishing and it's not super heavy or rich. I actually really love this one for the summertime for my skin."
"This cream is enriched with fermented soybean extract. Fermentation breaks down the bioactives into smaller molecules that can provide better skin hydration, maybe offer some brightening benefits, and we do know soy has brightening benefits. It's a lovely moisturizer that really helps to better hydrate the skin. Texture-wise it is a thicker cream, but the ingredients make it really lovely and it's not super heavy or greasy. It contains lactobacillus fermented soybeans extract as well as fermented barley, which offers a unique different blend of different vitamins and minerals and bioactives that is slightly different from soy, along with fermented pomegranate as well as fermented Korean pear. Lots of great goodies that are fermented that offer a range of different bioactives that help to hydrate the skin, support skin barrier, and offer brightening benefits. I personally find the Mixsoon Bean Cream to be just slightly a little bit more nourishing. It fast absorbs, leaves behind minimal residue, and the ingredients with the fermentation offer more brightening benefits and also maybe some gentle exfoliation."
"I have the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion that is a little bit more nourishing but still not super heavy. That's going to help my skin repair itself overnight."
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All 2 takes on Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
Dermatologist skincare picks for Chinese New Year | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion is one to gift. Clinique is such a wonderful brand, and I also feel like it's very popular amongst Asian women. This moisturizer itself is just lovely. It's really their iconic moisturizer for a reason: it's hydrating yet nourishing at the same time, not heavy or greasy, and has wonderful ingredients. Plus, Clinique actually has a Chinese New Year limited edition that comes in this beautifully red bottle with Dragon details, so if you gift this to Mom or Auntie it's definitely going to earn you more Red Envelope points in the future."
Dermatologist Travel Skincare | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I have the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion that is a little bit more nourishing but still not super heavy. That's going to help my skin repair itself overnight."
"It's a new product from La Roche-Posay and it's their Cicaplast Gel B5. Very similar to the Cicaplast Balm but this one actually is a gel. It's actually very nice and hydrating. It's really intended to be used on skin like post-procedure, but it is just so nice to use all over. You can't really go wrong with using this product. I've seen other dermatologists talk about using it like almost as a hydrating eye cream because it's very lightweight, fast-absorbing, fragrance-free. It contains 21% glycerin, so great hydration, along with panthenol and other ingredients that you can find very similarly in the Cicaplast Balm. Just a really nice hydrating gel that applies very smoothly and keeps your skin very soft and supple."
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All 2 takes on Cicaplast Gel B5
A Dermatologist's Skincare Packing & Travel Essentials! In France with Guerlain
"I love the Cicaplast product, so I'm really curious first and foremost with the gel texture, what it's gonna feel like. But also, you can use it post-procedure, so after lasers and peels, I may imagine this would be great for like dermatologist office."
Dermatologist Travel Skincare | Dr. Jenny Liu
"It's a new product from La Roche-Posay and it's their Cicaplast Gel B5. Very similar to the Cicaplast Balm but this one actually is a gel. It's actually very nice and hydrating. It's really intended to be used on skin like post-procedure, but it is just so nice to use all over. You can't really go wrong with using this product. I've seen other dermatologists talk about using it like almost as a hydrating eye cream because it's very lightweight, fast-absorbing, fragrance-free. It contains 21% glycerin, so great hydration, along with panthenol and other ingredients that you can find very similarly in the Cicaplast Balm. Just a really nice hydrating gel that applies very smoothly and keeps your skin very soft and supple."
"I never leave the house when I travel without my Aquaphor balm. This is just such a multitasker. I basically keep this in my bag or in my backpack and I really don't take it out, really restock it if it's expired or when I run out because I essentially use this as a moisturizer, as a hand cream, as a lip protectant, multiple things. So I almost always carry this with me when I travel. I love this. It's great to use all around, a great multitasker. I can slug with this if I need to, if I want to."
"It's the weekend glow daily brightening moisturizer that retails for $19.99 at Target. I really really love the texture, it's nourishing, it's hydrating, it supports your skin barrier yet it's non-greasy, it's not going to clog your pores. Verse makes great products that are also vegan, cruelty-free, as well as fragrance-free. This contains various different types of vitamin C including THD ascorbate along with other plant-derived extracts like carrot extract that fights free radicals and currently has some antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits as well as other plant-derived seed oils that are just really nourishing for your skin barrier. You will use this after cleansing, you've hydrated your skin, you provide some skin barrier support at the same time with active ingredients that can also help to serve as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actives in that moisturizer."
"The Purito Deep Sea Pure Water Cream contains 50% centella asiatica extract along with 2% niacinamide that can help to strengthen the skin barrier, it's anti-inflammatory, may offer some improvement with uneven skin tone. It's just a really all-around hydrating but yet lightweight cream that you can use but offers good support. It's not like super lightweight where you feel like your skin still feels dry and tight afterwards. It's really lightweight, it's non-sticky, and I sometimes will use this as my moisturizer all over my face when my skin really is irritated and I want just a moisturizer with some active ingredients that can calm and soothe the skin. You can also use this to spot treat areas that are really just irritated."
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All 2 takes on Deep Sea Pure Water Cream
Dermatologist shares favorite Korean skincare ingredients | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Purito Deep Sea Pure Water Cream contains 50% centella asiatica extract along with 2% niacinamide that can help to strengthen the skin barrier, it's anti-inflammatory, may offer some improvement with uneven skin tone. It's just a really all-around hydrating but yet lightweight cream that you can use but offers good support. It's not like super lightweight where you feel like your skin still feels dry and tight afterwards. It's really lightweight, it's non-sticky, and I sometimes will use this as my moisturizer all over my face when my skin really is irritated and I want just a moisturizer with some active ingredients that can calm and soothe the skin. You can also use this to spot treat areas that are really just irritated."
Dermatologist shares favorite Korean skincare ingredients | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Contains 80% mugwort extract along with vegan squalane and a really nice elegant formula that absorbs quickly. It's a gel cream, so better suited for more combination oily skin. It is also fragrance-free, so certainly can be used by everyone, even those with more sensitive skin and rosacea-prone skin. Tremella mushroom has great humectant hydrating properties and some say even better than hyaluronic acid, and also this has great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well. When I think of tremella mushroom and skincare, the thing I first think about is just skin hydration, skin plumping, like hyaluronic acid and mugwort."
"For those with rosacea or just struggle with kind of baseline rosiness of the cheeks and looking for something that is soothing, calming but also offers some protective properties but also most importantly mask that redness, I really recommend the Cicapair line from Dr. Jart+. It contains mineral-based sunscreen so zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, SPF 35, and contains centella. What I really like about this is the green tint that often can help to mask or at least reduce the redness. The trick to using this is you don't want to use it alone as your sunscreen because it's just too rich. So what you would do is you would apply your sunscreen first and then kind of just drop one to two drops on areas of concern after your sunscreen has been absorbed and then apply on those areas, and once you massage it in the green really helps to offset the redness. Really great for individuals that have more rosacea prone skin."
"Another similarly textured one, especially if you have a lot of skin allergies or have history of allergic contact dermatitis, is from Vanicream their Daily Facial Moisturizer that retails for 15 bucks. This is a lightweight nourishing lotion formula that is fast absorbing, non-greasy, and contains a blend of ceramides and hyaluronic acid and has minimal ingredients devoid of common allergens including preservatives, dyes and fragrances that could be triggers for contact dermatitis. It's just a really elegant moisturizer all around, but I really recommend it for those that have a history of sensitive skin and allergic contact dermatitis."
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All 2 takes on Daily Facial Moisturizer
How to apply topical retinoid, tips from dermatologist | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Their daily facial moisturizer contains ceramides, very creamy but not heavy, fast absorbing. I actually love this to use in the morning under sunscreen for those with sensitive skin."
Drugstore moisturizers for winter $35 or less | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Another similarly textured one, especially if you have a lot of skin allergies or have history of allergic contact dermatitis, is from Vanicream their Daily Facial Moisturizer that retails for 15 bucks. This is a lightweight nourishing lotion formula that is fast absorbing, non-greasy, and contains a blend of ceramides and hyaluronic acid and has minimal ingredients devoid of common allergens including preservatives, dyes and fragrances that could be triggers for contact dermatitis. It's just a really elegant moisturizer all around, but I really recommend it for those that have a history of sensitive skin and allergic contact dermatitis."
"e.l.f. Pure Skin has wonderful cleanser, toner, and moisturizer, and I'm really highlighting their moisturizer here. It retails for $11.20 and it's non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, and vegan, cruelty-free formula that I think is lovely if you have sensitive and dry skin. It is a rich cream that's nourishing but it's pretty elegant, does not feel super heavy or greasy. Ingredient-wise, it contains oat milk that helps to nourish and soothe the skin, along with niacinamide, allantoin, and hyaluronic acid. Just all around wonderful ingredients that help to keep your skin's moisture barrier supported and hydrated. For that price and for that formula, you just can't go wrong if you're looking for something super ultra-rich and nourishing."
"Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream is a lightweight cream texture-wise. It absorbs really nicely. It layers very nicely under sunscreen. It does not make you look super shiny or feel greasy."
"The Magic Water Cream is a gel cream that is very hydrating and contains niacinamide, peptides, and a few other ingredients that can help to offer some sebum control and improve the appearance of pores over time with use. It's ideal for more combination and oily skin. It's not heavy, not sticky, and does not look very shiny. I think it's really lovely and worth the splurge."
"One I want to share with you guys that I recently found in my skincare stash is from Caudalie and their Resveratrol Lift line. It's a lightweight cream but actually much lighter in texture compared to other products I've used. It is pretty heavily fragranced, and that's the one thing I have to say about Caudalie products."
"I really like this one because number one it comes in a really big jar so it's really economical. It contains 41% petrolatum along with a mineral oil and panthenol which are great ingredients that help to seal in the moisture and is soothing. You can find this in different sizes so the big jar that you can just scoop out a little bit after bathing and put it on from head to toe, and you can find it in a smaller tube as well as a tiny size that you can keep in your pocket and in your purse. I find it to be a little too greasy to use in the summertime but certainly can be used all year round, or you can use it to spot treat areas of dryness like chapped elbows, dry fingertips, and chapped lips. It can even be helpful as a barrier cream, for example in the diaper area to reduce irritation or diaper dermatitis. The only thing to note is that it does contain lanoline, so if you have a history of allergic contact reactions you may want to be cautious."
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All 2 takes on Healing Ointment
Dermatologist eczema and dry skincare tips for winter | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I really like this one because number one it comes in a really big jar so it's really economical. It contains 41% petrolatum along with a mineral oil and panthenol which are great ingredients that help to seal in the moisture and is soothing. You can find this in different sizes so the big jar that you can just scoop out a little bit after bathing and put it on from head to toe, and you can find it in a smaller tube as well as a tiny size that you can keep in your pocket and in your purse. I find it to be a little too greasy to use in the summertime but certainly can be used all year round, or you can use it to spot treat areas of dryness like chapped elbows, dry fingertips, and chapped lips. It can even be helpful as a barrier cream, for example in the diaper area to reduce irritation or diaper dermatitis. The only thing to note is that it does contain lanoline, so if you have a history of allergic contact reactions you may want to be cautious."
Heal Dry & Cracked Hands & Feet with This Quick Dermatologist Tip
"You can use a petrolatum based product so Vaseline or Aquaphor Healing Ointment, but something thick and greasy. What you're going to do is soak your hands and or feet in lukewarm water for about 5 minutes until they're kind of wrinkly and damp. The soaking helps to hydrate the skin and if your skin is really thick and crusty it may even help to remove some of that crust. Afterwards pat your skin dry and then literally immediately before it is completely dry lather on a really good layer of the petrolatum product all over your hands and feet."
"Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream is a fragrance-free lightweight moisturizer that absorbs really quickly without leaving that sticky residue where some of the creams can feel. Ingredient-wise it contains urea, lactic acid, ceramides, and glycerin, so wonderful ingredients that help to keep the skin hydrated. Urea and lactic acid also really helps to exfoliate gently, so great for dry, flaky skin and those that are prone to keratosis pilaris, that chicken skin that we often see in association with dry skin and eczema. I personally love using it during the summer time because of the lightweight, fast-absorbing texture."
"I have absolutely loved this product for the richness, for how hydrating and nourishing it has been. I really have enjoyed it for the hydrating texture, for the nourishment it's provided, and the fact that it's fragrance-free. I love it for sensitive skin. It contains Vichy's 15 mineral volcanic water that we know has soothing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant benefits. It also has vitamin B3, vitamin E, and zinc, and all together just really makes a great moisturizer."
"Vanicream's moisturizing lotion, the light version, is a great one. It's a light lotion but it's actually very nourishing and it's not super heavy or rich, so I really love this one for the summertime for my skin. If you are battling body acne and you're eczema prone, then go ahead and use a more rich moisturizer, because sometimes for certain individuals this moisturizer may be more problematic."
"I do find those two to be not as occlusive enough. I honestly, when it comes to lips, I much rather prefer just 100% petrolatum or Aquaphor. I find that these two really add the most long-lasting occlusive protective benefits to my lips compared to the other two. The other two I feel like it look just a little bit more lightweight, so not so much great for the lips based on my personal opinion, but I love it for other places like chapped flaky skin on the face or say like chafing on the underarms. It works really well, but it's not as sticky or heavy."
"This is the Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream. It's really nice and creamy, hydrating, but not nasty, not shiny, not sticky, not heavy. This comes in two different formulations, one for reactive skin and one for extra dry reactive skin. The texture is creamy but very nourishing and hydrating, not overly burdensome and not super heavy. I love it because Avène is a great line for those with sensitive, eczema-prone, rosacea-prone skin. I also love it for the fact that it has two different formulations depending on what your skin needs. And this bottle doesn't have any preservatives. They formulate it without preservatives, which I think is an extra bonus if you have sensitive skin, since you could potentially be just extra sensitive or become easily irritated by preservatives. This is great for combination, dry, or normal-dry skin. It can be a great option for oily combination skin too, depending on the season, especially if you use it at night."
"The lotion version is actually quite moisturizing but not sticky, not heavy. I personally love it in the summertime as my body moisturizer but also works really well as a facial moisturizer. It's great if you're looking for a one-stop shop product to use on yourself, on your kid, for the whole family. For most other brands like Vanicream's moisturizing lotion or CeraVe's moisturizing lotion, it's a little bit too light for me. I want something with a little bit something extra so that way my skin feels a little more supported, and I definitely feel like Cetaphil's moisturizing lotion does the trick there. It contains wonderful ingredients including niacinamide, panthenol, and glycerin, but it's still pretty lightweight and fast absorbing. So I make that switch to this moisturizing lotion in the summertime, and then in the winter I will often use something a little bit thicker and creamier."
"The Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair regenerating cream is a rich nourishing cream that contains the retinol essay we talked about. It's made in a way where it improves and enhances the stability as well as improves and enhances the delivery of the retinol into the skin as well as the efficacy of the retinol on finding fine lines and wrinkles. Neutrogena being a well-known respected brand has a lot of clinical studies and research behind the formulation and the efficacy of their products. The ingredients include retinol that's stabilized and effective in a glucose complex that's derived from a plant that helps to enhance the retinol efficacy while reducing irritation, and then hyaluronic acid which helps to hydrate the skin and further help to temporarily plump the skin and reduce appearance of fine lines as well as improving the tolerance of the retinol. In clinical studies from Johnson and Johnson on women using this line of products, they have shown that not only is it relatively well tolerated and keeps the skin plump and hydrated reducing appearance of fine lines, but this actually takes place relatively quickly in some individuals where those results were noticed within the first week of use. This is certainly one brand I highly recommend if you are looking for an affordable and effective retinol anti-aging product."
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All 3 takes on Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream
Dermatologist Reviews Neutrogena's Retinol Cream and Pro Serum
"The Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair regenerating cream is a rich nourishing cream that contains the retinol essay we talked about. It's made in a way where it improves and enhances the stability as well as improves and enhances the delivery of the retinol into the skin as well as the efficacy of the retinol on finding fine lines and wrinkles. Neutrogena being a well-known respected brand has a lot of clinical studies and research behind the formulation and the efficacy of their products. The ingredients include retinol that's stabilized and effective in a glucose complex that's derived from a plant that helps to enhance the retinol efficacy while reducing irritation, and then hyaluronic acid which helps to hydrate the skin and further help to temporarily plump the skin and reduce appearance of fine lines as well as improving the tolerance of the retinol. In clinical studies from Johnson and Johnson on women using this line of products, they have shown that not only is it relatively well tolerated and keeps the skin plump and hydrated reducing appearance of fine lines, but this actually takes place relatively quickly in some individuals where those results were noticed within the first week of use. This is certainly one brand I highly recommend if you are looking for an affordable and effective retinol anti-aging product."
Dermatologist Reviews Neutrogena's Retinol Cream and Pro Serum
"This is a rich nourishing cream that contains retinol. Comparing it to other retinol-based moisturizers, I think it's more on the creamier and richer side, but it actually in clinical studies has demonstrated to be very effective at targeting fine lines, wrinkles, skin texture, and skin tone. Johnson & Johnson conducted an eight-week double-blind study of 40 women who used this moisturizer once daily and they noticed a significant improvement in fine lines, wrinkles, skin texture, and skin tone, as well as improvement in under-eye wrinkles. Some of that improvement was noticed even within the first week of use. This does come in a fragrance and non-fragrance version. I always recommend picking the fragrance-free version for a few reasons. Number one, with this formulation I think it's great for those who are really new and starting off with retinols. If you're new to retinols it can be irritating, so looking for a retinol product that is fragrance-free can help improve tolerance when you have never used a retinol before. Two, if you have sensitive skin and want to use a retinol, when it's fragrance-free that formulation is going to be better tolerated by your skin. So in general I recommend retinols, especially if you are new to using retinols, picking formulations that are fragrance-free and or if you have sensitive skin."
Dermatologist Reviews Neutrogena's Retinol Cream and Pro Serum
"It spreads really nicely, it's very elegant, especially if you have more dry skin. I find this formulation to work really well for my skin that tends to be on the drier side, or if in the winter time you're looking for a retinol product that's not going to be as dry and irritating, I think this would be a really good formulation to try. It's something you can just apply at night after cleansing to your face and it's a one-stop shop of getting the treatment and moisturizer in one because of the gentle and rich formulation. This can even be a great option to use as an eye cream or neck cream as tolerated. For individuals who don't want to buy another anti-aging wrinkle eye cream or want a retinol-based product that's going to be less irritating and nourishing on the neck, I think this would be a great option to try. I have certainly used this fairly regularly on my neck without any issues, even though my neck is super sensitive and I really can't use retinols on it regularly."
"The first one is from Neutrogena, their Hydro Boost line. Even though it's a gel cream, it's a little bit more nourishing but still really fast absorbing. Great for those with more oily and combination skin that live in a colder climate if you need something just a little bit more to keep your skin from being dehydrated."
"I really like this one from Vaseline, it's the all over body balm, that's 100% petrolatum or petroleum jelly. The sticks I just find because it's really easy to carry and also easy to apply, that requires really no application with your hand, so if you're like going to the gym and you want to have something you can easily put on like an antiperspirant, this would be a great one to use on the go."
"The Versed Skin Soak Rich Moisture Cream retails for $17.99 and is really nice because it's nourishing but not super thick or occlusive. It's got really nice ingredients including squalene, hyaluronic acid, and red algae extract. Texture-wise it's definitely going to be more nourishing, so I love this in the summer time as my nighttime moisturizer or even in the winter time as my daytime moisturizer because it nourishes your skin and moisturizes without that super thick sticky feel. I actually think that this moisturizer is one of the most versatile moisturizers from their line in this sense, it really can be utilized by all skin types just depending on where you live and the season."
"It is really the ideal type for my skin in this sense. It's rich and nourishing. It's kind of this pillowy soft texture that's silky smooth, but it's not greasy, heavy, or occlusive. It doesn't make your face feel like it's suffocating. In fact, it's also non-comedogenic. So great even if you're a little bit more hormonally or acne prone, which sometimes we can get with changes in hormone with age as well. It's just perfect for nighttime use to help support our barrier when we sleep, but also light enough during the day and layers nicely under sunscreen. I also love that this moisturizer has a little bit of slip. So as you're applying, you can do a little bit of relaxing massage to not only support and lift, but also improve its absorption. The formulation combines traditional east medicine from the west and the science from the west. It utilizes a lot of plant derived ingredients that have strong history in Asia including safflower red which is a trademark ingredient from Japan grown exclusively in Japan to help lift, firm and make your skin tone more even."
"The Inkey List Omega Water Cream is definitely another great one for combination skin, dehydrated skin that is incredibly light, oil-free, and packed with wonderful barrier support ingredients without a heavy finish. It feels really smooth and also helps to instantly plump your skin. What I love about this product is that it contains 5% niacinamide. For those that are seeking a little bit of sebum control or even helping with discoloration or if you're acne prone and struggling with post acne marks, this moisturizer itself with that 5% niacinamide, which is a great concentration, kind of helps to indirectly improve those concerns as well. It also has a ceramide complex and betaine which helps to reinforce the skin barrier and skin moisture barrier. So it's suitable for combination skin, dry combination skin, oily skin or acne prone skin struggling with post acne marks."
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All 3 takes on Omega Water Cream
Derm Approved Top Lightweight Moisturizers for Hot, Humid Weather | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Inkey List Omega Water Cream is definitely another great one for combination skin, dehydrated skin that is incredibly light, oil-free, and packed with wonderful barrier support ingredients without a heavy finish. It feels really smooth and also helps to instantly plump your skin. What I love about this product is that it contains 5% niacinamide. For those that are seeking a little bit of sebum control or even helping with discoloration or if you're acne prone and struggling with post acne marks, this moisturizer itself with that 5% niacinamide, which is a great concentration, kind of helps to indirectly improve those concerns as well. It also has a ceramide complex and betaine which helps to reinforce the skin barrier and skin moisture barrier. So it's suitable for combination skin, dry combination skin, oily skin or acne prone skin struggling with post acne marks."
Drugstore moisturizers for winter $35 or less | Dr. Jenny Liu
"A more affordable gel cream option is from The Inkey List, their Omega Water Cream that retails for 11 bucks, that contains a blend of ceramide complex, glycerin, along with 5% niacinamide, and the gel cream texture that is very fast absorbing, lightweight, that helps to smooth the skin, improve complexion, control sebum."
Dermatologist Reviews The INKEY List Skincare | DR. JENNY LIU
"The Omega water cream retails for 10.99 and is an excellent choice especially if you have combination to oily skin, especially as we head into the warmer months. This is a lovely moisturizer. It's great for all skin types, especially if you have acne and combination skin. It's an oil-free gel cream that absorbs really quickly, does not impart any stickiness, heaviness, or shininess on the skin, and it layers nicely under sunscreen. It contains their Omega complex that derives from Omega three, six, and nine, so lipids are really important in supporting our skin barrier and also helps to reduce transepidermal water loss. It also contains humectants like five percent glycerin as well as five percent niacinamide, which is a nice concentration that is within the appropriate range that's not going to cause irritation and is the effective concentration that has shown in studies to be helpful. Niacinamide helps to support skin barrier, if you're more oily skin that niacinamide can help potentially in reducing sebum production, and if you have uneven skin tone niacinamide can be really helpful and have brightening properties."
"This is a non-drying glycerin cleanser. This contains 50% glycerin which I feel like is really underrated. A lot of people, the first thing we think of is hyaluronic acid, but glycerin actually does a great job at hydrating the skin as well. It does a pretty decent job again with removing most basic stuff without overdrying your skin. So really ideal for those that struggle with dry skin too. Aside from the glycerin, it also contains inulin, which is a probiotic that supports our skin barrier along with arginine amino acid that again is also supportive for skin barrier and then aloe and oat extract."
"The La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Cleanser is a gentle one that I feel like does a pretty good job at removing the debris from overnight. If you wear a lot of heavy makeup and mascara, it's not going to do such a good job, so this is why I recommend using it in the morning or as the second step for those who double cleanse. For people who just have moisturizers on from overnight or like nonwater resistant sunscreen, I do feel this does a pretty decent job. It's a really nice creamy one that's gentle but still effective at removing the basics. It's got ceramides, glycerin, niacinamide, and Thermal Spring Water, so all wonderful ingredients to kind of hydrate and support your skin barrier that's often disrupted with cleansing."
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All 2 takes on Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser
Winter Skin Survival Guide from a Derm | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Cleanser is a gentle one that I feel like does a pretty good job at removing the debris from overnight. If you wear a lot of heavy makeup and mascara, it's not going to do such a good job, so this is why I recommend using it in the morning or as the second step for those who double cleanse. For people who just have moisturizers on from overnight or like nonwater resistant sunscreen, I do feel this does a pretty decent job. It's a really nice creamy one that's gentle but still effective at removing the basics. It's got ceramides, glycerin, niacinamide, and Thermal Spring Water, so all wonderful ingredients to kind of hydrate and support your skin barrier that's often disrupted with cleansing."
Your Skin After 40: A Derm’s Guide to Menopause & Perimenopause Skincare | Dr. Jenny Liu
"La Roche-Posay's hydrating cleanser helps to remove kind of buildup and sebum that our skin has accumulated overnight but without stripping your skin barrier. It's creamy. It's going to cleanse well but it's not going to make your skin feel really tight and irritated. It contains ceramides, glycerin, niacinamide and La Roche-Posay thermal spring water."
"My personal favorite from COSRX is the Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser. I think this is really nice, at least for me, like a great gentle cleanser to use in the morning. Using a gentle cleanser in the morning is the best way for me to remove everything but not be super aggressive, kind of create a clean slate in a really nice and gentle way. And this is exactly what this cleanser does. It is a gentle low pH. Low pH is just more suitable for our skin because our skin naturally has a lower pH, so less disruptive of the skin barrier, but really designed to remove buildup and impurities while still maintaining the skin's natural barrier. I think this is great for those that have more oily combination skin and acne prone skin, but certainly dry skin. In the summer time it can make a really wonderful cleanser. A great cleanser to use morning, a great cleanser to use at night on its own or kind of as a second step for double cleansing. It's a very gentle, non-stripping formula, suitable for really all skin types, but in particular, in my opinion, better for oily and combination skin. Ingredient wise, it's got tea tree leaf oil."
"It has anti-inflammatory calming hoaba seed oil that helps in a non-pore clogging way, mimics skin's natural sebum but helps at the same time cleanse. So you don't have to worry about it contributing to more clogged pores. And then also grape seed oil that is also an antioxidant. So for those who are oily, acne prone, looking for an oil based cleanser, a cleansing oil that helps to remove makeup and product buildup without contributing to clogged pores, I highly recommend checking out this product."
"It's one that is really great at breaking down oil, sebum, makeup, debris from the skin. With one pass, I feel like it's able to effectively remove all of my eye makeup. It's great at hydrating and softening the skin without leaving residue. Ingredient-wise, it contains an antioxidant rich olive oil that is great at emulsifying and removing all of the makeup and debris along with vitamin E and rosemary leaf oil. It's a great relatively affordable option that comes in a pretty large bottle, so one pump, a little bit goes a long way."
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All 3 takes on Deep Cleansing Oil
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"It's one that is really great at breaking down oil, sebum, makeup, debris from the skin. With one pass, I feel like it's able to effectively remove all of my eye makeup. It's great at hydrating and softening the skin without leaving residue. Ingredient-wise, it contains an antioxidant rich olive oil that is great at emulsifying and removing all of the makeup and debris along with vitamin E and rosemary leaf oil. It's a great relatively affordable option that comes in a pretty large bottle, so one pump, a little bit goes a long way."
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"This is like the OG cleansing oil it's been around for a long time and honestly for me it's probably like the first cleansing oil that comes to my mind when I think of cleansing oils. It's just such a wonderful product and works so well. It does not leave much residue on your skin. It can suit all skin types in a sense whether you're just looking for a good one-stop shop product that effectively cleanses without leaving residue on your skin or a good first step for double cleansing. It is so effective and gentle at the same time, really great at removing sebum, makeup, waterproof mascara, waterproof sunscreen, but at the same time does not make your skin feel stripped and also does not leave residue on the skin. Ingredient wise it contains antioxidant rich olive oil along with rosemary leaf oil that we know is really great at dissolving all those impurities but at the same time also have some skin benefits along with vitamin E that is an antioxidant. I can't say enough good things about this product. Totally worth trying if you haven't."
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"The DHC Deep Cleansing Oil is a great cleansing oil that is able to effectively remove makeup, sebum, debris, and sunscreen without stripping your skin barrier, but also does not leave a lot of residue behind. As far as ingredients, it is rich in organic olive oil along with vitamin E as well as rosemary leaf oil, which are all great for helping to nourish your skin barrier at the same time while helping to remove residue. This one is also great if you love double cleansing, it can really serve as that first step in double cleansing."
"If you're looking for something more budget friendly, then you can't beat the Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil. I mean, I think this is actually less than 10 bucks. A bottle goes a long way. This is one of Japan's top selling cleansing oil and super popular now. This is a lightweight mineral-based oil cleanser that helps to effectively remove everything. The texture is more of a watery oil cleanser, but it still works really well. I do find that for my eye makeup, I do kind of have to go in it with it twice, but still, nevertheless, it's a great one to remove like makeup and sunscreen from your skin and rinses off really nicely without residue. Ingredient wise contains a mineral oil along with other blends like olive, sesame, and jojoba to nourish the skin. So I think just for the price point and also just the efficacy really nothing can beat this."
"Texture wise, it's not as runny. It's a little bit more dense, but still it is great at cleansing and removing everything, but leaves minimal residue. And the beauty of this is that not only does it have a luxe feel, it does a really good job at cleansing without leaving residue. It's also safe for acne prone skin. It's got like 14 plant derived oils along with argan kernel oil that helps to cleanse while replenishing your skin barrier."
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All 2 takes on Pure Cleansing Oil
Cleansing Oils 101: Why Every Skin Type Can Benefit (Yes, Even Oily!) | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Texture wise, it's not as runny. It's a little bit more dense, but still it is great at cleansing and removing everything, but leaves minimal residue. And the beauty of this is that not only does it have a luxe feel, it does a really good job at cleansing without leaving residue. It's also safe for acne prone skin. It's got like 14 plant derived oils along with argan kernel oil that helps to cleanse while replenishing your skin barrier."
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"The oil that I've been loving lately is the Manyo Pure Cleansing Oil. This is definitely popular for a reason, it is so good, so effective, yet leaves your skin super soft and supple but does not feel like there's any sort of residue behind. It's great I think for all skin types, even if you're oily and acne prone. Oil dissolves oil, so if you worry about wanting to work a little bit more effectively at getting rid of your sebaceous filaments and clog pores, this one can certainly be helpful. I don't think you need to worry that if you have oily skin or acne-prone skin, cleansing oils are off limits for me, this one definitely is a great one, especially if you want to double cleanse or find an oil as your one-stop shop at removing all the makeup at the end of the day but won't clog pores and won't irritate your skin. That is exactly why I love this product. It's got 14 plant-derived oils ingredients that are really nourishing and helps balance your skin pH from the cleansing, yet at the same time is really effective at dissolving everything but leaves minimal residue behind."
"The Bioderma Sensibio H2O micellar water is really popular, very gentle yet effective at removing everything without causing more irritation on your skin."
"Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser is a great one if you have sensitive skin, if you have dry skin, rosacea prone skin, or just to use in general because it gives a really nice cleanse. It does not lather nicely, but again will not make you feel like you're stripping your skin after using it."
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All 3 takes on Gentle Facial Cleanser
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"I'm going to go with one of my all-time favorites I recommend to patients, which is the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser. This is a soap free, oil free, fragrance-free formula. Vanicream itself, that whole line is just great for dry, eczema prone, sensitive skin. This is really great for, you know, if you even want to remove some of the basic makeup. I think it lathers really nicely. Comes off fairly easily unless it's waterproof. I even use this cleanser in the winter time from my hand to wash my hand because it lathers nicely, but it does not strip your skin. It doesn't over dry. It's approved by the National Eczema Association. It doesn't clog pores. So it's suitable for dry, eczema prone skin, sensitive skin to use once a day or twice a day."
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"Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser is a great one if you have sensitive skin, if you have dry skin, rosacea prone skin, or just to use in general because it gives a really nice cleanse. It does not lather nicely, but again will not make you feel like you're stripping your skin after using it."
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"Vanicream's gentle facial cleanser is a really nice one if you're looking for something that foams readily but again contains gentle surfactant so your skin doesn't feel stripped afterwards. Vanicream is a great line because they formulate products for individuals that have eczema prone skin and those that have a higher risk of developing contact dermatitis to cosmetic and skincare products."
"I am a big fan of benzoyl peroxide at night. What I like to do is either use Savin or CeraVe, their benzoyl peroxide cleanser as my second step. And I kind of mostly focus on areas that tend to break out. So on my nose, on my chin, and leave that on for a few minutes and rinse off. So you could do that nightly or a few times a week in replace of your regular cleanser if you are one who struggle with kind of a little bit of that hormonal acne around perimenopause and menopause."
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All 2 takes on Benzoyl Peroxide Cleanser
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"CeraVe also makes a great benzoyl peroxide cleanser that's very gentle that contains I think 2.6% micronized benzoyl peroxide."
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"I am a big fan of benzoyl peroxide at night. What I like to do is either use Savin or CeraVe, their benzoyl peroxide cleanser as my second step. And I kind of mostly focus on areas that tend to break out. So on my nose, on my chin, and leave that on for a few minutes and rinse off. So you could do that nightly or a few times a week in replace of your regular cleanser if you are one who struggle with kind of a little bit of that hormonal acne around perimenopause and menopause."
"I love the Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. It's a great makeup removing cleansing balm. I love it for the first step of my skincare routine at night that gently removes everything without stripping your skin barrier at the same time. When you rinse it off it leaves minimal residue."
"This is a great one to use especially during the winter time it really helps to gently cleanse without stripping the skin barrier and really gets them into the habit of cleansing their skin especially if they're starting to develop acne. This one is made with ceramides, hyaluronic acid and glycerin."
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All 10 takes on Hydrating Facial Cleanser
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"My skin has been acting up lately, I've been breaking out a ton, so I found the sample size one from CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser that I will use as the second tip of my double cleansing routine."
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"This is definitely one of their holy grail products that even though their product line continues to expand will always have a special place in my heart. CeraVe is one of the first brands that comes to mind when we think about gentle cleansers. They have great formulation and they use this multivesicular emulsion technology that helps to release products over time to keep the skin hydrated. On top of that it contains hyaluronic acid as well as three essential ceramides that are really important to support the skin barrier and to keep our skin healthy. This cleanser in particular is creamy and non-foaming which I think is better suited for those with normal skin, more dry skin, and sensitive skin. It's also fragrance free so if you have rosacea and sensitive skin it's a great one to use. For the winter time it's really suitable for all skin types, even for those with more oily and combination skin. I find I actually love creamy non-foaming cleansers in the morning because I don't need to really aggressively cleanse my skin. I just need something that can gently yet effectively remove all the skincare products that I put on the night before to create that clean canvas to allow my new skincare products to penetrate."
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"This is just such a great fragrance-free cleanser. The whole entire line was really designed for individuals that have eczema and sensitive skin, and this cleanser is accepted by the National Eczema Association. It's devoid of common things that can trigger eczema and sensitive skin, so like dyes, fragrances, and harsh preservatives. It contains a gentle surfactant that's going to cleanse your skin well. It does have a nice gentle foaming lather, but it's not going to make your skin feel very stripped."
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"Starting off in the morning with a cleanser I recommend the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser that retails for about $8.89. This is just all around such a great cleanser. It contains gentle surfactants so it will cleanse your skin, it has a nice lather, but afterwards your skin does not feel super dry, tight, or stripped. It also is fragrance-free and devoid of common irritants and allergens that may cause reaction on eczema-prone skin. This is also a great one to use for both morning and evening as well. If you do wear a lot of products like you slug at night or if you're more oily skin, doing a gentle cleanse like using this cleanser can remove all that buildup so that way you would have a clean canvas for the rest of your skincare routine."
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"CeraVe has amazing cleansers. I personally love their Hydrating Cleanser, and their acne cleanser is one that I use regularly."
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"This is a great one to use especially during the winter time it really helps to gently cleanse without stripping the skin barrier and really gets them into the habit of cleansing their skin especially if they're starting to develop acne. This one is made with ceramides, hyaluronic acid and glycerin."
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"CeraVe's Hydrating Facial Cleanser is very similar and it's not foamy and imparts some hydration. It's pretty effective for kind of simple skincare and light makeup at removing that the seabum, the impurities and the debris. This one also contains three essential ceramides along with hyaluronic acid."
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"I recommend going with a gentle cleanser like the one from CeraVe, their daily facial cleanser that retails for about $11 and 37 on Amazon or Target. This whole line has different formulas, but overall it's creamy. It's really gentle, helps to cleanse and clean your skin without over stripping your skin. Ingredient wise it contains glycerin, panthenol, and niacinamide, all really helpful hydrating and soothing ingredients that help to support your skin barrier and basically reduce the irritation that your skin makes from cleansing."
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"A great gentle cleanser that can get the job done without stripping your skin barrier like the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser to clean your skin twice a day."
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"For cleansing I really like CeraVe's gentle skin cleanser that is in a creamy formulation. It's not irritating, contains mild gentle surfactants along with glycerin and other vitamins to help to hydrate and soothe the skin barrier."
"My favorite cleanser from them is the Squalane Cleanser that costs $9 because it is multifunctional. It works really well without stripping your skin. It comes in a creamier emulsion texture, and it really is great at removing the basics of makeup, sunscreen, and sebum without feeling like your skin is stripped. For anyone who is looking for just one cleanser without needing to double cleanse to remove all of that, this would be the one to go with. It contains squalane, natural moisturizing factors, and lipophilic esters that help to soften your skin and reduce the harm essentially to your skin barrier that cleansing does naturally. It doesn't leave a lot of residue on your skin and it's not comedogenic, so it's really suitable for all skin types. If you're looking for a one-stop shop cleanser that is effective yet gentle at the same time, I would definitely pick this one."
"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is great, it contains salicylic acid along with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide that really helps to gently exfoliate, remove surface sebum, unclog pores. Great to use on face and body, great for those with oily and combination skin for acne-prone skin."
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All 2 takes on Renewing SA Cleanser
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"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is great, it contains salicylic acid along with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide that really helps to gently exfoliate, remove surface sebum, unclog pores. Great to use on face and body, great for those with oily and combination skin for acne-prone skin."
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"One from CeraVe, the one with salicylic acid, is really nice. Because cleansers you're washing it up, it's less likely to cause irritation and they can still be effective."
"If you are looking for a gentle cleanser that is helping to cleanse your skin effectively at the same time minimizing dryness and irritation, I love the one from La Roche-Posay, the Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Cleansing Oil. In fact, I think my family and I have gone through like two bottles of it. I love it for myself and for my kids. It's just a lovely oil cleanser but that foams readily so you feel like you're getting a good cleanse but at the same time it is very gentle and does not strip your skin barrier. It's even been tested and suitable for individuals that have cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy because we know in those patients they tend to have more skin sensitivity and dryness. Ingredient-wise, it contains La Roche-Posay's famous thermal spring water that we know helps to balance the skin microbiome, shea butter that's very rich and nourishing, niacinamide and glycerin that are all wonderful ingredients to help support your skin barrier. I use it on myself as well as my kids in the shower and when they bathe and it's super gentle, even suitable for babies 2 weeks and older. So just all around a really nice cleanser that you can use for yourself as well as the whole family."
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All 2 takes on Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Cleansing Oil
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"The lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Cleansing Oil is really nice because it's got wonderful hydrating ingredients but foams ever so slightly, so for those individuals who just absolutely need a foaming cleanser in their routine this would be one to consider when switching to for the winter. It can be used on face and body, and that's what I do in the shower. I use it on my kids as well, so it's really truly multi-functional. The light foam really gives you that clean feel but also has really nice nourishing ingredients to help hydrate the skin and not over strip the skin barrier. It contains La Roche-Posay thermal spring water along with shea butter, which helps to smooth down skin and add nourishment to the skin, and glycerin. All wonderful ingredients that really help to support the skin barrier, gets the job done without being overly aggressive."
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"If you are looking for a gentle cleanser that is helping to cleanse your skin effectively at the same time minimizing dryness and irritation, I love the one from La Roche-Posay, the Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Cleansing Oil. In fact, I think my family and I have gone through like two bottles of it. I love it for myself and for my kids. It's just a lovely oil cleanser but that foams readily so you feel like you're getting a good cleanse but at the same time it is very gentle and does not strip your skin barrier. It's even been tested and suitable for individuals that have cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy because we know in those patients they tend to have more skin sensitivity and dryness. Ingredient-wise, it contains La Roche-Posay's famous thermal spring water that we know helps to balance the skin microbiome, shea butter that's very rich and nourishing, niacinamide and glycerin that are all wonderful ingredients to help support your skin barrier. I use it on myself as well as my kids in the shower and when they bathe and it's super gentle, even suitable for babies 2 weeks and older. So just all around a really nice cleanser that you can use for yourself as well as the whole family."
"This is one of my favorite products from them. There's just something about this cleanser like it is so elegant. It makes my skin feel so good after I use it. It is kind of this milky lotion to foam that gently cleanses your skin like feels more hydrated and refreshed afterwards in a really good way. It has ceramides in there, pre and postbiotics to help support your skin barrier. It does a gentle cleanse but at the same time imparts this hydration on your skin so your skin does not feel stripped. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a gentle cleanser to use in the morning or as the second step of your double cleansing. For anyone that has dry and eczema prone skin, highly recommend checking this cleanser out."
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All 3 takes on Avocado Ceramide Moisture Barrier Cleanser
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"It's very hydrating and fairly effective at removing debris and simple makeup. I find it to be really nice to use in the winter time or for those with dry skin. It does contain fragrance, so if you are sensitive to fragrance or have rosacea-prone skin I would just recommend testing this out. Overall when I use this I feel like my skin feels hydrated but not stripped. Ingredient-wise it contains ceramides, pre and postbiotic ingredients along with colloidal oatmeal, all great ingredients that are soothing, nourishing and supportive of our skin moisture barrier. The addition of avocado oil really helps to nourish our skin barrier and adds hydration back that is often removed with cleansing."
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"This is one of my favorite products from them. There's just something about this cleanser like it is so elegant. It makes my skin feel so good after I use it. It is kind of this milky lotion to foam that gently cleanses your skin like feels more hydrated and refreshed afterwards in a really good way. It has ceramides in there, pre and postbiotics to help support your skin barrier. It does a gentle cleanse but at the same time imparts this hydration on your skin so your skin does not feel stripped. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a gentle cleanser to use in the morning or as the second step of your double cleansing. For anyone that has dry and eczema prone skin, highly recommend checking this cleanser out."
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"This is really nice. It has a yummy smelling, nice scent. It's a creamy cleanser that contains avocado extract, ceramides, and colloidal oats, all wonderful soothing, nourishing ingredients. I really love the texture of this cleanser. It's very creamy and it makes your skin feel very hydrated. If you're an individual who does not like having the sensation of a little bit of a hydrating residue that cream cleansers can impart on skin, this does give you some of that sensation. But I think it's not that you're leaving residue and it's not washing off, it's more just the hydrating nature of this cleanser. I love it because it's very gentle, and for those with dry skin it is very hydrating. But if you have more oily skin or just hate that sensation of having a residual feeling of a cleanser left on your skin, then this one may not be as ideal for you."
"The foaming one is super nice if you have combination oily skin. It really cleanses well, removes impurities and makeup effectively, and also contains three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid that's going to support your skin barrier while you're cleansing. It's an effective foaming yet gentle cleanser, and it's fragrance-free so suitable even for those with more sensitive skin."
"CeraVe makes really great gentle fragrance-free products. This balm works really well at dissolving makeup, sunscreen, sebum, and debris. It also contains ceramides and jojoba oil that are nourishing for the skin. You can use this as the first step to remove everything and then as the second step go in again with a gentle facial cleanser to remove any residue as needed."
"The Lipikar AP Wash from La Roche-Posay is really great and gentle, suitable for babies two weeks and older, and it contains La Roche-Posay thermal spring water, shea butter, and glycerin. It's a really nice cleanser with gentle surfactants that also suds and foams so it cleanses without stripping your skin barrier. What I love about it is it comes in a pump bottle, so it's really easy to dispense and user-friendly, especially if you're washing a baby and kids with eczema. Even though it's designated as a facial cleanser, it's really suitable all over, so you can use it on your body and on your face. It's just nice to have one product that you can use on yourself and on the whole family."
"This is a cleanser that contains 2% salicylic acid along with niacinamide ceramides and a really nice gentle gel to foam formulation. Cleansers are a great way in a more gentle way to slowly overtime help to unclog pores. It's definitely not going to be as effective as leave on treatments but also with that it's going to be far less irritating. A salicylic acid cleanser I really recommend for individuals who have more dry and sensitive skin who struggle with clogged pores or looking for a good acne cleanser to incorporate into their routine. This is definitely something to think about adding into your routine if you have predominantly clogged pores or comedonal acne. The cleanser is pretty gentle but does cleanse fairly nicely."
"Neutrogena with the 2% salicylic acid is a great one. Any salicylic acid cleanser that's the most affordable that will allow you to get more bang for your buck is what I recommend. You can certainly use salicylic acid cleanser alternating with your benzoyl peroxide if you're able to do that or in place of your benzoyl peroxide."
"The Cetaphil Hydrating Foaming Cream Cleanser comes in a big bottle with an easy to dispense pump. It's fragrance free, paraben free, hypoallergenic, and contains wonderful ingredients including niacinamide, B5, vitamin E, glycerin, and prebiotic aloe. What I really love about this is the formula, as the name implies it's creamy but yet foams nicely. When you wash it off you don't feel like your skin is super stripped, dry, or tight. For individuals who don't wear a lot of water-resistant sunscreen or makeup, this can be your one-stop shop of cleansing to use at night before you sleep. I find that for the majority of the times when I don't wear a lot of makeup and wear water-resistant sunscreen, this is enough to thoroughly remove everything. If you're looking for a good effective cleanser that's going to remove things that are easy to come off but won't leave your skin feeling super stripped, or you're just not into double cleansing but want a good gentle cleanser, this is a great option."
"It's really elegant and it's from Murad and it's their Soothing Oat and Peptide Cleanser. Certainly this is one that is great for sensitive and eczema prone skin. It's fragrance free, sulfate free. It contains this unique peptide micellar water technology along with oats and shea butter. It's creamy, naturally foamy, but compared to other options it doesn't leave as much of that hydrating residue, but it's still really good and effective and does not make your skin feel stripped or super tight afterwards. So again, another great option if you're looking for a more elegant, slightly pricier creamy cleanser."
"I love the fact that because it foams you can actually use this as a face wash and what I actually have been doing at home is also using it as a hand wash. I find that it should be much more gentle especially during the winter time when I'm washing my hands like 10 times throughout the day it won't make your hand get really dry and cracked."
"The Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm retails for $17.99 and is a great, really affordable cleansing balm that lasts many months because you only need a little bit. A little bit goes a long way at being able to remove sunscreen, makeup, and impurities. I love the fact that this cleansing balm leaves minimal greasy residue. You can even use it in the morning as your cleanser if you choose to, but I use it as the first step of my double cleansing routine. My skin feels nourished, it doesn't feel stripped, but yet it's able to effectively remove everything. This contains vitamin E and lots of great plant-derived oils. It's effective and it's simple. Versed's products are devoid of synthetic fragrance, so that's another thing I really love about it. If you have more sensitive and rosacea-prone skin, this is a line that I find most of their products to be fairly suitable for."
"I use this to cleanse my skin with a cotton pad and if I didn't have this I would probably make my own. I've talked about this in my previous travel skincare video where I would basically pre-fill a Ziploc bag with a cotton pad soaked in micellar water from home and then just use that essentially like my makeup wipes but it's a lot more gentle."
"Another really affordable and great cleansing balm is from Inkey List, their Oat Cleansing Balm. This is a thicker balm, and I actually sometimes use this in the shower. It's very gentle and it works fairly well. I don't find it to work as effectively at removing my eye makeup, but for all the sunscreen it works great and it rinses off really nicely with minimal residue."
"This cleansing balm has a special place in my heart because it is the very first cleansing balm that got me into double cleansing. I love it for a couple reasons: number one is it's really gentle and effective at removing waterproof mascara and eyeliner that I wear on a regular basis, and also it doesn't cause irritation at least for me for my eyes. And two, when you rinse it off it leaves minimal residue. Even though it's on the pricier end for its value and how much you get in a 100ml standard jar, it took me about over 6 months to get through it and I double cleanse on a daily basis. I highly recommend trying this one."
"This is a great one because I'm always in the market for a good lightweight heat protectant that helps to make my hair feel better and does something for my hair aside from just protecting it from heat. Not only does it protect your hair from heat of styling, it also helps to reduce breakage and strengthen your hair fibers because it's got that biomimetic K18 peptide. I love the texture because it's light. It's nourishing but not heavy. So it also helps to soften and smooth your hair at the same time. So you're protecting your hair but also doing something good for your hair at the same time. Ingredient-wise, it's got the K18 peptide, heat activators, polymers that help to do its job, and then conditioning agents that help to smooth and soften your hair. I apply it on damp hair, but I believe you can also spray it on dry hair before you curl. So it's pretty versatile in that sense."
"PRP done in office would be more effective because we have so much more years history of use and data. It's something that is fun to try and incorporate into your routine, but not necessary and does not replace any of the OG products like retinoids and acids and vitamin C. It's fun to try, but just keep in mind that just because it's trending doesn't mean it's better. We need more studies. Also keep in mind the sources of it and your comfort level when it comes to using animal versus plant derived products."
"If you can't see a dermatologist you can easily get topical minoxidil. This is the best studied topical treatment without a prescription that can help with pretty much all types of hair loss but predominantly androgenetic hair loss and telogen effluvium. I recommend regardless of your gender get 5%. The cheapest 5% is safe for all genders. I recommend the foam because it's just easier to use, less likely to drip and cause undesired side effects. It's also less irritating on your scalp but it can be a little more greasy. Just make sure you get the 5%. You can use it once or twice a day where you're thinning or all over if needed. Make sure you wash your hands. Make sure your pets are not licking your scalp or licking your hands because it could be potentially toxic to cats and dogs. You want to give it at least 3 to 6 months of consistent use. Some individuals can experience more aggressive shedding in the beginning. It's actually a sign that it's working because minoxidil doesn't work in everyone. There's an enzyme that converts minoxidil to the active form and we have genetic variability on how active that enzyme is."
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All 3 takes on Topical Minoxidil 5%
Stop believing these hair loss myths! Dermatologist explains | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If you can't see a dermatologist you can easily get topical minoxidil. This is the best studied topical treatment without a prescription that can help with pretty much all types of hair loss but predominantly androgenetic hair loss and telogen effluvium. I recommend regardless of your gender get 5%. The cheapest 5% is safe for all genders. I recommend the foam because it's just easier to use, less likely to drip and cause undesired side effects. It's also less irritating on your scalp but it can be a little more greasy. Just make sure you get the 5%. You can use it once or twice a day where you're thinning or all over if needed. Make sure you wash your hands. Make sure your pets are not licking your scalp or licking your hands because it could be potentially toxic to cats and dogs. You want to give it at least 3 to 6 months of consistent use. Some individuals can experience more aggressive shedding in the beginning. It's actually a sign that it's working because minoxidil doesn't work in everyone. There's an enzyme that converts minoxidil to the active form and we have genetic variability on how active that enzyme is."
Minoxidil FAQs Answered by a Dermatologist
"Certainly as a dermatologist this is one of the most frequently recommended products I tell my patients who are going through hair thinning and really one of the most effective that's available without a prescription"
Is ORAL Minoxidil Better for Hair Loss than Topical? Dermatologist Explains
"Nothing really beats topical monoxido especially with the amount of evidence and and clinical studies topical monoxido have demonstrated to be effective"
"There are a few vitamin supplements that I recommend to my patients if they ask me for recommendations that can potentially support their hair regrowth journey, and that's Nutrafol and Viviscal. Both of those do contain biotin, but it's not the biotin that's actually helping. It's their proprietary blend of active ingredients that is supporting that hair regrowth."
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All 2 takes on Viviscal
Stop believing these hair loss myths! Dermatologist explains | Dr. Jenny Liu
"There are a few vitamin supplements that I recommend to my patients if they ask me for recommendations that can potentially support their hair regrowth journey, and that's Nutrafol and Viviscal. Both of those do contain biotin, but it's not the biotin that's actually helping. It's their proprietary blend of active ingredients that is supporting that hair regrowth."
Dermatologist Compares Nutrafol & Viviscal
"Viviscal does contain biotin, amino acids, various B vitamins, as well as plant-derived extracts like millet seed extract and horsetail stem extract. Viviscal does have a few double-blinded randomized control studies demonstrating efficacy, especially for androgenic hair loss. Interestingly, when studying their hair loss, individuals taking Viviscal had a noticeable improvement in the overall health and strength of their nails as well as fuller eyebrows and improvement in skin hydration. One thing to be careful of is that Viviscal does contain biotin, and so if you end up taking Viviscal for hair thinning, you want to notify your providers if you ever undergo testing, specifically like cardiac and thyroid testing, because biotin can interfere with those labs."
"La Roche-Posay's whole Toleriane line as well as Rosacea line that actually has a green tinted moisturizer that actually contains a very unique peptide called neurosensing that has been shown in few publications including the Journal of Dermatology that actually will boost the benefits of prescription metro cream for anyone struggling with rosacea. So neurosensing is a calming soothing peptide that I believe is unique to La Roche-Posay that helps to calm and soothe the skin and that kind of reactive skin when it's burning red and hot. That is actually another favorite product of mine that whole line from Toleriane that contains the neurosensing all the way to the Rosacea line too that is really meant to target and help with rosacea prone skin and sensitive skin."
"Minoxidil, or goes by the brand name Rogaine, is the best most evidence-based product without a prescription to truly effectively stimulate hair growth. I recommend the foam because it's far less irritating. If you put the solution that has propylene glycol in it, it can cause irritation and may flare dander of psoriasis. The foam is a little bit greasier and is also easier to apply, so less likely to drip down and cause unwanted hair growth. The percentage for everyone, regardless if you're female or male, is the 5%. 5% has been shown to be safe and more effective for both men and women. I just tell all my patients to get the most affordable 5%, whatever formulation you prefer, and then just use that regularly."
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All 2 takes on Minoxidil 5% Foam
Dermatologist review on hair loss and treatments | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Minoxidil, or goes by the brand name Rogaine, is the best most evidence-based product without a prescription to truly effectively stimulate hair growth. I recommend the foam because it's far less irritating. If you put the solution that has propylene glycol in it, it can cause irritation and may flare dander of psoriasis. The foam is a little bit greasier and is also easier to apply, so less likely to drip down and cause unwanted hair growth. The percentage for everyone, regardless if you're female or male, is the 5%. 5% has been shown to be safe and more effective for both men and women. I just tell all my patients to get the most affordable 5%, whatever formulation you prefer, and then just use that regularly."
Minoxidil FAQs Answered by a Dermatologist
"As a dermatologist, this is one of the most frequently recommended products I tell my patients who are going through hair thinning and really one of the most effective that's available without a prescription. Minoxidil, aka Rogaine, is FDA approved for treatment of androgenetic hair loss or female and male pattern hair loss. Minoxidil seems to work by improving blood flow to the scalp as well as prolonging the anagen or growing phase of the hair cycle and shortening the telogen or resting phase. Although it's only approved for pattern hair loss, off label I actually recommend all my patients who are experiencing hair loss regardless of the type to try this if they're able to. Minoxidil doesn't work well in everyone and there is a variability in the response because for minoxidil to actually have those effects on improving hair growth it has to be first absorbed into the scalp and then convert it into the active drug or active form called minoxidil sulfate by an enzyme that is found in our hair follicles."
"There are so many different ways you can spritz to calm irritated skin right on the spot and then follow with the moisturizer. You can spritz on eczema-prone skin to calm eczema as well as rosacea-prone skin. If your skin feels hot and overheated, this is a great way to calm that down. You can even use it to set makeup. So there are so many different ways of using this thermal spring water. It's a really nice on-the-go product to kind of instantly calm and soothe and hydrate your skin, as long as you pat that watery in and then follow it with the moisturizer."
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Summer skincare routine | Tips from dermatologist, Dr. Jenny Liu
"A facial spray is great because it helps to instantly calm and cool our skin, especially if being in a long day after being in the sun, and if you end up getting a little too much sun or being sunburnt, a spray can really help to calm and soothe the skin. One that I really like that's a great multitasker is Avène Thermal Spring Water that you can spritz on the go to instantly freshen up and hydrate your skin. When it's dampened you can moisturize to rehydrate after a long day in the sun when you've been sweating a lot and getting too much sun. You can even use it to set your makeup, or if you have sunburn or like rosacea or eczema prone skin areas that are irritated, this thermal spring water spray can spritz, calm things down, soothe the skin, and then you can gently pat that in and layer on moisturizer to seal in that hydration. I love the fact that Avène thermal spring water has been used for many years, I think ever since the 1700s, for treating skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema, so there's actually quite a bit of study on the signs of Avène thermal spring water. This one is very simple, it's soothing, a great multitasker to have on hand. I also love the fact that it comes in different sizes so you can keep one in your bag for travel or a bigger size that you can take to the beach to help calm things down if you need to."
Holiday Gift Set Ideas | Dr Jenny Liu
"There are so many different ways you can spritz to calm irritated skin right on the spot and then follow with the moisturizer. You can spritz on eczema-prone skin to calm eczema as well as rosacea-prone skin. If your skin feels hot and overheated, this is a great way to calm that down. You can even use it to set makeup. So there are so many different ways of using this thermal spring water. It's a really nice on-the-go product to kind of instantly calm and soothe and hydrate your skin, as long as you pat that watery in and then follow it with the moisturizer."
"Restylane is one of the most common filler brands that you may hear your injector or your dermatologist mention. With hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane, when injected into the skin at various depths, you basically get what you see, it's instant results aside from some swelling. These formulations help restore volume, smooth out deep wrinkles, even superficial wrinkles, or add hydration depending on the product used."
"The other fillers commonly injected are called biostimulatory fillers, essentially known here in the US as Radiesse or hydroxy appetite. Even though they're injected similarly on the face as one would with HA fillers, they differ slightly in this sense. With traditional HA fillers you basically get what you see, when it's injected into skin it's there, it's instant. With the biostimulatory fillers, as the name implies, they don't really give you that instant gratification. Instead they help to stimulate your skin, your body to build collagen over time, usually over a period of like three to six months. They do help with the flattening of our facial features, helping with deep folds and wrinkles. It's not like one is better than the other. Honestly, for someone seeking dermal fillers for rejuvenation and improving signs of aging, the biostimulatory as well as HA fillers really complement each other and give you a more comprehensive and better result."
"The most common brands that we hear about especially in the US is Juvéderm, Restylane, and Bellafill. There are a lot of other brands too that are available and some that are not available that are commonly used in Asia but those are the most common brands that you may hear your injector or your dermatologist mention or talk to you about."
"If you're looking for a neck cream that doesn't contain retinol, especially if you're sensitive to retinoids, the Elastin Restorative Neck Complex works really well for stimulating collagen and helping with firming the neck. This technology, the Elastin TriEx technology, has been shown under clinical studies with biopsies to basically go in and clean out all the damaged collagen and elastin, which when they're damaged by sun or just with age, it kind of stays in our skin and is like garbage taking up space, leading to loose skin, fine lines and wrinkles. This neck cream with the TriEx technology of peptides goes in and clears out and basically gets rid of the garbage while at the same time stimulates your body's own collagen and elastin, supporting collagen and elastin, improving fine lines and wrinkles, helping with creepiness, and improving the firmness of your neck skin. It contains the TriEx technology along with oats that's soothing, as well as niacinamide which has brightening, great skin barrier support, and anti-aging benefits."
"This is a serum that you can use on face and body that can help to basically improve the outcome of scars after resurfacing procedure after surgery. It contains Lapalutin which helps to support natural DNA repair along with peptides and other antioxidants like vitamin E and B5 to support the skin, soothe the skin, and really not only expedite healing but also improve outcome. Texture-wise it is a creamy yellow serum that when I put on my skin the night of my laser it definitely did not burn or sting."
"I always like to cop Vaseline, I will not leave my house without some sort of petrolatum, and this is just more like travel-friendly. The Vaseline in the small jar is great too, but I basically use this for my lips, on my cuticles, on my feet if I'm struggling with dry, cracked feet. But yeah, this is a great multitasker. I would say petrolatum are really, aside from sunscreen, one of the two essential items that I always have in my travel bag that I will not leave without."
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All 2 takes on Original Healing Jelly
Dermatologist Travel Skincare | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I always like to cop Vaseline, I will not leave my house without some sort of petrolatum, and this is just more like travel-friendly. The Vaseline in the small jar is great too, but I basically use this for my lips, on my cuticles, on my feet if I'm struggling with dry, cracked feet. But yeah, this is a great multitasker. I would say petrolatum are really, aside from sunscreen, one of the two essential items that I always have in my travel bag that I will not leave without."
Heal Dry & Cracked Hands & Feet with This Quick Dermatologist Tip
"A petrolatum based product so Vaseline or you can even do if you want to do a cave or say aquafor healing ointments but something thick and greasy. What you're going to do at night before you sleep you want to soak your hands and or feet or both in lukewarm water for about 5 minutes until they're kind of wrinkly and damp. The soaking helps to hydrate the skin and if your skin is really thick and crusty it may even help to remove some of that crust. Afterwards pat your skin dry and then literally immediately before it is completely dry lather on a really good layer of the petrolatum product all over your hands and feet and then you want to occlude them with your gloves and your socks and if you can sleep in that overnight. This soaking smear method over time will help to toughen your skin and you can even use like a pumice stone or a file to remove some of the dust over time after it's been softened."
"This is the iconic little brown bottle that we all see everywhere. It's really ideal for those that are seeking a nighttime serum to tackle anti-aging concerns, namely fine lines, wrinkles, and even skin texture and skin tone. It contains hyaluronic acid to help hydrate the skin, also contains a tripeptide-32 that helps support skin renewal and rejuvenation and may help support collagen synthesis. It also contains their exclusive Chronolux technology, which is a blend of ingredients mainly helping to support skin self-repair and self-renewal overnight as you sleep to help address those concerns of skin aging. It also contains antioxidants like vitamin E and caffeine along with lactobacillus ferment that is great for hydrating and brightening the skin, along with other flower and plant-derived extracts. It's a really nice elegant serum to use at nighttime. Certainly at this price point it's not for everyone, but Estee Lauder being a very well-respected beauty and cosmeceutical company, they definitely make wonderful formulations that work well and do quite a bit of research."
"The predominant benefit of using Latisse is that you're going to get longer looking lashes. When your lash is in that growing phase it has more blood supply and nutrients, it may grow thicker and may appear fuller, but usually that's not the case. In general you're going to have longer looking lashes. From personal experience I did use Latisse for like a year many years back and that's what I experienced: my lashes fell out less, grew longer, but weren't really fuller. One of the side effects is that prostaglandin can actually induce pigment or melanin synthesis, which is why one of the side effects that we warn patients about when prescribing a prostaglandin serum like Latisse is that you may get brown eye color. So if you have like green or blue eye color, your eye color may actually turn brown to some degree, and that may be permanent, though usually it's reversible. If you have light colored lashes it may darken them as well. When it comes to effectively lengthening eyelashes, nothing is going to beat prostaglandin. Regardless of what other serums that don't contain prostaglandin market and claim, nothing is going to be as effective. However, prostaglandin does come with side effects that can be more serious, including irritation, since eyelid skin is very thin and delicate and anything we put on there could potentially cause irritation, reaction, redness, and dermatitis."
"Revision C+ Correcting Complex contains 30% lipid vitamin C and that one is great. It has a unique formulation that not only offers great antioxidant support but also has been shown to help with hyperpigmentation. It's a great one that's been clinically studied and better for those that have maybe sensitive skin or looking for an antioxidant serum that also offers skin brightening and helping with hyperpigmentation."
"I love using this great for morning and evening but this would make a lovely nighttime moisturizer especially if you want to continue using your topical retinoid can add additional benefits or improve the dryness and irritation from topical retinoid use."
"If you're looking for a bedside humidifier I recommend the Canopy humidifier. This is small, it's really convenient to keep next to your bed to help keep your skin and nose hydrated and moisturized. It's very easy to clean, easy to operate, and it comes with a filter that you change out every 6 weeks and there are refillables that you can purchase and change out very easily."
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Sephora Savings Event 2023 Dermatologist Top Picks | Dr Jenny Liu
"This one I really like because it's small you can keep it next to your bed and best of all it's refillable so you just have to change it every 6 weeks. A humidifier can definitely be helpful in keeping your skin more hydrated, especially if you have eczema prone skin."
10 winter skincare hacks from a dermatologist | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If you're looking for a bedside humidifier I recommend the Canopy humidifier. This is small, it's really convenient to keep next to your bed to help keep your skin and nose hydrated and moisturized. It's very easy to clean, easy to operate, and it comes with a filter that you change out every 6 weeks and there are refillables that you can purchase and change out very easily."
"SkinMedica's TNS Recovery Complex is one product that really has been recommended by dermatologists and certainly is not cheap. If you're looking for something that does contain growth factors that has been shown in clinical studies to help stimulate your skin's natural ability to create new scaffolds and support structure, collagen and elastin to create more youthful, firm, and bouncy looking skin, it's worth investing in. It's not for everyone, but for that individual who's looking to take their anti-aging or pro-aging skincare to the next level, I think this could have potential in your routine. TNS is a patented technology by SkinMedica that stands for tissue nutrient solutions and essentially contains over 380 growth factors and cytokines that have been clinically shown to help improve fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin texture, skin tone, as well as improved skin firmness."
"La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo contains 5.5% micronized benzoyl peroxide formulated in a more gentle way along with lipohydroxy acid, which is a more gentle form of salicylic acid that can also help to exfoliate. It's in a light lotion texture that's very easy to apply, absorbs very quickly with minimal residue. I do recommend spot treating one or two pimples if needed, rather than applying benzoyl peroxide all over the face, since the ingredient itself is usually of a very irritating nature and very few people will be able to tolerate that, especially if they're already using a topical retinoid. If you have one or two zits that is just really bothering you or you have important events coming up, spot treating with benzoyl peroxide can more quickly shrink them down."
"The triple lipid restore 2:4:2 contains a complex of ratios of ceramides to lipids that really is designed to help nourish and support the skin as we age because the lipids in our skin does change over time. This moisturizer is rich, really ideal for more dry and mature sun damaged skin, and actually has been shown in clinical studies to help reduce that retinization period, AKA reduce irritation when one is first starting a topical retinoid. However, the triple lipid restore does contain essential oil, so for individuals that have sensitive skin or sensitivity to essential oil this may be something you want to be careful of. Maybe consider patch testing if you do have sensitive skin before using all over on the face."
"One of my favorite products from Skinceuticals is the HA Intensifier, and I think of this as beyond just a hydrating serum. You can certainly use it like that, but it's a multitasking serum. You can use it to spot treat areas that have fine lines and wrinkles to help soften those areas locally, or to complement your neuromodulator injection, aka Botox injections, to further improve those fine lines and wrinkles or maybe even help to prolong the effects of your Botox. The ingredients are really fascinating. First of all, it contains 10% proxalin, which is a birch tree derived ingredient that basically has been shown to stimulate our skin's own internal glycoproteins and glucose aminoglycans that basically helps to plump the skin and support the extracellular matrix, which basically helps to give our skin that elasticity and that suppleness that we tend to lose over time. In addition to hyaluronic acid, it also contains 2% licorice root along with purple rice extract that helps to again stimulate our skin's own natural production of hyaluronic acid. They actually did clinical studies performing skin biopsies on the forearm of patients before and after use."
"I do find that oil-free lightweight formulations work better and are more suitable for those individuals who are prone to breakouts on the body, and some of my favorite ones are from La Roche-Posay like the Anthelios line, and actually their melted milk is one of my favorites. I find that these sunscreens are more lightweight, fast absorbing, and easier to spread."
"Oral minoxidil can potentially be a helpful treatment that can be used to treat various different types of hair loss. It does have more side effects than topical minoxidil, but having said that it may give you better results. For chronic and progressive conditions like androgenic hair loss, long-term use is needed, but for conditions like telogen effluvium, it doesn't have to be long-term and you can gradually taper off. This is where you want to talk with your dermatologist to make sure that you fully understand the pros and cons and to make sure that oral minoxidil is a good option for you."
"Minoxidil comes in solution and a foam. The solution can be quite irritating for some individuals because there's propylene glycol as well as alcohol in that liquid formulation. If you find that the solution irritates your scalp, consider using the foam. The benefit of this foam is that it's less irritating. It is slightly more greasy than the liquid, but I also find it's easier to apply and you're going to have less difficulty having the liquid running down your face and getting it on your skin or other parts of your face that you may not want excessive hair growth on. It usually takes about three to six months of consistent daily use before you start to see improvements. For some individuals it may be sooner and for some individuals the result might be slower. If you are going to give a topical minoxidil a try, I recommend at least three to six months of consistent use."
"From La Roche-Posay their Glycolic B5 that contains 10% glycolic acid as well as tranexamic acid and kojic acid so ingredients that also help to improve hyperpigmentation and this would be an exfoliating serum too that you can incorporate few times a week to treat uneven skin tone but also over time improve fine lines and wrinkles."
"The La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk SPF 60 is really one of my go-tos, especially for the summer time because I love how fast absorbing and lightweight it is and the higher SPF and water resistant nature. You're getting great broadspectrum coverage along with antioxidant. It is a chemical filter, but I've never had any issues. It does have glycerin that's hydrating. I would say with this texture, I do find it more suitable for those that have oily and combination skin."
"CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 is a great alternative if you find that one to leave more of a white cast, or if you're looking for just a good mineral sunscreen to use on a daily basis. This one is going to be more hydrating, 100% pure mineral, also fragrance-free, suitable for sensitive skin, rosacea prone skin, as well as kids and babies. It's got a more moisturizing formula. A lot of mineral pure mineral sunscreens tend to feel a little more drying or cakey on the skin. This one doesn't, I think because of the other ingredients in it, so it's more hydrating. From my personal experience and feedback I've gotten from my patients, comparing this one to another, the CeraVe one is less likely to leave a white cast. I do find it a little bit more elegant. The downside is that it is not water resistant, so it's going to be more suitable for daily use. It's great if you even have acne prone skin. It's not comedogenic, but does leave a little bit more of a dewy finish. So, great to use alone or under makeup."
"The first one is from Isdin Eryfotona Actinica SPF 50+. So it's a Spanish brand. They make elegant sunscreens and this one is really popular among dermatologists because not only is it a pure mineral filter, great for anyone with dry and sensitive skin. It's lightweight and elegant fluid-like but does not leave a white cast. I believe it's also water resistant but it's got high SPF protection SPF 50 but also has this unique DNA repair zone that is unique to it, so it helps to repair DNA damage that has basically happened or accumulated in your skin. So not only is it protecting your skin but can actually reverse some of that damage that's happening to your skin. And I have some dermatology colleagues that swear that when their patients are wearing this regularly, the amount of sun damage, so aka activated keratosis, which is actually sometimes we even call it precancerous spots, actually goes down. So it's a great way to not only protect your skin, but also reverse some of the actual sun damage happening to your skin. But overall, it's just a really nice, elegant mineral sunscreen. It doesn't cause irritation, doesn't burn or sting."
"There are a lot of great options for face and body, including some of my favorites like La Roche-Posay."
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All 2 takes on Sunscreen
Week 2 Vitiligo
"There are a lot of great options for face and body, including some of my favorites like La Roche-Posay."
A Dermatologist's Skincare Packing & Travel Essentials! In France with Guerlain
"I layered on sunscreen and so I used this one from La Roche Posay this is the one I actually purchased from Paris last year I really like it I'm hoping to see if I can find another one of these in the pharmacy if there is a time and that there's opportunity"
"This was the viral sunscreen last year, it is just a really good one. The real Korean version is SPF 50 and PA++++, the highest UVA protection, and it contains advanced filters like Avobenzone for UVA protection as well as Tinosorb S that offers a broad range of UVA and UVB protection. The texture is lightweight, it's hydrating, fast absorbing, leaves no white cast, and it's got wonderful hydrating ingredients like birch juice that helps to hydrate and smooth your skin, hyaluronic acid, allantoin, and panthenol. It's lovely and really loved by all skin types because it leaves kind of a semi-dewy finish but it's not heavy and it just works well on all skin types all year round. And I think that is why it went viral and continues to be viral."
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All 6 takes on Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++
Derm's review of popular Korean Sunscreens Part 1. | Dr. Jenny Liu
"It is really nice and fused with hydrating ingredients to suit the skin ideal to wear in the summertime all year round it really is like the one that can benefit all skin types it is nice and elegant lightweight hydrating moisturizing but doesn't feel heavy or sticky absorbs really quickly"
Dermatologist Favorite Asian Beauty Products of 2024 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"It was such an elegant sunscreen, moisturizing but not heavy, give you this dewy subtle dewy finish that was just beautiful. It has advanced filters and so in my mind I feel like it's really suitable for those that have more like dry normal dry skin, but for oily skin friends you probably would love this for the winter time. It is fragrance-free, it is hydrating but not heavy, it's elegant, and so for those that are looking for something a little bit more have a little bit more nourishing properties. It absorbs very quickly but with the subtle glow dewy finish. Ingredient wise, it's chemical filters, has birch tree sap along with birch tree extract and niacinamide, so just wonderful soothing ingredients that I think is just so lovely."
Can't find your favorite Korean Sunscreens, Derm explains MOCRA | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This was the viral sunscreen last year, it is just a really good one. The real Korean version is SPF 50 and PA++++, the highest UVA protection, and it contains advanced filters like Avobenzone for UVA protection as well as Tinosorb S that offers a broad range of UVA and UVB protection. The texture is lightweight, it's hydrating, fast absorbing, leaves no white cast, and it's got wonderful hydrating ingredients like birch juice that helps to hydrate and smooth your skin, hyaluronic acid, allantoin, and panthenol. It's lovely and really loved by all skin types because it leaves kind of a semi-dewy finish but it's not heavy and it just works well on all skin types all year round. And I think that is why it went viral and continues to be viral."
Can't find your favorite Korean Sunscreens, Derm explains MOCRA | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The real Korean version is SPF 50 and PA4 pluses, the highest UVA protection, and it contains advanced filters like Avobenzone for UVA protection as well as Tinosorb S that offers broad range of UVA and UVB protection. The texture is lightweight, it's hydrating, fast absorbing, leaves no white cast, and it's got wonderful hydrating ingredients like birch juice that helps hydrate and smooth your skin, hyaluronic acid, allantoin, and toenail. It's lovely and really loved by all skin types because it leaves a semi-dewy finish but it's not heavy and it just works well on all skin types all year round. For the US reformulation, it's called Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 50 Plus Broad Spectrum. The reformulation contains chemical filters that are approved by the FDA."
Fall AM Skincare routine featuring Beauty | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is an elegant sunscreen that really can be used all year round but in the fall winter I find it to be extra lovely"
Oct Amazon Prime Day Asian Skincare must buys | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is a great one I think really lovely especially as we transition into like fall um for those with more oily skin really recommend because it does not helps to moisturize at the same time"
"The texture is slightly thicker than the Korean version but still very much lightweight and non-greasy, and it still contains all the original ingredients like rice extract, probiotics, and Niacinamide. It still delivers that hydration without feeling thick or heavy, and it's still great for sensitive skin."
"People call it like the dupe for Super Goop Unseen Sunscreen, like that primer-like texture that absorbs really quick with a mattifying finish, yet at the same time does not make your skin feel dry and tight. This is a really good one for its price, and in fact I think it's so good that if you were to put this in front of me between this one and Super Goop, I probably would not be able to tell the difference. This is a chemical sunscreen that helps to block UVA and UVB. It also contains ingredients like silicone that offers that primer-like finish and mattifying finish, as well as Hoba Esters and Shea Butter that add some moisturization, but again it does not feel heavy. This is a really nice one for those that have combination or oily skin that want a mattifying finish and those that may want a good moisturizing sunscreen to continue using into fall and winter without your skin feeling like it's going to lose water. For combination dry skin I really enjoyed using this when it was warmer to offer some mattifying properties, or I would use this in the winter after a good moisturizer. This is a great product that can be used all year round, and for its price and the elegant finish it is totally worth getting."
"Super Goop Glow Screen SPF 40 is a lovely one because it gives that shimmer glow and it's got this light tint that's really nice to add during the winter time when it's kind of dark and gloomy outside. It contains hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5, niacinamide, and sea lavender, great ingredients that make a really elegant sunscreen that leaves no white cast."
"If your teen kind of needs a moisturizer and sunscreen in one because they're a little bit more on the dry side, check out La Roche-Posay Double Repair Face Moisturizer SPF 30. This is a great multitasker. Honestly, I feel like this moisturizer and sunscreen in one has a place in everyone's routine, it just depends on when you use it and the season. For me, I would use it probably in the summertime because my skin is on the dry side if I don't want to use an extra moisturizer, but for a teen who is super oily, this could be their moisturizer and sunscreen in one for the morning. It is a cream, but it's lightweight, absorbs really quickly, it's not shiny, it's not greasy, it doesn't clog pores. It's got that good SPF 30 that is really ideal for daily use, really gets them into the habit of applying sunscreen regularly, especially for teens who are struggling with acne. We really want them to make sure to use a sunscreen daily to combat the inflammation and UV damage that may bring on their skin, that may worsen acne as well as worsen post-acne marks. Ingredient-wise, it's got chemical filters but I never found this to be irritating on my eyes or on my skin, as well as niacinamide that's calming and soothing, as well as prebiotic thermal spring water that is found in all La Roche-Posay products."
"This is a pure chemical sunscreen. It's probably the most dense, most nourishing but still very lightweight and fast absorbing. It does not make your skin feel like it's suffocating, it does not look shiny or feel heavy. It still has a semi-dewy finish. This is probably the most nourishing, so I think it's best suited for those with sensitive and dry skin to use on a regular basis, but it's still very lightweight and honestly compared to a lot of the US sunscreens it is still by far very elegant and not heavy. Ingredient-wise, aside from the chemical filters, it does contain a wonderful blend of plant-derived extracts, rice extract as well as plant-derived oils that offer the support that it's intended to do for those with dry and sensitive skin. Black rice extract has rich antioxidants."
"It offers additional skin protection along with centella that can help to soothe and calm the skin, also contains ceramides that can help to nourish the skin moisture barrier. With that gel cream texture it absorbs really quickly and really elegant, leaves no white cast. This is a great one for anyone looking for a lightweight sunscreen to use daily, especially if you have more oily combination skin and enjoy that lightweight texture with a semi dewy to slightly dewy finish."
"If you're looking for something with a dewy finish that makes your skin feel a little more hydrated, I think this would be one to use. As far as applying sunscreen sticks in general, you want to make sure that you're going over each area at least four times to get that adequate protection. Overall, I feel like this is a fine product to have on hand, mostly for reapplication."
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All 2 takes on Hyaluronic Acid Airy Sun Stick
Dermatologist Favorite Sunscreen Sticks | Dr. Jenny Liu
"It contains soothing ingredients like niacinamide and also hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, so it does offer a little bit more hydration, but it's not going to feel super sticky or heavy on your skin. Your skin is going to look natural but not dewy or super wet and glowy. This is a great one that can be utilized by everyone, even if you have oily skin you might enjoy just that finish it has. I don't think it's going to make you look super shiny. I do love the fact that this is like a teardrop shape so you can grab onto it firmly. It's fragrance and essential oil free, so it's suitable for sensitive skin."
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"If you're looking for something with a dewy finish that makes your skin feel a little more hydrated, I think this would be one to use. As far as applying sunscreen sticks in general, you want to make sure that you're going over each area at least four times to get that adequate protection. Overall, I feel like this is a fine product to have on hand, mostly for reapplication."
"This contains purely zinc oxide as the UV filter. It is SPF 50 but only offers PA3 plus, not four. Overall it is a really nice one. It also contains panthenol, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid, all hydrating and soothing ingredients that can help to support the skin barrier. As far as texture, it is going to be a little more dense and in some sense harder to spread compared to the gel cream, just naturally being a cream. Mineral sunscreens do take a little bit more effort to spread. It doesn't really leave much of a white cast but you've got to give it time to let it absorb and sit on your skin before that whiteness dissipates. When you first put it on and rub it in, it's going to look slightly white, but once it's absorbed, it actually leaves minimal white cast for being a zinc mineral sunscreen. It also comes with a slightly mattifying finish, so for those individuals that don't like a dewy finish, this would be a good one to try. For the formulation, it is one of the more elegant mineral-based sunscreens. If you have sensitive skin or dry skin, I think this one is going to feel better on your skin and better support your skin, just naturally being a cream. The mineral filters are going to be a little bit less irritating if you have sensitivity to chemical filters."
"The first one is from EltaMD and it's their UV Clear. It is a nice elegant sunscreen that I think most moms and aunties would like. It contains predominately zinc oxide with one chemical filter, also has niacinamide and other antioxidants to work synergistically to fend off environmental aggressors while at the same time helping to nourish your skin barrier. I also love the fact that it comes in a clear non-tinted as well as tinted, and if you have a loved one that struggles with hyperpigmentation, that tint can really help to also block visible light. It's a lovely elegant sunscreen, great for anyone with more sensitive skin or looking to simplify their morning routine with a moisturizer and sunscreen in one, and it's great to use in the winter time. I highly recommend it."
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All 3 takes on UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
Dermatologist skincare picks for Chinese New Year | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The first one is from EltaMD and it's their UV Clear. It is a nice elegant sunscreen that I think most moms and aunties would like. It contains predominately zinc oxide with one chemical filter, also has niacinamide and other antioxidants to work synergistically to fend off environmental aggressors while at the same time helping to nourish your skin barrier. I also love the fact that it comes in a clear non-tinted as well as tinted, and if you have a loved one that struggles with hyperpigmentation, that tint can really help to also block visible light. It's a lovely elegant sunscreen, great for anyone with more sensitive skin or looking to simplify their morning routine with a moisturizer and sunscreen in one, and it's great to use in the winter time. I highly recommend it."
Dermatologists Answer Sunscreen Questions
"EltaMD has the UV Clear as well as tinted, and both contain niacinamide and I think that's a great ingredient if you're acne prone. I love that EltaMD one, I use it all the time."
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"EltaMD UV Clear, they have tinted and non-tinted sunscreens are super elegant."
"It's a daily sunscreen that is SPF 50 and PA++++. It contains mineral filters, black rice, rice bran oil, niacinamide, and other plant-derived extracts that are nourishing. I feel like it's the most dense texture-wise, but it's still very much lightweight and easy to spread and leaves no white cast. It's fragrance-free, free of color and drying alcohol, so it's great for those with dry and sensitive skin. Finish-wise it still gives a semi-dewy finish, it's definitely not mattifying."
"It has additional niacinamide and essential Japanese plant extracts that are soothing and anti-inflammatory. There's just something about this sunscreen that makes my skin feel supported, especially on days where my skin is just not happy and more dry or when it's a little bit colder outside and I need something a little more nourishing. This really hits the spot for me. If you have dry combination skin, have some sensitive skin, or are just looking for a sunscreen that is going to provide a little more nourishment without the heaviness or the shininess, I think this is a sunscreen you will personally love."
"I like that one because it has silica so that it's oil absorbing and great if you've been in Singapore, in that humid weather. It's not as mattifying as the other one I mentioned, but it is less dewy than another option. For individuals who have sensitivity to sunscreen around the eyes, I think sunscreen sticks can be a good way to get protection without getting that burning sensation in your eyes."
"The Neutrogena Pure Screen comes in multiple shades, four shades to match your different skin tones, and it does not leave a white cast. I really love that one because it's mineral, fragrance free, great for sensitive skin. And if you're prone to hyperpigmentation, the iron oxide that makes up the tint can really protect your skin from visible light that can cause persistent hyperpigmentation."
"Tocobo has the blue one that is really nice but I don't think I find it as mattifying because I did my test myself too. It's not as mattifying but is less dewy than the Disney tree one."
"Cetaphil makes sunscreen sticks that I believe are water resistant and fragrance free, so more ideal for babies and kids that have sensitive skin. I find that sunscreen sticks are a great way of teaching kids how to apply sunscreen and it can be a great way to encourage kids to put on sunscreen, and also for you as parents makes it easier to reapply. This is going to be more nourishing, more hydrating, it doesn't really leave much of a white cast on my skin. If you're looking for one for kids this would be great, it can also be a good one to use on yourself as well if you have more sensitive skin or just looking for a mineral based sunscreen stick that's also water resistant. It is going to be more on the hydrating side, it doesn't have a mattifying finish at all, but just another option that's fairly affordable."
"CeraVe makes sunscreen sticks that I believe are water resistant and fragrance free, so more ideal for babies and kids that have sensitive skin at baseline. I find that sunscreen sticks are a great way of teaching kids how to apply sunscreen. It's a great way to encourage kids to put on sunscreen and also makes it easier for parents to reapply. This is going to be more nourishing and more hydrating. It doesn't really leave much of a white cast on my skin. If you're looking for one for kids this would be great. It can also be a good one to use on yourself if you have more sensitive skin or just looking for a mineral-based sunscreen stick that's also water resistant. It is going to be more on the hydrating side. It doesn't have a mattifying finish at all. It's fairly affordable."
"The Abib Airy Sunstick Smoothing Bar is really ideal for the summer for a couple reasons. Number one, it is water and sweat resistant, so it sticks on your skin better. Since we're outside more, it's sweaty, it's hot, we're swimming, so that SPF protection tends to stick on your skin better. Two, it's got a soft mattifying finish, almost like a primer texture. So it's great for oily and combination skin, but I feel like all of us tend to just be a little more shiny and greasy in the summertime. So when you're using this, not only are you reapplying your sunscreen, keeping your skin protected, but you're also kind of cutting down on that shine and greasiness, which is really ideal in the summertime. Ingredient wise, it's got chemical filters, but the chemical sunscreens from Korea, I've just never really had an issue with it bothering me around my eyes. And with that stick formulation, that wax base, it tends to stick on your skin better, so it doesn't really run into your eyes with sweat or water. So it really is okay to use around the eyes. Personally, from my experience, I've never had sunscreen stick, even chemical filters from Korea, cause burning or irritation."
"It has chemical filters that protect against both UVA and UVB. It includes avobenzone and octinoxate, which are great UVA and UVB filters. It also contains silica powder that helps absorb sebum, creates a pore-blurring and mattifying finish. It's airy, it's lightweight, helps add photo protection while mattifying your skin at the same time. Really great for those with oily or combination skin that are seeking a light mattifying finish, helping to protect their skin at the same time while reducing that shiny greasy look. This is also fragrance and essential oil free, so suitable for those with sensitive skin as well."
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All 2 takes on Matte Sun Stick
Dermatologist Tests and Reviews Korean Sunscreens and Sunsticks
"This sunscreen stick contains chemical filters including avobenzone and octocrylene, and also contains two key ingredients including mugwort and green tea. It also has sebum control silica powder that actually helps to provide mattifying effects. This is actually by far one of the most mattifying sunscreen sticks I've used. It's really ideal for those with oily and combination skin who are seeking a sunscreen stick that's going to help with some protection but also that has a smooth velvety but mattifying finish. This stick is not going to make your skin feel heavy, greasy, or sticky in any way. Really nice again for those who want a little more sebum control and one that feels lightweight, great for those with oily and combination skin."
Dermatologist Favorite Sunscreen Sticks | Dr. Jenny Liu
"It has chemical filters that protect against both UVA and UVB. It includes avobenzone and octinoxate, which are great UVA and UVB filters. It also contains silica powder that helps absorb sebum, creates a pore-blurring and mattifying finish. It's airy, it's lightweight, helps add photo protection while mattifying your skin at the same time. Really great for those with oily or combination skin that are seeking a light mattifying finish, helping to protect their skin at the same time while reducing that shiny greasy look. This is also fragrance and essential oil free, so suitable for those with sensitive skin as well."
"I will add in probably you know in that routine like once a week a bond repair treatment like K18 or something like that."
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All 7 takes on Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask
The Right Way to Wash Your Hair (Most People Get This Wrong) | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I will add in probably you know in that routine like once a week a bond repair treatment like K18 or something like that."
Sephora Sale Must-Haves | Dermatologist-Approved Skincare & Haircare | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The one product that I keep getting from Sephora over and over again is the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask. I love the fact that it comes in different sizes now, so if you're not willing to take this splurge -- because it's not cheap -- you can try a smaller size or restock on the travel size. But this is literally the peptide bond repair treatment that has turned my hair around. I really love the science. It's got this unique peptide that penetrates your hair, and you can use it different ways. Before, I would use it as a leave-in mask after shampooing -- I don't condition -- then come out of the shower, apply this, wait 4 minutes, and follow it with my styling products. For some people who find that not moisturizing enough, you can use it as an in-shower treatment: leave it on for 4 minutes, rinse it off, and follow with your traditional conditioner and the rest of your routine. I also find that when you use it more regularly in the beginning, you can space out your treatments. Now I only use it maybe a few times a month. But yes, this is the repair product that has completely changed my hair. Highly recommend it if your hair is damaged, over-processed, or over-colored -- this is the one to try."
Sephora Savings Event 2023 Dermatologist Top Picks | Dr Jenny Liu
"Apply a pump or more depending on the length of your hair to your entire hair and wait for 4 minutes before applying other styling products. This not only helps repair but conditions your hair at the same time. Compared to other hair repair treatments, I personally have had the most noticeable improvement in my hair when I use this consistently. You can use it like once a week or a couple of times a week. It's certainly pricey, but it's a great one to buy during savings events. It's a really rich, dense hair mask that is not overloaded with protein, which I appreciate because some individuals are protein sensitive and a lot of protein can build up and weigh down your hair. This is more rich in plant-derived extracts and oils that are nourishing and conditioning, and you definitely do not feel your hair is weighed down afterwards."
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"K18 is probably one of my favorite hair care lines from Sephora and really has wonderful science behind their formulation. I use it regularly and it's really a line designed to help repair chemically processed damage hair from coloring, heat styling, frizzy hair, and breakage. This set contains their popular K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask along with the miniature hair oil, and basically both products contain their signature K18 peptide that's been shown to really get into the hair to help temporarily strengthen and repair hair, and over time actually has been shown to really make that more permanent change to helping reduce hair breakage. I also love the hair oil because a few drops go a long way and really helps to act as a heat protectant, helps to smooth down hair, reduce frizz, and also has avocado oil that helps to soften and nourish hair at the same time."
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"After washing, I apply that treatment as a treatment and leave-in conditioner in one and I don't feel that I need any additional conditioning afterwards. This K18 treatment is really one of the best things I've done for my hair when it comes to bond repair treatment. It really has turned my hair around from all the coloring and chemical processing and heat styling. You can use it once a week, but in the beginning you can definitely use it more consecutively, like up to four times, to really get that good result. If your hair still needs more conditioning after using it, you can rinse it off after four minutes when that bond repair has fully penetrated into your hair and then condition if you need to, but I personally don't need to do that."
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"K18 leave-in molecular repair hair mask is one of the key products that have transformed my hair. I use this quite a bit in 2023 and throughout 2024 and I do feel like ever since I started using it I have noticed a significant difference in the overall quality and health of my hair. The reason why I love this is because it's worked really well and really it's the convenience of use that's probably really why I've used it so much. This does have really cool science behind it and the people that developed this product come through kind of a library of all the peptides that we know kind of affiliated with hair."
Dermatologist updated Haircare routine | Dr. Jenny Liu
"K18 leave-in molecular repair hair mask I've been using for the past two years now and it has made the biggest difference for my hair and the structural component of my hair. This is a leave-in conditioner so what you do is you wash your hair shampoo your hair and then you apply this mask from root to the end and then after 4 minutes you can apply or style your hair as usual. You can use this on a daily basis like four times a week until your hair gets to a good point and then use it as needed. At this point I probably use it like once a week. When I was really aggressively trying to repair my hair I was probably using it maybe two to three times a week but I feel like it has definitely made the biggest difference for me. It's nice because it not only works like a leave-in conditioner so helps to instantly soften reduce frizz help to detangle make your hair manageable but over time it does do wonders for your hair if you have like me like brittle dry damaged hair."
"Paula's Choice their 2% salicylic liquid exfoliant, I feel like is the OG one, more ideal for like oily and acne-prone skin."
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All 3 takes on Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Sephora Sale Must-Haves | Dermatologist-Approved Skincare & Haircare | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Paula's Choice their 2% salicylic liquid exfoliant, I feel like is the OG one, more ideal for like oily and acne-prone skin."
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"Paula's Choice 2% Liquid Exfoliant is definitely something that is really great for those that struggle with pore congestion, a little bit of acne, and post-acne marks, and certainly can help with uneven skin texture and skin tone. It's a liquid exfoliant that you basically pour onto a cotton pad or you can pour onto your palm directly and apply to skin. I love the fact that it contains maximum concentration of salicylic acid but it is not very irritating, and it also contains green tea that's soothing, offers some anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and is just a great hydrating exfoliant at the same time. Using this a few times a week either in the morning or at night as part of your overall skincare regimen would be great if you're targeting acne. If you are using a topical retinoid at night, especially like a prescription tretinoin or adapalene, then I would alternate at night. If you have sensitive skin, otherwise you can certainly use this in the morning a few times a week and then continue topical retinoid at night. It all depends on your skin sensitivity."
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"Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is by far one of the most popular products from Paula's Choice. Salicylic acid has wonderful benefits in improving pore congestion, helping to unclog pores, helping to reduce surface sebum, really ideal for those that struggle with blackheads, whiteheads, as well as acne and post-acne marks. It's great for individuals that have a little more oily skin and acne-prone skin. The texture of this liquid exfoliant is fast-absorbing, leaves minimal residue, and it contains 2% salicylic acid along with green tea that can help to soothe and calm the skin. Salicylic acid can be irritating, and 2% is the highest concentration that we can have with salicylic acid in skincare products over the counter, but hopefully the green tea can offset that. Texture-wise, it's a liquid that you apply and absorbs really quickly."
"The COSRX AHA BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner is a great gentle exfoliant that helps to refine skin texture and promote smoother and clearer skin. The combination of AHA and BHA is really ideal for those who are seeking exfoliation and who have a little bit more acne or clogged pores at the same time want to brighten their complexion or improve post acne marks. It's pretty gentle, so while we say don't exfoliate daily, for someone who is acne prone and wanting to use something that can help with their texture and tone, this is definitely something that you can use a little bit more regularly depending on your skin type. It combines mild concentrations of AHA and BHA, with glycolic acid as one of the active ingredients along with betaine salicylate, which is basically a derivative of salicylic acid, along with apple fruit water and willow bark water, which is a natural derivative of BHA."
"It contains red propolis, a honey bee-derived product, as well as xanthin hibiscus extract that helps to nourish and maintain the skin barrier with great antioxidants to support the skin along with other plant-derived ingredients that promote hydration and help improve your complexion. If you're looking for a great foundation cushion to use on a daily basis or for important events, I think this is a great one for a natural finish that still offers really decent coverage that lasts all day."
"This is the OG sleeping mask and probably what Laneige is really known for. It's a lightweight gel mask that you'll apply in place of your moisturizer or on top of your moisturizer, but it's meant to be left on overnight to do its work as you sleep so you don't wash it off. You can use it as needed like a few times a week or nightly as your nighttime moisturizer if you choose. It's got this hydrolyzed mineral water and beta glucan that is really unique in maximizing skin hydration absorption, helping to soothe and moisturize your skin as you sleep. You can use it so many different ways. You can use it as needed for dullness or hydration, or when you're traveling, putting this on in flight can really help to reduce that dehydration that your skin gets while you're flying."
"This is one that is worth trying and it's one of those things where it provides more of a temporary instant plumping hydrating effect. Long-term, I don't think it's realistic to apply a sheet mask every night, so the benefits last only as long as you use it. But certainly it is a great way to give your skin an instant pick-me-upper right before an event or if you want to sleep in something for that hydration. Peeling it off and revealing that hydrated dewy skin is really fun. Unlike traditional sheet masks, these are hydrogel and you apply them as the last step of your skincare routine. As the hydrogel dries, it becomes from opaque to transparent, enhancing skincare delivery, and then it dries on your skin almost like a peel-off mask, but it takes much longer, usually within four hours or longer, which is why most people sleep in it. The next day when you peel it off, it's really revealing that hydrated plump skin underneath."
"You apply this goopy layer and let it dry, and that gel does absorb and dry pretty quickly, and then you sleep in it. The idea is that the next day when you rip it off, it's supposed to leave your skin more hydrated, more supple, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and improve skin complexion and overall skin texture and tone. It contains hydrolized collagen that acts as a humectant to improve skin hydration, also contains hyaluronic acid as well as niacinamide and peptides that help with the skin barrier. Niacinamide and peptides can also better support skin rejuvenation along with centella that is soothing and calming. When I think of these masks, especially with the name collagen, what it's not going to do is support your skin's own production of collagen. The way these masks work when you're using it as an overnight mask is really mostly improving that skin hydration, skin barrier health, and then indirectly your skin is going to look healthier, more plump, and less wrinkly. These masks are really fun to do and great to instantly improve your skin radiance and tone, great if you're looking for a quick pick-me-upper like before an event or something like that."
"I love hair serums or hair oils. I kind of use them interchangeably but I use it on almost like a daily if not twice a day basis. What I like to do with oils, especially the ones that are really lightweight, is I like to put it on my ends before I sleep to reduce any sort of friction damage or roughness that may bring about make my hair feel more dry and frizzy the next day. So I kind of coat my ends with hair serum and oil before I sleep and then again in the morning if I feel my hair is just a little bit dry and frizzy I will again add a little bit of oil and serum to the ends to just keep my hair feeling soft and shiny and smooth throughout the day and especially in between hair washing. For $5 you can't go wrong, especially with this texture and the ingredients. I think it's a great steal."
"I love the Briogeo Don't Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask. I really feel like it's very dense and nourishing, just what my hair needs because I have more coarse hair that really helps to repair hair, add resilience and strengthen hair. It contains rose hip oil, algae extract, almond oil and biotin. It's not really rich in protein, so if you find that protein-based conditioning masks make your hair really brittle, I highly recommend checking this one out."
"You apply it like a mask, it's a creamy thick gel-like texture that you want to apply liberally all over your face. You do want to let it dry before sleep otherwise it gets everywhere on your pillow and gets messy. You can apply it on top of your nighttime skincare routine and then next morning remove it for that dewy radiant look. It contains collagen to help temporarily hydrate and boost and add firmness to your skin, promoting better skin turnover and supporting your skin turnover as you sleep. It helps to enhance the penetration and absorption of your other skincare products. It enhances the benefits of your skincare products you apply beforehand and helps to lock in hydration so that when you remove it the next day your skin is better hydrated, which is why it looks more radiant, dewy, and glasslike. It contains hydrolyzed collagen that helps to hydrate the skin and strengthen your skin's natural barrier, along with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, as well as peptides that may work to support your skin barrier and maybe over time help improve fine lines and wrinkles."
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All 2 takes on Collagen Night Wrapping Mask
K-Beauty at Ulta: What’s Actually Worth Buying?!? | Dermatologist's picks | Dr. Jenny Liu
"It's an overnight mask that is formulated to help to deeply hydrate and improve skin elasticity while you sleep and really helps to plump your skin and keep it hydrated. I really don't think it's doing as much as far as collagen production. I do find that in general these overnight masks because it's just not practical to use it nightly and the contact time with your skin is just not enough. However, the collagen in there definitely acts as a great humectant to temporally plump your skin and make your skin super hydrated and glassy the next day. The collagen comes in to help to temporarily boost firmness and reduce appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, promoting that hydrated smooth glassy skin, that glowy complexion, and then also helps to support your skin barrier, locking in moisture, reducing redness, and supporting your skin as it's repairing itself overnight. Ingredient wise it contains hydrolyzed collagen that really acts as a humectant to support our skin barrier and then indirectly reduce appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. When your skin looks plump and healthy, it improves dullness, improves dryness, and your skin looks younger and more rejuvenated in general. It also contains hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and peptides, which support your skin barrier."
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"You apply it like a mask, it's a creamy thick gel-like texture that you want to apply liberally all over your face. You do want to let it dry before sleep otherwise it gets everywhere on your pillow and gets messy. You can apply it on top of your nighttime skincare routine and then next morning remove it for that dewy radiant look. It contains collagen to help temporarily hydrate and boost and add firmness to your skin, promoting better skin turnover and supporting your skin turnover as you sleep. It helps to enhance the penetration and absorption of your other skincare products. It enhances the benefits of your skincare products you apply beforehand and helps to lock in hydration so that when you remove it the next day your skin is better hydrated, which is why it looks more radiant, dewy, and glasslike. It contains hydrolyzed collagen that helps to hydrate the skin and strengthen your skin's natural barrier, along with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, as well as peptides that may work to support your skin barrier and maybe over time help improve fine lines and wrinkles."
"The Peach Slices one with the different blends of acids and lower concentrations along with other soothing ingredients potentially is a more gentle formulation. If you struggle with pores or post-acne marks, it would be very helpful in improving those concerns."
"It's the multivitamin power recovery mask from Dermalogica. It's a creamy mask that you leave on, and it's a creamy mask that has various different antioxidants, blend of vitamins that is supposed to hydrate and nourish your skin. It's super creamy and really ideal for dry skin. It has a light kind of citrusy floral scent that's very refreshing. You leave it on for like 10 to 15 minutes."
"This is definitely one of the OG exfoliating pads that we find at Sephora. I love it. I use it myself regularly. It's something that I love incorporating into my skincare routine once a week, twice a week at most to help remove dullness, improve skin turnover, help to brighten the skin. The ingredients really do all those things, especially for those who are struggling with uneven skin texture, skin tone dullness, and hyperpigmentation. If you have sensitive skin it's not the best thing for you, but if you have fairly normal skin looking for a good exfoliating regimen to add into your routine to address those anti-aging concerns, this is definitely one that I would recommend. Ingredient-wise it contains a blend of glycolic and lactic acid, the most popular used alpha hydroxy acids that are great exfoliants to target uneven skin texture and skin tone. It also contains green tea extract along with chamomile, so anti-inflammatory soothing, calming ingredients to really reduce some of the irritation that chemical exfoliants can bring on."
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All 2 takes on Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Pads
Budget-friendly Korean Skincare swaps | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is definitely one of the OG exfoliating pads that we find at Sephora. I love it. I use it myself regularly. It's something that I love incorporating into my skincare routine once a week, twice a week at most to help remove dullness, improve skin turnover, help to brighten the skin. The ingredients really do all those things, especially for those who are struggling with uneven skin texture, skin tone dullness, and hyperpigmentation. If you have sensitive skin it's not the best thing for you, but if you have fairly normal skin looking for a good exfoliating regimen to add into your routine to address those anti-aging concerns, this is definitely one that I would recommend. Ingredient-wise it contains a blend of glycolic and lactic acid, the most popular used alpha hydroxy acids that are great exfoliants to target uneven skin texture and skin tone. It also contains green tea extract along with chamomile, so anti-inflammatory soothing, calming ingredients to really reduce some of the irritation that chemical exfoliants can bring on."
Sephora Savings Event 2023 Dermatologist Top Picks | Dr Jenny Liu
"It comes in a peeling pack pad as well as a neutralizing pad that's prepackaged and it contains a blend of Alpha and beta hydroxy acids so five different acids along with 12 other antioxidants that really work to help improve uneven skin texture, uneven skin tone, appearance of pores, and congestion. It's a great chemical exfoliating peel that you can do at the convenience of your home. The ingredients are worth highlighting: glycolic acid, which really helps with skin juvenation, fineness, fighting lines and wrinkles, along with lactic acid as well as green tea and resveratrol, which are great antioxidants that also support our skin. I love that this comes in additional strength Extra Strength, which is actually what I have at home and really is my personal favorite, but I find the universal one to be more gentle, especially if you are new. There's also a lower concentration gentle formulation that's better suited for those with more dry and sensitive skin. You just follow the instructions with the peeling pad, and after a number of minutes you will neutralize with the neutralizing pad, so it's very user friendly. I recommend using this once a week at most twice a week, really a great part of the skin cycling trend to help you get fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin texture and skin tone."
"This one is great because number one it does contain BHA, so even though BHA we think of it more for like pore congestion acne oiliness, it does also offer some chemical exfoliating benefits. It is a chemical exfoliant so it does help with hyperpigmentation, especially acne related, as well as dullness and uneven skin texture and skin tone. It also contains tannin which is derived from chestnut and this is a polyphenol, so rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, along with hyaluronic acid, also really great at hydrating the skin, supporting the skin barrier, overall improving skin hydration, skin texture and skin tone."
"This is a dense, rich nourishing hair mask really meant to revitalize dry, brittle, chemically processed, damaged hair. It's really dense and creamy and really meant to help soften your hair, strengthen your hair, make your hair super soft, less frizzy and shiny. You have to spend some time with it, I recommend at least leaving this on for 20 minutes or longer. If you just leave it on for 5 minutes, you really won't feel like it does much. The longer you leave it on your hair, the better the results would be. What is unique about this mask is its ingredients in the formula, something we don't see here in the US. It uses a blend of royal jelly extract that helps to really nourish hair, revitalize hair, and offer some repairing benefits. It also contains other lipids ingredients like amino acids that help to strengthen hair and really make the hair soft and smooth and shiny. It's just a very dense mask, very nourishing. My hair is coarse, and I find it really helps to instantly soften my hair and add shine. If you have fine hair you may have to test it out, but I don't really feel like it should weigh your hair down. I've seen other people with fine hair testing out this product and I've seen nothing but good things from their experience."
"This product is actually really nice and I'm recommending it because it's more gentle compared to some of the other scrubs that I have used or have seen in the past. It's marketed for helping with body bumps, keratosis pilaris, and in general, if you use this regularly by removing and scrubbing away the dead skin buildup it can help because dead skin is what clogs up the hair follicles and leads to those bumps. For individuals that have mild KP or have strawberry legs, certainly using this as long as you're gentle, and this product overall is pretty gentle, is not going to inflame your skin and make it worse."
"This exfoliant contains 2% salicylic acid, which is the BHA component. Salicylic acid is a chemical exfoliant that has oil gland loving property, so it's lipophilic and really loves the sebum, which is why it's more ideal for individuals that are more oily and acne prone, helping to unclog pores, improving skin turnover, helping to improve pore congestion, and thereby over time improve the appearance of dilated pores, blackheads, whiteheads, as well as post acne marks. Because it's a chemical exfoliant, it also can improve dullness, uneven skin texture and skin tone, and thereby reduce some of the sun damage appearance and offer some anti-aging benefits. This product also contains green tea, which is a great anti-inflammatory antioxidant, so great for acne prone skin as well as aging skin because it can really help in both areas. I just love the liquid texture because it's really lightweight. You can apply it with a cotton pad on your skin or put it all over your face after cleansing, or if you pour it on your fingers you can apply all over your face. One of my personal tricks is I actually just like to spot treat areas that I need to, so the T-Zone area."
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All 2 takes on 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Sephora Savings Event 2023 Dermatologist Top Picks | Dr Jenny Liu
"This is really nice to use and it's just great all around. It's lightweight, not sticky, and definitely something worth trying out if you have more oily and acne-prone skin. If you're looking to improve acne, poor congestion, post-acne marks, I recommend incorporating it into your routine a few times a week at most. You really want to start off slow and gradually increase, and many of us do not need to exfoliate on a daily basis."
Viral Skincare that's worth the hype from a dermatologist | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This exfoliant contains 2% salicylic acid, which is the BHA component. Salicylic acid is a chemical exfoliant that has oil gland loving property, so it's lipophilic and really loves the sebum, which is why it's more ideal for individuals that are more oily and acne prone, helping to unclog pores, improving skin turnover, helping to improve pore congestion, and thereby over time improve the appearance of dilated pores, blackheads, whiteheads, as well as post acne marks. Because it's a chemical exfoliant, it also can improve dullness, uneven skin texture and skin tone, and thereby reduce some of the sun damage appearance and offer some anti-aging benefits. This product also contains green tea, which is a great anti-inflammatory antioxidant, so great for acne prone skin as well as aging skin because it can really help in both areas. I just love the liquid texture because it's really lightweight. You can apply it with a cotton pad on your skin or put it all over your face after cleansing, or if you pour it on your fingers you can apply all over your face. One of my personal tricks is I actually just like to spot treat areas that I need to, so the T-Zone area."
"Azelaic acid can help with brightening the skin, improving post-acne marks, hyperpigmentation, and salicylic acid is a great product for unclogging pores and helping with acne. All around this is just a really elegant product to use, almost like a treatment for me with my hormonal acne kicking back up postpartum leaving post-acne marks. I really loved using this a few times a week almost in place of my chemical exfoliant because the 1% azelaic acid itself is a chemical exfoliant. If you have more oily skin, I can certainly see that you could probably use this more frequently. I recommend leaving it on like a sleeping mask, finishing off the rest of your routine and avoiding other chemical exfoliants, any other serums that have alpha or beta hydroxy acid, and certainly probably want to avoid your topical retinoid, then just finish off with a lightweight moisturizer and apply this on as like a sleeping mask or just in place of your moisturizer depending on your skin needs. This would be like a moisturizer and treatment in one."
"I love CeraVe anti-dandruff shampoo with active ingredients like zinc pyrithione, but it's going to be way more gentle on your hair."
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All 5 takes on Anti-Dandruff Shampoo with Zinc Pyrithione
The Right Way to Wash Your Hair (Most People Get This Wrong) | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I love CeraVe anti-dandruff shampoo with active ingredients like zinc pyrithione, but it's going to be way more gentle on your hair."
Stop believing these hair loss myths! Dermatologist explains | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If you have dandruff, that is another contributor of oxidative stress, so you definitely want to make sure you're using anti-dandruff shampoo. Even if you don't struggle with dandruff, incorporating an anti-dandruff shampoo is the best thing you can do to support a healthy hair environment. Studies have shown that anti-dandruff shampoos alone, whether you have dandruff or not, can support hair regrowth, namely zinc pyrithione and ketoconazole."
Dermatologist Favorite Haircare Products of 2024 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"CeraVe Anti-Dandruff Shampoo is so lovely, so hydrating, makes my hair feel wonderful as well. It's great for those that have mild dandruff. If you have mild dandruff with kind of intermittent itching and flaking here and there, I think this one would be a great one to use. It contains 1% zinc pyrithione along with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, all wonderful ingredients to support the skin of your scalp. After rinsing it off, it does not cause dryness of your hair. If you have hair thinning and want to use an anti-dandruff shampoo to complement minoxidil, zinc pyrithione has been shown to actually complement minoxidil for supporting hair growth, so this one would be a good one to use a few times a week without drying your hair."
Dermatologist-Approved: The Best Drugstore Haircare You NEED to Try | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Works great at controlling mild dandruff without overdrying your hair. If you have a sensitive scalp, eczema prone scalp, or want a shampoo that can cleanse without stripping your scalp and hair, this is so good. It really helps to cleanse but without making your hair feel dry and your skin also is being hydrated while it's being cleansed. It contains three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide. It's also safe for dry and color-treated hair too."
Dermatologist-Approved: The Best Drugstore Haircare You NEED to Try | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The anti-dandruff shampoo works great at controlling mild dandruff without overdrying your hair. If you have a sensitive scalp, eczema-prone scalp, or want a shampoo that can cleanse without stripping your scalp and hair, this hydrating shampoo is so good. It really helps to cleanse but without making your hair feel dry and your skin is being hydrated while it's being cleansed. It contains three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, and it's also safe for dry and color-treated hair too."
"I may replace that with like a shampoo that supports scalp health like Nioxin for like those who struggle with hair grain or you know, hair thinning."
"The Dyson one, it tends to make my hair stick together and tangle more for some reason. I really do think that this one, my hair loves it more for some reason."
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All 2 takes on Supersonic Hair Dryer
Sephora Sale Must-Haves | Dermatologist-Approved Skincare & Haircare | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Dyson one, it tends to make my hair stick together and tangle more for some reason. I really do think that this one, my hair loves it more for some reason."
Black Friday 2024: Derm-Recommended Skincare & Haircare Deals You Can’t Miss! | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If you're looking for a hair dryer to dry your hair quickly without extreme heat to minimize damage at the same time reduce frizz, this is the one. It smooths, adds shine, and really results in healthier looking hair. I blow dry my hair every night before I sleep and even though I do it regularly, I definitely feel like my hair has been the healthiest it's ever been. Dyson is one that we do know delivers those results, and it's quiet and it's lightweight and super nice for your hair if you do blow dry your hair regularly. It has this intelligent heat control that basically measures the air temperature 20 times per second to really help avoid those extreme heat damage that can do on hair."
"This is one of my personal favorite detox shampoos. I use it once a week regularly or before I actually do the K18 treatment. It's a great gentle detoxifying shampoo with the K18 trademark peptide that really helps to remove buildup, that really helps to clarify your scalp and your hair and prep your hair for the K18 treatment, but at the same time doesn't make your hair feel really stripped or dry. It removes up to 99% of product buildup, 95% of sebum buildup and the other kind of hard minerals that you may get from the water or pollution. So it is really one of the most gentle detoxifying shampoos, but at the same time works well at removing everything."
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All 6 takes on Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo
Budget Haircare That Performs Like Luxury | Dermatologist Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is one of my personal favorite detox shampoos. I use it once a week regularly or before I actually do the K18 treatment. It's a great gentle detoxifying shampoo with the K18 trademark peptide that really helps to remove buildup, that really helps to clarify your scalp and your hair and prep your hair for the K18 treatment, but at the same time doesn't make your hair feel really stripped or dry. It removes up to 99% of product buildup, 95% of sebum buildup and the other kind of hard minerals that you may get from the water or pollution. So it is really one of the most gentle detoxifying shampoos, but at the same time works well at removing everything."
Dermatologist Favorite Haircare Products of 2024 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is one of my favorite clarifying shampoos because it works so well but yet so gentle on hair. I actually use this shampoo right before I use the K18 Bond repair treatment to really set my hair and scalp up for that. Ingredient-wise it's got activated charcoal to absorb the sebum buildup and other residues, metals from the water, etc. that can build up on your hair and scalp, along with salicylic acid that is a great exfoliant, and then the K18 peptide that helps to strengthen hair and reduce the damage that shampooing naturally brings on to your hair and scalp. It's a lovely gentle clarifying shampoo that I highly recommend for anyone that has more dry and damaged hair, color-treated hair, chemically processed hair looking for a clarifying shampoo that will not wreak havoc on hair."
Hair Cycling Routine according to a dermatologist | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The one that I really love is K18 detox shampoo. Of all the clarifying shampoos I've used, this is the one that feels the best on my hair afterwards. Often clarifying shampoos, because they're so effective at cleansing, make my hair feel a little bit dry and crunchy after rinsing it out, but this K18 detox shampoo does not do that. It is very gentle and contains the K18 peptide that is in their bond repair, which helps to reinforce hair strength and reduce breakage. At the same time, I do feel that there's no residue. My scalp does feel clean, so it's not like it's not effective. It contains activated charcoal along with citric acid as well as the K18 peptide together to really give you an effective cleanse without over-stripping your hair."
Dermatologist's Favorite Sephora Skincare & Haircare Products | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I am obsessed with it and I have to say probably is by far to date my favorite clarifying shampoo. This shampoo first of all is safe to use on color treated hair. K18 is a line that really formulates for those that have dry damaged color treated chemically processed hair so you know the formula is going to be gentle on hair but overall it's just lovely at cleansing your scalp and as I'm rinsing off it just magically keeps my hair soft and helps to detangle with my hair too which is not what I typically find with clarifying shampoos in general. Clarifying shampoos are really meant to give your scalp a good cleanse and so in general they tend to be a little bit more aggressive at cleansing and so strips away everything including the natural sebum that our scalp makes to protect our scalp and hair and that's the problem. But this one has that delicate balance with the product. I use it once a week and that is what the brand recommends as well. You don't want to be using a clarifying shampoo on a regular basis because that's just too aggressive. I highly recommend it if you have a dandruff prone scalp needing to wash your hair more frequently and worry about getting your hair dry and brittle. If you're looking for a good clarifying shampoo that gets a job done while minimizing dryness to the hair, you got to check out K18's detox shampoo."
Sephora Spring Savings Event 2024 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"K18 their detox shampoo is a lovely great clarifying shampoo to use once a week, especially to prep your hair for the K18 treatment mask if you use that, but it's just really nice at removing all the buildup, the sebum, the debris, whatever products, dry shampoo that you may use on your scalp. But after I rinse it through my hair my hair actually feels softer. It actually magically detangles my hair, which I feel like I normally don't get that with a clarifying shampoo because the idea behind a clarifying shampoo is they tend to have a little bit more aggressive cleansing ingredients to remove everything and so with that they may strip your hair's oil or make your hair more tangled up, but this one I love the way it not only works for my scalp but also how my hair feels afterwards. Ingredient-wise it contains activated charcoal that helps to absorb all the sebum, the debris, excessive oil from your scalp. It also contains salicylic acid that is a great chemical exfoliant to gently remove the buildup, and then the K18 peptide that is part of all of their products, that really is the core peptide that helps to strengthen the hair at the same time."
Dermatologist updated Haircare routine | Dr. Jenny Liu
"One of my favorite clarifying shampoos that I absolutely love is from K18, their detox shampoo. I absolutely love this shampoo because it's very gentle on all fronts but works really well. When I'm shopping for clarifying shampoo I always worry about what it makes my hair feel like, does it cause my hair to be more brittle and dry, but this one does not. At the same time, afterwards my scalp also feels very refreshed. It contains activated charcoal that helps to absorb excessive sebum and remove buildup, including heavy metals that may build up in our hair from water. It also contains salicylic acid that helps to remove dead skin buildup and excessive sebum, as well as the K18 peptide that helps to strengthen hair and repair dry and damaged hair. I use this once a week at most. If you use this shampoo and pair it with your K18 repair treatment, the shampoo actually sets up a good environment and creates a clean canvas so that the K18 repair treatment can better work through your hair."
"I prescribe prescription ketoconazole 2% to my patients, but 1% Nizoral is great. It can be drying on hair, so you want to keep that in mind."
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All 2 takes on Ketoconazole 1% Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Stop believing these hair loss myths! Dermatologist explains | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I prescribe prescription ketoconazole 2% to my patients, but 1% Nizoral is great. It can be drying on hair, so you want to keep that in mind."
Improve Hair Growth With These Scalp Care Must Do's | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If you have dandruff or are struggling with hair loss in general, you can find one percent Ketoconazole over the counter as Nizoral. Ketoconazole helps to reduce hair thinning and helps in particular with androgenetic hair loss because Ketoconazole itself has anti-dihydrotestosterone properties, so that hormone that really is the driver of male pattern and female pattern hair loss. Studies have shown that for those especially struggling with androgenetic hair loss, adding in an anti-dandruff shampoo has been shown to reduce hair thinning but also really help to boost the efficacy of minoxidil. I recommend using the anti-dandruff shampoo maybe one to two times a week."
"You want to use anti-dandruff shampoo that contains like zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, or ketoconazole, for example, like Head and Shoulders, but you want to use that regularly to help with reducing dandruff and the inflammation that contributes to oxidative stress. Even if you don't struggle with dandruff, incorporating an anti-dandruff shampoo is the best thing you can do to support a healthy hair environment. Studies have shown that anti-dandruff shampoos alone, whether you have dandruff or not, can support hair regrowth, namely zinc pyrithione and ketoconazole."
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All 2 takes on Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Stop believing these hair loss myths! Dermatologist explains | Dr. Jenny Liu
"You want to use anti-dandruff shampoo that contains like zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, or ketoconazole, for example, like Head and Shoulders, but you want to use that regularly to help with reducing dandruff and the inflammation that contributes to oxidative stress. Even if you don't struggle with dandruff, incorporating an anti-dandruff shampoo is the best thing you can do to support a healthy hair environment. Studies have shown that anti-dandruff shampoos alone, whether you have dandruff or not, can support hair regrowth, namely zinc pyrithione and ketoconazole."
Dermatologist updated Haircare routine | Dr. Jenny Liu
"For more affordable options Head and Shoulders has great formulas that work well for dandruff. They have lots of different lines for different hair types, including ones for curly textured hair. Their Royals line is great if you have dandruff and don't wash your hair often due to buildup, but really can't wash your hair because of textured hair. It's made for individuals that have curly, kinky, coily hair texture that struggle with dandruff but won't dry out your hair. In general, zinc pyrithione formulations tend to be more nourishing for hair and less drying than prescription ketoconazole or over-the-counter options. Head and Shoulders is a great affordable version that also works really well but is not as drying on hair."
"There are a few vitamin supplements that I recommend to my patients if they ask me for recommendations that can potentially support their hair regrowth journey and that's Nutrafol and the Viviscal. Both of those do contain biotin but it's not the biotin that's actually helping. It's their proprietary blend of active ingredients that is supporting that hair regrowth."
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All 4 takes on Hair Growth Supplement
Sephora Savings Event 2023 Dermatologist Top Picks | Dr Jenny Liu
"Depending on the type of hair loss you have you may only need to take it for a certain amount of time, but for more progressive hair loss like androgenetic hair loss it definitely is more of a long-term treatment so it can get pricey. But yeah, of all the hair loss supplements out there, Nutrafol is definitely one of the few brands I recommend."
Stop believing these hair loss myths! Dermatologist explains | Dr. Jenny Liu
"There are a few vitamin supplements that I recommend to my patients if they ask me for recommendations that can potentially support their hair regrowth journey and that's Nutrafol and the Viviscal. Both of those do contain biotin but it's not the biotin that's actually helping. It's their proprietary blend of active ingredients that is supporting that hair regrowth."
Dermatologist Compares Nutrafol & Viviscal
"Nutrafol launched in 2016 and has gained popularity much more quickly over the past few years amongst consumers and dermatologists alike. Nutrafol contains 21 ingredients that make up their trademark Cynatine complex, which is essentially a blend of phytoactive, plant-derived ingredients that have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and stress-adaptogens as well as DHT-inhibiting effects. Some of the ingredients you can find within their complex include curcumin, the main phytoactive from turmeric, and ashwagandha, to name a few. Nutrafol also contains amino acids, marine collagen, hyaluronic acid, and a few other vitamins and minerals that all make up those 21 ingredients. Nutrafol can help those who are undergoing a lot of stress-related hair loss and has been mostly studied in the context of improving androgenetic hair thinning, but because of all those antioxidants and adaptogens it could possibly improve stress-related hair loss."
Dermatologist Compares Nutrafol & Viviscal
"Nutrafol tends to work a little bit better, especially in patients that I have tried both. The feedback from my Dermatology colleagues and their patients is that it may be helpful for supporting hair growth and stress-related situations such as postpartum hair loss, hair loss after surgery, major illnesses, or COVID. Nutrafol does have a postpartum line that per their website is safe to take during lactation. Keep in mind that supplements do have side effects, especially if you are a nursing mom, so you want to first discuss with your provider. Unfortunately, Nutrafol is more expensive now, and depending on the type of hair loss you're addressing, this can get pretty expensive, especially for androgenetic hair loss where you know there is no cure and it is a chronic condition."
"If you have dandruff that is another contributor of oxidative stress. You definitely want to make sure you're using anti-dandruff shampoo that contains like zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, ketoconazole for example like Vichy Dercos from Vichy. You want to use that regularly to help with reducing dandruff and the inflammation that contributes to oxidative stress. In fact studies have shown that anti-dandruff shampoos alone whether you have dandruff or not can support hair regrowth, namely zinc pyrithione and ketoconazole."
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All 2 takes on Dercos Anti Dandruff Shampoo
Stop believing these hair loss myths! Dermatologist explains | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If you have dandruff that is another contributor of oxidative stress. You definitely want to make sure you're using anti-dandruff shampoo that contains like zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, ketoconazole for example like Vichy Dercos from Vichy. You want to use that regularly to help with reducing dandruff and the inflammation that contributes to oxidative stress. In fact studies have shown that anti-dandruff shampoos alone whether you have dandruff or not can support hair regrowth, namely zinc pyrithione and ketoconazole."
Dermatologist-Approved: The Best Drugstore Haircare You NEED to Try | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I really love this for those that have a little bit more harder to control dandruff. The difference between this one and the other two is if you have more severe dandruff and want something a little extra because the ingredients is different. It contains 1% selenium disulfide and when you look at East Asian ingredients, selenium disulfide is much stronger and more effective at killing off the malassezia yeast, and also contains salicylic acid and glycerin. I love this one because for those that do have harder to control dandruff you can use it on a regular basis to treat your dandruff but also minimizes relapse for up to six weeks and at the same time does not dry out your hair. Highly recommend this one if you have dry hair, oily scalp, or more moderate dandruff to use on a regular basis for better control."
"If you have super dry hair and want something even more nourishing, check out Dove DermaCare Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. Of all the shampoos with zinc pyrithione, this one is probably the most nourishing. It still contains the active ingredient zinc pyrithione to fight dandruff, but as you're rinsing it through it is quite conditioning for the hair."
"Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray is a heat-activated treatment meant to really reduce frizz in high-humidity environments and provides that glasslike appearance with up to 72 hours of humidity resistance. I rediscovered it in 2024 and have been loving it. I like to pair this when I do my gloss treatment to give my hair that extra boost of shine. It makes my hair so shiny, gives it that glasslike appearance but so soft. It's ideal for anyone with frizzy hair that gets even frizzier when it's hot and humid out, but I don't have frizzy hair and I even use it in the wintertime because it just makes my hair so soft and so shiny. You spray this and it's lightweight."
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All 2 takes on Dream Coat Supernatural Spray
Sephora Holiday Sale Must Haves from a Derm | Dr. Jenny Liu
"It's the Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray. This is the heat-activated anti-frizz treatment that essentially helps to reduce humidity-induced frizziness and really gives you that glass hair-like finish, which is why I'm obsessed with it. If you have curly hair or fine hair that gets easily frizzy, especially from humidity, this is the product to use. It offers humidity protection up to 72 hours, even between hair washings. It's got this proprietary anti-humidity complex, and part of the ingredient I've heard from my chemist is this really unique silicone called polysilicone-29 that supposedly is a really small molecule silicone that offers all the benefits without weighing your hair down. It also has glycerin and other ingredients, so it offers great benefits in coating your cuticles, making your hair smooth and shiny at the same time while offering protection against humidity and frizziness. What I love is the way it makes my hair feel and especially the way it makes my hair look the next day after blow drying, really the shininess that it imparts."
Dermatologist Favorite Haircare Products of 2024 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray is a heat-activated treatment meant to really reduce frizz in high-humidity environments and provides that glasslike appearance with up to 72 hours of humidity resistance. I rediscovered it in 2024 and have been loving it. I like to pair this when I do my gloss treatment to give my hair that extra boost of shine. It makes my hair so shiny, gives it that glasslike appearance but so soft. It's ideal for anyone with frizzy hair that gets even frizzier when it's hot and humid out, but I don't have frizzy hair and I even use it in the wintertime because it just makes my hair so soft and so shiny. You spray this and it's lightweight."
"Citric acid is the core ingredient here that helps to repair the bonds that are broken within the hair. When you rinse it off your hair feels amazingly soft and manageable and smooth. It's got that conditioner that helps to smooth down cuticles making your hair stronger smoother and shinier so you can actually just use these together regularly to improve the overall quality and the feel of your hair."
"The Pureology Hydrate Shampoo is more of a creamy shampoo that protects your hair color and helps to deeply moisturize at the same time. It contains jojoba oil, green tea, as well as sage extract that can stimulate your hair follicles."
"This is great because it's lightweight and multitasking in the sense it helps to smooth, add shine, reduce frizz, but at the same time protect hair from UV damage and heat damage and really adds a nice kind of high gloss finish. I love hair oils in general, especially the ones like this one that are very lightweight and just apply nicely on the ends. I apply hair oil after I shower before I blow dry my hair and then I'll actually apply a coat in between hair washing, especially at night to the ends. I find that it really helps to keep my hair soft and shiny and smooth in between hair washing. I find this oil is excellent because it provides the smoothing, anti-frizz, and the glossy to my hair."
"The clarifying shampoo from Olaplex is one that I find to be effective at removing buildup and so something that I would use maybe once or twice a month depending on how much products I put within my scalp."
"I do recommend the CurrentBody LED Hair Regrowth Helmet because it is backed by clinical trials and science. It is FDA cleared, which means it's passed safety tests to be used at home. It can be used alone or to complement your current hair regrowth treatment. It contains 122 red light LEDs to penetrate the scalp to stimulate hair follicles encouraging thicker and healthier hair. Clinical trials have shown that 100% of the users experienced hair regrowth with an average 33% increase in hair density over six months. What sets CurrentBody apart is the energy that it delivers. It delivers three times more powerful light energy than some of the competitors. It actually delivers 18 joules per centimeter squared of red light energy while some competitors may only deliver six joules per centimeter squared. I love that it's a helmet that provides adequate coverage for my entire scalp so that all the hair follicles on your scalp are being treated with equal amount of energy."
"It's a great one and it's a simple product. It may just look like water because the packaging is very clear, almost looks like you're putting on water, but it's really lightweight. It absorbs really nicely. It's very elegant, but at the same time, it's amazing how this clear bottle of water, if you will, really helps to rebalance your skin after cleansing. It helps to reduce irritation and the fact that it's really suitable for all skin types, sensitive and acne prone skin. Ingredient wise it contains 77% heartleaf which is a really popular K beauty ingredient that helps to calm and soothe redness inflammation while at the same time supporting your skin barrier. Panthenol and betaine which are gentle hydrating ingredients that really helps to keep the skin barrier moisturized and hydrated without adding heaviness or irritation. You can use regularly if you're super sensitive skin or use it if you have become sensitized because you just overdid it with retinoids or exfoliants. It's a product that works well for those who are sensitive and acne prone, and also works well with other products in your routine without causing that irritation."
"I'm personally a big fan of their milky toner. Their Mask Fit Red Cushion is a cushion foundation that offers great coverage that's also buildable and lasts all day but also has this hydrated glassy skin finish that is smooth and pretty and lasts through heat and humidity. It feels light on your skin without that heavy foundation feel or look and looks natural but yet great coverage, and you can build on that. It doesn't break out acne-prone skin. It offers medium to full coverage, and if you build on it, the coverage is better. It's great for daily use or for filming or for an important event. It stays through heat and humidity with a natural slightly dewy glass skin finish and contains ingredients that help to calm and hydrate the skin."
"I love the ingredients in here. It's really nice if you are looking for a product that is vegan, helps with skin brightening, skin hydration, especially in the fall and winter time. I love this product. I've been incorporating it into my skincare routine on a regular basis probably since fall and I continue to use it. I really love the fact that it makes my skin so hydrated and soft. I predominantly use it in the evening after cleansing before my serum. I love it and I can see why this product is viral and I highly recommend it for those who have not tried it."
"The Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner is enriched with antioxidants so it not only helps to protect your skin against environmental aggressors but also helps to brighten your skin as well as help to hydrate and also enhance the penetration of the rest of your skincare products like serums. It contains Cloudberry concentrate that is rich in vitamin C, vitamin E and other antioxidants along with coenzyme Q10 that we know is an antioxidant powerhouse, so together it really helps to protect your skin from free radical damage. At the same time it also contains 5% glycerin and rice water that helps to moisturize and brighten your skin. Vitamin C itself is also a really great brightening agent. It has a nice texture that absorbs really quickly. Usually what I do is I would just pat this product on after cleansing, let it absorb, and then before it absorbs completely I'll move on to my serum, moisturizer, and then sunscreen if it's in the morning or just moisturizer at night."
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Black Friday 2024: Derm-Recommended Skincare & Haircare Deals You Can’t Miss! | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner is enriched with antioxidants so it not only helps to protect your skin against environmental aggressors but also helps to brighten your skin as well as help to hydrate and also enhance the penetration of the rest of your skincare products like serums. It contains Cloudberry concentrate that is rich in vitamin C, vitamin E and other antioxidants along with coenzyme Q10 that we know is an antioxidant powerhouse, so together it really helps to protect your skin from free radical damage. At the same time it also contains 5% glycerin and rice water that helps to moisturize and brighten your skin. Vitamin C itself is also a really great brightening agent. It has a nice texture that absorbs really quickly. Usually what I do is I would just pat this product on after cleansing, let it absorb, and then before it absorbs completely I'll move on to my serum, moisturizer, and then sunscreen if it's in the morning or just moisturizer at night."
Sephora Spring Savings Event 2024 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is a concentrated essence and toner that you apply immediately after cleansing before your serum. It contains powerful antioxidants including cloudberry, which is really rich in vitamin C, along with another really potent antioxidant called coenzyme Q10 that really helps to boost our skin's ability to fight out free radicals. Antioxidants really work well together when they're combined. It also contains 5% glycerin as well as rice water to really hydrate the skin, plump the skin, improve overall complexion. With those ingredients, it helps with hyperpigmentation, dullness, uneven skin texture and skin tone. It's really meant to be used like an essence toner to boost the benefits of the rest of your skincare. However, with this wonderful formulation, if you want to simplify your routine, this could really serve as your essence toner as well as serum in one, just depending on how many steps you want to take. You can use this alone as your essence and slash serum in one or it would be a great addition to the rest of your skincare routine."
"Consider adding some glycolic acid into your nail care. Glycolic acid being a chemical exfoliant helps to facilitate that kind of turnover of skin and glycolic acid is a great humectant to help hydrate. Studies have actually shown that higher strength glycolic acid peels can help to rejuvenate dry and brittle nails and even improve and thicken nails that are caused by medical conditions like psoriasis. Aside from it being a humectant and improving turnover, it also may facilitate the penetration of other moisturizers and other ingredients that you would put on your nails after, and overall just enhancing that nail rejuvenation process. After washing your hands at night, you would take the Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution and either drip some on a cotton pad or you can put it on a Q-tip for more precise application."
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Nail care tips from a dermatologist | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Consider adding some glycolic acid into your nail care. Glycolic acid being a chemical exfoliant helps to facilitate that kind of turnover of skin and glycolic acid is a great humectant to help hydrate. Studies have actually shown that higher strength glycolic acid peels can help to rejuvenate dry and brittle nails and even improve and thicken nails that are caused by medical conditions like psoriasis. Aside from it being a humectant and improving turnover, it also may facilitate the penetration of other moisturizers and other ingredients that you would put on your nails after, and overall just enhancing that nail rejuvenation process. After washing your hands at night, you would take the Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution and either drip some on a cotton pad or you can put it on a Q-tip for more precise application."
The Ordinary 7% Glycolic Acid Toning Solution | Dermatologist's take on Glycolic Acid Skincare Hacks
"It's certainly a good product for its price and for the formula. It's super affordable at $13 for an 8 oz bottle which I actually think can last you quite a bit of time because in general we do not recommend using an exfoliant on a daily regular basis unless that's the only thing you're using in your routine. It contains 7% glycolic acid and that's the only chemical exfoliant in this product, and 7% is a good concentration. It's not super low where it's only acting as a thin, usually those are like 2 to 4%, but is still effective but not super high where it's going to cause significant irritation in most skin types. It's going to help improve skin texture, skin tone, hyperpigmentation, dullness, dead skin buildup, dry flaky skin, and certainly over time may help to refine your fine lines and wrinkles. It's a solution so usually used like a toner after cleansing, can be applied with a cotton pad or just with your bare hands. Overall it is fairly lightweight, absorbs quickly with minimal residue, although some people have reported it can leave a little slight filmy feel afterwards."
The Ordinary 7% Glycolic Acid Toning Solution | Dermatologist's take on Glycolic Acid Skincare Hacks
"The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution is certainly a good product for its price and for the formula. It's super affordable at $13 for an 8 oz bottle, which I actually think can last you quite a bit of time because in general we do not recommend using an exfoliant on a daily regular basis unless that's the only thing you're using in your routine. It contains 7% glycolic acid and that's the only chemical exfoliant in this product. 7% is a good concentration, it's not super low where it's only acting as a hint, usually those are like 2 to 4%, but it's still effective but not super high where it's going to cause significant irritation in most skin types. It's going to help improve skin texture, skin tone, hyperpigmentation, dullness, dead skin buildup, dry flaky skin, and certainly over time may help to refine your fine lines and wrinkles. It's a solution so usually used like a toner after cleansing, can be applied with a cotton pad or just with your bare hands. Overall it is fairly lightweight, absorbs quickly with minimal residue, although some people have reported it can leave a little slight filmy feel afterwards, but for the majority it's fairly elegant, lightweight and fast absorbing."
The Ordinary 7% Glycolic Acid Toning Solution | Dermatologist's take on Glycolic Acid Skincare Hacks
"It contains 7% glycolic acid and that's the only chemical exfoliant in this product, and 7% is a good concentration. It's not super low where it's only acting as a hint, usually those are like 2 to 4%, but it's still effective but not super high where it's going to cause significant irritation in most skin types. It's going to help improve skin texture, skin tone, hyperpigmentation, dullness, dead skin buildup, dry flaky skin, and certainly over time may help to refine your fine lines and wrinkles. It's a solution so usually used like a toner after cleansing, can be applied with a cotton pad or just with your bare hands. Overall it is fairly lightweight, absorbs quickly with minimal residue, although some people have reported it can leave a little slight filmy feel afterwards, but for the majority it's fairly elegant, lightweight, and fast absorbing. This product does have some odor inherent to it."
Tips for getting rid of body hyperpigmentation | Dermatologist Dr. Jenny Liu
"Those higher concentrations like 7% 10% toners, depending on the location, you have to use with caution. I treat them like retinoids where low and slow, you start off like maybe only once or twice a week and gradually increase as tolerated. And honestly, for most people, if you are using the Ordinary toner or something higher concentration, at most probably two to three times a week is all you should be using anyway."
Dermatologist favorites from The Ordinary | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I really love this product because number one it contains 7% glycolic acid at a pH that we know is effective at removing dullness helping over time with improving uneven skin texture and skin tone. 7% glycolic acid also is a good concentration, lower enough that it actually can act as a humectant to help hydrate the skin as well. This is definitely more suitable for those that have more normal skin, combination skin, even oily skin, and for those with more dry and sensitive skin I think it's suitable but you probably want to test it out first or limit the use. Certainly not something that you probably could use as readily as lactic acid, just because in general glycolic acid is a little more irritating compared to lactic acid for those with sensitive skin."
"I don't have relevant content about the Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Toner Plus in this transcript window. The passage discusses sunscreen products only, not the toner product specified."
"Like for example polish chids they're skin balancing Poe reducing toner for ACC combination oily skin this is a lightweight one that number one helps to remove any sort of left residue helps to balance your skin pH also helps your temporary reduce shine"
"The toner that I'm going to recommend is a toner liquid exfoliant from The Inkey List, their polyhydroxy acid toner that is lovely, very affordable at $14 on Amazon. This contains 3% polyhydroxy acid that's going to act as a hydrating ingredient at the same time and over time helps to improve dryness, along with 3% Niacinamide that is also an antioxidant anti-inflammatory ingredient that really works well with polyhydroxy acid to tackle dullness, uneven skin tone, and skin texture, and also contains Aloe that's going to be hydrating at the same time. I recommend pouring this onto your palm and then patting onto your skin instead of swiping with a cotton pad that may just be a little bit too abrasive physically. You can use this a couple times a week almost like a hydrating toner slash chemical exfoliant in one."
"It is super watery, super lightweight. You pump onto your palms like two pumps, you pat it all over your skin after cleansing, absorbs really quickly, and because it's so lightweight it's very versatile in the sense I find that many people can benefit from this product. I also love the ingredients, especially for those who are tackling anti-aging concerns. It has a blend of various different peptides including copper tripeptide. Copper has been huge and I think it's going to continue to grow in popularity because number one it's antioxidant, it's anti-inflammatory, has wound healing properties, and also has been shown as one of the few peptides that can truly help to support collagen synthesis. So with how watery and lightweight this product is, it's really helpful for tackling fine lines and wrinkles. It also has niacinamide in there and also various different blends of amino acids. Just all around a wonderful lightweight product, really easy to incorporate into your morning and evening routine."
"The Inky List has a polyhydroxy acid toner that contains three percent polyhydroxy acid along with three percent niacinamide, another great one that's more affordable. Polyhydroxy acids are more of a humectant but over time it can certainly slowly improve that skin texture and skin radiance."
"I really like this one because number one it's super popular and it's popular for a reason. It really helps to deliver that instant hydration and freshness to your skin but not just instant, it also at the same time keeps your skin plump and hydrated all day long. The secret is really in the fermentation process and the formulation and the technology that really makes this hydrating toner unique from other Korean hydrating toners. It has hyaluronic acid at its core but not just any hyaluronic acid. The unique fermentation process makes the hyaluronic acid much smaller. When you ferment ingredients they're broken down, they're smaller and they're more readily absorbed into your skin. Especially with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, it's able to better penetrate into your skin into the deeper layers of your skin, so not only does it provide instant hydration but more long lasting hydration, keeping your skin plump and hydrated all day long. This toner also helps to prepare your skin for the products that you put on afterwards. What's also really cool and unique is aside from the fermentation, the ultra deep technology really enhances the penetration of other ingredients in this toner, basically providing additional skin barrier support and repair and making our skin barrier more resilient to all the aggressors that our skin faces on a daily basis."
"The SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye Cream is really creamy. It's got wonderful ingredients more geared towards active concerns like crow's feet. I just love the hydrating nature, to be honest."
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Winter Skin Survival Guide from a Derm | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye Cream is really creamy. It's got wonderful ingredients more geared towards active concerns like crow's feet. I just love the hydrating nature, to be honest."
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"I've been using the A.G.E. Advanced Eye Cream from SkinCeuticals and it's actually one of my favorite eye creams. It's very rich and creamy but doesn't crease, doesn't cause your makeup to crease or anything like that. I use it in the morning as well. I love it because it keeps my under eye hydrated and makes my concealer glide on nicely. It helps to depuff, helps to improve fine lines and wrinkles. I highly recommend it for those with more mature skin struggling with crow's feet. It contains proxylane, an active ingredient that helps with skin elasticity, blueberry extract, antioxidants, flavonoids that help with antioxidant benefits of the skin, and caffeine that helps with puffiness and dark circles. It's a great lovely texture that I think is suitable for those with more dry and mature skin."
"It comes on a roller tip that helps to depuff and the massage component also helps to reduce some of that puffy under eye look. It contains thamadol, shea butter, hyaluronic acid and a few other plant derived extracts. It's a lighter cream, not super rich or nourishing. It's not meant to tackle fine lines, but I really do love the fact that I can usually use it and it keeps my under eye pretty hydrated and does not cause makeup to run or to crease. And you can use it twice a day."
"This is the caffeine solution 5% that retails for about nine bucks. It contains caffeine along with EGCG, which is basically polyphenol derivatives that we commonly see in green tea that have antioxidant anti-inflammatory properties and also contain some caffeine properties as well. The two together work really well. We know caffeine helps to vasoconstrict and reduce temporarily the puffiness to the under eyes, and if you struggle with dark circles because of the puffiness this may help to temporarily reduce that as well. I love this because it's also hydrating, it's fast absorbing, lightweight but not heavy or greasy where if you use it in the morning your eye makeup will smudge or melt, but it is enough to help hydrate your under eye so that way when you apply concealer or makeup it doesn't cake or crease. It's hydrating, helps to depuff, and layers nicely under makeup."
"This is a great concealer if you're looking for concealer that helps to camouflage dark circles, broken capillaries, fine lines and wrinkles, make you look more refreshed, less tired, but doesn't crease and doesn't accentuate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, especially when you set it with powder. It is super hydrating, it's super pigmented so a little bit goes a long way. Because it's super richly pigmented and they have what they call the expression proof technology, it essentially prevents it from cracking and kicking up so that way it doesn't make you look older and doesn't make you look like you have more wrinkles than you really do. This technology contains a blend of ingredients that helps to essentially hydrate the under eye area, which already is pretty delicate, so hydrolyzed collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E. All around a great under eye concealer that's hydrating that won't make you look older, a little bit goes a long way, doesn't crack, and it's just a really elegant under eye concealer."
"The one that I've been loving is from Beauty of Joseon, retinal eye cream that contains ginseng. It's just a really nice rich cream. I'll dab this on my eyes, and it's very nourishing and hydrating, has a nice slip to it, spreads nicely, it's fast absorbing, it's not sticky at all. This would be a great one if you are looking for a retinol based eye cream that targets fine lines and wrinkles that you can use around the eyes."
"I really do love this eye cream because it does help to improve all aspects of our concern, but yet it's still elegant that it won't cause problems or interact with your makeup. This is a rich cushiony eye cream that really is designed to visibly hydrate the skin, improve fine lines, wrinkles, as well as appearance of dark circles and dullness around the eyes. It really helps to deeply hydrate thereby improving the appearance of fine lines but at the same time brighten the skin so that way dark circles are less visible. So it's a great option for anyone who is looking for a nourishing but still elegant textured eye cream that works well both morning and night to really improve aspects of the skin around the eyes."
"It's designed to target the perorbital concerns like retinol for wrinkles, hyaluronic acid hydration and then a blend of other ingredients that can help to address puffiness as well as upper eyelid sagging. Now that is very unique because many of the eye creams are just really meant or have been tested only on the under eye. This one has been shown to be effective for upper and lower eyelids. I really love the texture because it's nourishing and rich, hydrating, but not greasy or heavy. And it actually layers really nicely under makeup. It helps my concealer not cake because it keeps my under eye hydrated. I love the fact that it comes in this really cute metal roller that helps you apply the product. And as you're massaging it, the cooling tip and that roller really helps to depuff the eyelids at the same time. In addition to retinol, hyaluronic acid contains a blend of plant derived extracts including but not limited to matsu, angelica root, and olive root, all together working synergistically to reduce appearance of undereye bags, signs of fatigue, helping to re-energize the skin, making the skin visibly look more lifted, hydrated, and overall you looking less tired and just more refreshed. I love the fact that it's been clinically proven to reduce the appearance of eye sagging, wrinkles, and dark circles in just one week. And it's also ophthalmologist and dermatologist tested."
"Olay is a classic one you can find over the counter their red jar as well as their retinol all contain the active ingredients plus matrixol or the palmetto pentapeptide that helps with skin rejuvenation."
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All 3 takes on Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer
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"Olay is a classic one you can find over the counter their red jar as well as their retinol all contain the active ingredients plus matrixol or the palmetto pentapeptide that helps with skin rejuvenation."
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"Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 their retinol eye cream is also pretty lightweight."
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"Olay, their retinol 24, Neutrogena's retinol either the serum or the cream are very gentle. The cream is a really great one if you have extra drying sensitive skin, it's very nourishing and you can kind of put a moisturizer on top of that if you need."
"CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is great if you don't struggle with acne anymore and are mostly concerned with pore congestion and post acne marks. This can be very helpful. It helps to improve the concerns of skin texture and skin tone but is also lightweight and fast absorbing."
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All 2 takes on Resurfacing Retinol Serum
Oily Skincare, tips from a dermatologist | Dr. Jenny Liu
"CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is great if you don't struggle with acne anymore and are mostly concerned with pore congestion and post acne marks. This can be very helpful. It helps to improve the concerns of skin texture and skin tone but is also lightweight and fast absorbing."
Lightening & Preventing DARK UNDERARMS | Dr. Jenny Liu
"One of the most gentle ones I've talked about many times is from CeraVe, their Resurfacing Retinol, the one in that teal white bottle that contains encapsulated retinol that's gentle but yet effective as well as a liquid shoot that has anti-inflammatory as well as brightening properties so that's certainly something you can use on a nightly basis if tolerated."
"Adapalene used to be a prescription, but now it's over the counter. It is really the only retinoid in drug stores that helps to treat and prevent acne. Benzoy peroxide cleanser and adapalene gel is really the dynamic duo that most dermatologists recommend when it comes to over-the-counter treatments. With adapalene, how it works is it helps to improve skin turnover. It's also anti-inflammatory and indirectly antimicrobial. So with that, it helps to treat and prevent acne at the same time while improving pore congestion, blackheads and whiteheads. And because it improves skin turnover, it also helps to improve post-acne marks. This is really one of the most important acne topicals to have over the counter when it comes to treating acne."
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Amazon Prime Day 2023 | BEST OF SKINCARE Dermatologist top picks
"Adapalene is wonderful for acne in so many different ways. Number one, it is by far the most effective topical retinoid available in drugstores without a prescription for not only preventing acne but also helping with post-acne marks and in some ways superficial scars. It used to be prescription, but now it's over the counter, so this is a great way, especially if you're not able to get to see a dermatologist, to try this on your skin. Adapalene works like most retinoids do in improving skin turnover, helping to unclog pores. It's anti-inflammatory and so helps with preventing acne, treating mild acne, helping to reduce clogged pores, so blackheads and whiteheads, and then reducing the appearance of enlarged pores. It also helps, because of increasing the skin turnover, with post-acne marks. Another benefit of it is that it's the most gentle of all retinoids when it comes to acne."
Dermatologist creates acne routine for $100 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Adapalene used to be a prescription, but now it's over the counter. It is really the only retinoid in drug stores that helps to treat and prevent acne. Benzoy peroxide cleanser and adapalene gel is really the dynamic duo that most dermatologists recommend when it comes to over-the-counter treatments. With adapalene, how it works is it helps to improve skin turnover. It's also anti-inflammatory and indirectly antimicrobial. So with that, it helps to treat and prevent acne at the same time while improving pore congestion, blackheads and whiteheads. And because it improves skin turnover, it also helps to improve post-acne marks. This is really one of the most important acne topicals to have over the counter when it comes to treating acne."
"The pharmaceutical company that owns Neutrogena conducted clinical studies showing this really upregulates retina receptors and response in the skin, improving the onset and benefits while at the same time reducing irritation. It also contains glycerin and dimethicone, which gives the cream a little bit more richness and creaminess, so more support to your skin, especially if you have dry skin. I really love this one and recommend checking this one out if you have dry skin and are looking for a good anti-aging retinol moisturizer."
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All 3 takes on Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Moisturizer
Retinol for SENSITIVE SKIN | Dermatologist's Guide
"I recommend the Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Moisturizer from Neutrogena. Make sure you pick the fragrance-free one because they make the exact same product with fragrance. This retails for $28. Neutrogena has a lot of research into their retinol and definitely clinical studies as well demonstrating efficacy and tolerability. This one contains retinyl acetate, which stands for sustained action, so formulated with the glucose complex to really enhance delivery but reduce irritation. This moisturizer also contains hyaluronic acid. For individuals that have more sensitive skin, especially if you're looking for a one-stop-shop moisturizer and retinol combined in one, I like to go with a more nourishing formulation, which is why I picked this Neutrogena one. For most people with dry and sensitive skin, this moisturizer is enough, unless you are like me during the winter time when it's so dry and cold, you may feel the need to layer on an extra layer of just plain moisturizer."
Dermatologist creates anti-aging routine for $100 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The pharmaceutical company that owns Neutrogena conducted clinical studies showing this really upregulates retina receptors and response in the skin, improving the onset and benefits while at the same time reducing irritation. It also contains glycerin and dimethicone, which gives the cream a little bit more richness and creaminess, so more support to your skin, especially if you have dry skin. I really love this one and recommend checking this one out if you have dry skin and are looking for a good anti-aging retinol moisturizer."
Dermatologist's favorite Retinols for Sensitive Skin
"I recommend the Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Moisturizer from Neutrogena. Make sure you pick the fragrance-free one because they make the exact same product with fragrance. This retails for $28. Neutrogena has a lot of research into their retinol and definitely clinical studies as well demonstrating efficacy and tolerability. This one contains retinyl acetate, which stands for sustained action, so formulated with the glucose complex to really enhance delivery but reduce irritation. This moisturizer also contains hyaluronic acid. For individuals that have more sensitive skin, especially if you're looking for a one-stop-shop moisturizer and retinol combined in one, I like to go with a more nourishing formulation, which is why I picked this Neutrogena one. For most people with dry and sensitive skin, this moisturizer is enough, unless you are like me during the winter time when it's so dry and cold, you may feel the need to layer on an extra layer of just plain moisturizer."
"It contains encapsulated retinol that enhances delivery but it reduces irritation, also along with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, so all great ingredients to support the skin barrier and reduce irritation. I certainly love this one and have definitely used this retinol all over my face, but sometimes I would use it as my retinol eye cream, and I've used it around my eyes, around my neck, and I have not had any issues. I definitely feel CeraVe has probably one of the most gentle retinols that you can find, and definitely one that I think most individuals with sensitive and rosacea-prone skin can use and tolerate with minimal irritation."
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All 2 takes on Skin Renewing Retinol Serum
Retinol for SENSITIVE SKIN | Dermatologist's Guide
"CeraVe has probably one of the most gentle drugstore retinols that you can find and definitely one that I think most individuals with sensitive and or rosacea prone skin can use and tolerate with minimal irritation. This one has a little bit more moisturizing property so great for those with more sensitive and dry skin. I certainly love this one and have definitely used this retinol all over my face but sometimes I would use it as my retinol eye cream and this one I've used around my eyes around my neck and I have not had any issues."
Dermatologist's favorite Retinols for Sensitive Skin
"It contains encapsulated retinol that enhances delivery but it reduces irritation, also along with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, so all great ingredients to support the skin barrier and reduce irritation. I certainly love this one and have definitely used this retinol all over my face, but sometimes I would use it as my retinol eye cream, and I've used it around my eyes, around my neck, and I have not had any issues. I definitely feel CeraVe has probably one of the most gentle retinols that you can find, and definitely one that I think most individuals with sensitive and rosacea-prone skin can use and tolerate with minimal irritation."
"RoC is a very well-respected brand in the retail space with years of research and over 25 patents on their product formulation, so a brand that I trust makes effective yet gentle retinols. I like these capsules especially if you are a beginner and you're worried about using too much product that may contribute to irritation. These capsules are great for a couple reasons: number one, it ensures the freshness and the stability of the retinol; two, it helps you to dose the right amount each time so that way you're not using too much that may lead to irritation. These capsules are also biodegradable. Formulation-wise, it contains retinol and an antioxidant that's very similar to vitamin E, so it works together synergistically to combat signs of skin aging. Texture-wise, it's very lightweight, fast absorbing, and non-sticky, so it's a great one to use for all skin types, especially if you have sensitive skin."
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All 2 takes on Retinol Capsules
Retinol for SENSITIVE SKIN | Dermatologist's Guide
"RoC is a very well respected brand in the retinol space with years of research and over 25 patents on their product formulation, so it's a brand that I trust makes effective yet gentle retinols. I like these capsules especially if you are a beginner and you're worried about using too much product that may contribute to irritation. These capsules are great for a couple reasons: number one, it ensures the freshness and stability of the retinol; two, it helps you to dose the right amount each time so you're not using too much that may lead to irritation. These capsules are also biodegradable. The formulation contains retinol and an antioxidant that's very similar to vitamin E, so it works together synergistically to combat signs of skin aging. Texture-wise, it's very lightweight, fast-absorbing, and non-sticky, so it's a great one to use for all skin types, especially if you have sensitive skin."
Dermatologist's favorite Retinols for Sensitive Skin
"RoC is a very well-respected brand in the retail space with years of research and over 25 patents on their product formulation, so a brand that I trust makes effective yet gentle retinols. I like these capsules especially if you are a beginner and you're worried about using too much product that may contribute to irritation. These capsules are great for a couple reasons: number one, it ensures the freshness and the stability of the retinol; two, it helps you to dose the right amount each time so that way you're not using too much that may lead to irritation. These capsules are also biodegradable. Formulation-wise, it contains retinol and an antioxidant that's very similar to vitamin E, so it works together synergistically to combat signs of skin aging. Texture-wise, it's very lightweight, fast absorbing, and non-sticky, so it's a great one to use for all skin types, especially if you have sensitive skin."
"This is a great retinol if you're a beginner to retinol or have sensitive skin. It's got an encapsulated retinol which enhances the delivery, reduces irritation, and improves stability. It contains 0.03 percent, so lower concentration. It doesn't mean it's not effective, but great again for those with sensitive skin or just starting off. Also contains bakuchiol and other plant-derived extracts that may work together to improve the signs of aging and enhance and support the skin barrier. I love the fact that this is lightweight, it's fast absorbing, it does not leave your skin feeling heavy, sticky, or greasy, so really suitable for all skin types. If you're new or have sensitive skin and want to try right now, that's over the counter, that's affordable and effective, this is the one that I highly recommend."
"The Neoen Real Ferment Micro Essence is really nice because it's super light, watery, but really has wonderful ingredients that helps to hydrate, balance, and also fermented ingredients that helps to kind of improve texture and tone long term as well. It's a fermented essence with high concentrations like 28% of fermented various blends of fermented yeast extract that helps to nourish and hydrate the skin, and then 17% birch juice and 9% rice extract that we know is great for brightening the skin. What I love is that this is very multifunctional in the sense you can use it regardless of your skin type, but it's really ideal for oily combination skin because with the fermentation there's naturally derived moisturizing factors, what our skin makes naturally to hold on water. In this fermented extract, you're going to get that, and you're going to get your lactic acid from that yeast fermentation. You got brightening ingredients that helps you remove maybe any sort of dullness."
"I really like this one because it's got wonderful ingredients and some people even call it like the more affordable alternative to the SK-II fermented essence. But what the name implies, it's got wonderful fermented ingredients and when you ferment ingredients you're getting the brightening benefits often and then the hydrating benefits and often the ingredients are much smaller so they absorb into your skin more readily providing those benefits that we just mentioned. Ingredient wise it's got high concentrations of fermented yeast ingredients including bifidus ferment lysate as well as saccharomyces ferment filtrate that both helps to strengthen your skin barrier, helps to support your skin barrier, improve skin suppleness, plumpness, skin hydration and supporting your skin barrier with the nutrients to help it repair itself overnight. Also has rice ferment that helps to brighten along with birch juice that's calming and hydrating. I really just aside from all the benefits I love the fact that it is just a very much like water and I can just pat my skin, pat it into my skin, absorbs really nicely without having to worry about that it may cause pilling or interaction with the rest of the products I use in the evening."
"From my personal experience I feel like it was really nice to use but didn't notice a significant impact on my overall skin health and skin quality. There's so many other skincare products on the market now I feel like this is definitely one option that is pricier but not the only option."
"This is a really multi-functional spray that contains the active ingredient hypochlorous acid, which is essentially a naturally derived ingredient that has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and soothing benefits and can help to balance the skin pH when it's disrupted from cleansing or acne and rosacea. So that's usually the conditions that I kind of recommend using the spray for: anybody that gets breakouts, rosacea flares, or has eczema that needs some instant soothing. This can be helpful. You can spray it on the face and body after exercising, and if your rosacea tends to flare during seasonal transitions, this would be a great product to incorporate into your routine once or twice a day, just spray on your face after cleansing and then carry on with the rest of your skincare routine. This is a pretty great, gentle ingredient to incorporate. It helps to rebalance the pH of your skin that's often disrupted when there's inflammation from rosacea, eczema, or acne."
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All 2 takes on SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray
Dermatologist skincare picks for Chinese New Year | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray is super convenient to use and it contains hypochlorous acid that is produced naturally by our immune system. Hypochlorous acid has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects and also helps to soothe the skin. So for anyone, especially when we are all wearing a lot of mask and that mask caused more acne or mask-related rosacea flares, this spray was great to use even under the face or spray on your mask to really soothe and calm the skin and reduce the irritation and friction. For somebody who struggles with acne and rosacea flares on a regular basis, this would be a great one to put on, basically spray after cleansing and then they can follow up with the rest of their skincare routine to really help keep the skin less irritated."
Sephora Spring Savings Event 2024 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is a really multi-functional spray that contains the active ingredient hypochlorous acid, which is essentially a naturally derived ingredient that has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and soothing benefits and can help to balance the skin pH when it's disrupted from cleansing or acne and rosacea. So that's usually the conditions that I kind of recommend using the spray for: anybody that gets breakouts, rosacea flares, or has eczema that needs some instant soothing. This can be helpful. You can spray it on the face and body after exercising, and if your rosacea tends to flare during seasonal transitions, this would be a great product to incorporate into your routine once or twice a day, just spray on your face after cleansing and then carry on with the rest of your skincare routine. This is a pretty great, gentle ingredient to incorporate. It helps to rebalance the pH of your skin that's often disrupted when there's inflammation from rosacea, eczema, or acne."
"This is like the one that really made snail mucin popular here and it is kind of like this fun sticky serum that you pump out that is hydrating. It has this fun pumping action and stretchiness to it. But at the same time this formula when it's applied on your skin is very light and hydrating and really does not leave much of a tackiness or residue or film on your skin. It is made with 96% snail mucin. Snail mucin is really popular ingredient from Korean skincare and the mucin is rich in a lot of antioxidants, polysaccharides, other actives and bioactives that really helps to repair and strengthen the skin barrier. It has lots of great properties all the way from antioxidant to repair to even improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. So it's suitable for all skin types. Even if you have oily, acne-prone skin, the texture is not going to be really heavy or thick and certainly the ingredient doesn't hurt if you have acne."
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All 7 takes on Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
COSRX Skincare Favorites | Worth the Hype or Skip? | Derm Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is like the one that really made snail mucin popular here and it is kind of like this fun sticky serum that you pump out that is hydrating. It has this fun pumping action and stretchiness to it. But at the same time this formula when it's applied on your skin is very light and hydrating and really does not leave much of a tackiness or residue or film on your skin. It is made with 96% snail mucin. Snail mucin is really popular ingredient from Korean skincare and the mucin is rich in a lot of antioxidants, polysaccharides, other actives and bioactives that really helps to repair and strengthen the skin barrier. It has lots of great properties all the way from antioxidant to repair to even improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. So it's suitable for all skin types. Even if you have oily, acne-prone skin, the texture is not going to be really heavy or thick and certainly the ingredient doesn't hurt if you have acne."
Dermatologist shares favorite Korean skincare ingredients | Dr. Jenny Liu
"For those of you who are not interested in a gooey slimy moisturizer but want to try a snail product, I recommend this Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence that contains 96% snail secretion. It's definitely more viscous than a typical essence and slightly slimy, but because it comes in a pump it's not as messy. Once you apply it, it absorbs so nicely and quickly and leaves no residue on your skin but yet is very hydrating. I almost treat it like a serum than an essence. It's great for all skin types but especially if you have more oily combination skin or get easily dehydrated. It layers very nicely, if you use a vitamin C serum in the morning that's more watery, I'd envision this would go after your vitamin C serum. It's really lightweight, really helps to plump the skin. I highly recommend it."
Dermatologist's Favorite Asian Skin and Haircare products of 2023 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence, that one I've talked about so much I feel like it's been such a trending product. It really doubles as an essence and a serum. It's really hydrating. Snail mucin has a lot of great wound healing, soothing properties. Despite how sticky it is, I just absolutely love that it's really fast absorbing, and once it's absorbed it really leaves behind minimal residue or tackiness on the skin."
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"The Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence contains 96.3% snail secretion filtrate, which is really where the name comes from. Snail mucin has been shown to help with many different things, but in particular it's got actives and bioactive compounds in the snail secretions to help with wound healing. It's anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and it's a great humectant. So if nothing else this is just a great hydrating serum, but with additional benefits such as improving the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, skin texture, and skin tone. It also contains hyaluronic acid, and the texture is so lovely."
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"Look at how sticky it is. It's almost, even though it's a serum, almost have a hyaluronic acid like texture, and because of that if you do use a watery say vitamin C serum I recommend actually layering this on after your vitamin C. I love the fact that it's ultra hydrating but absorbs really quickly, and even though it's a little tacky when you first pump out of the bottle it absorbs very quickly, it leaves minimal residue, not sticky at all, but super hydrating. We know that snail mucin has a lot of great hydrating, moisturizing, anti-inflammatory benefits and may help with collagen production."
Dermatologist reviews viral skincare trends of 2023 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Snail mucin has become popular because it has been associated with that glass skin trend and in many ways I really do feel like it imparts a lot of great benefits to the skin. I have loved the COSRX snail mucin so much like many of you, and it helps to keep the skin hydrated, has antioxidant wound healing benefits, and it's just a lovely product."
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"I love that one however I find that every time I recommend it or talk about it on social media there's always seems to be a little confusion about which step in the routine to use it before serum after serum because it's definitely thicker in texture some people can't get over the fact that it is a little more sticky and the fact that it is derived from snail mucin."
"Essences are a huge part of Japanese and Korean skincare culture and they're almost like a watery toner essentially but not used quite the same way. They're put on immediately after cleansing before serum and they do a couple things. Number one, it helps to soften the skin, add back additional hydration to the skin. Two, it helps to actually improve penetration of skincare ingredients through a couple mechanisms because you're rehydrating the skin, but often they will contain ingredients. In particular, in Japanese skincare, essences often contain fermented ingredients that naturally help with fermentation with acids that will actually naturally improve skin cell turnover and thereby enhancing the penetration of ingredients that you use afterwards. This is a really elegant lightweight essence that number one promotes skin moisture balance, improve radiance and dullness and again with ingredients in here improving skin turnover and thereby enhancing the penetration of the products that used afterwards. It helps to visibly improve fatigue making your skin look more bright and energized and refined and ingredient wise contains two types of hyaluronic acid and this is really important because then you can penetrate various layers of the skin improving moisture retention."
"Eucerin Advanced Repair Hand Cream is a really hydrating, moisturizing but fast absorbing and leaves minimal residue so that way after using it you don't leave imprints of things that you touch with your hands. Ingredient wise it contains ceramide 3, essential ceramides that really help to restore our skin barrier along with alpha hydroxy acid that can gently exfoliate, helps to hydrate at the same time and reduce the buildup of dead skin that may contribute to thickened skin that can easily crack. One thing to keep in mind is that any moisturizer that contains alpha hydroxy acid, if you put on skin that has pre-existing cracks and fissures it will burn temporarily, so just be careful of that. Otherwise this is a great one to have on hand to use regularly to keep the skin on your hands soft and hydrated."
"Necessaire have a body specific serum that can help to target skin texture and skin tone on the body. When it's formulated for the body it's going to be way more appropriate, and body care products are definitely going to be more economical and intended for widespread use so you're definitely going to get something that you won't run out in just like a week or two when you're using facial care products on body."
"This body moisturizer is equally lovely. It contains encapsulated retinol at .1%, so a good concentration, along with other ingredients like cocoa butter, squalane, vitamin E, and all around is just a nourishing creamy texture but not sticky, not heavy, and really ideal for individuals who are seeking anti-aging concerns on the chest and neck and other places like the hands but find either facial products to be too irritating or really they're too expensive and you certainly don't want to use it in these areas. This body lotion would be really good for that. In fact, that is how I used it. I put this on my neck, on my chest, on my hands at night to really target these areas of concern because they also age, if not faster, compared to our face. And so we spend all this time taking care of our face but the other parts may be neglected and that can really show your true age. So this body lotion is great to use all over or to target areas where you need to."
"Drunk Elephant's TLC Glycolic Body Lotion is one of my must-try moisturizers that helps with bumpy skin, keratosis pilaris, uneven skin texture and skin tone on your body. I really like this because it contains a blend of various alpha hydroxy acids including glycolic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid and citric acid, so really great exfoliants that help to unclog the pores and help with chicken skin, strawberry legs, keratosis pilaris. I think it's also great to use on areas that are prone to shaving bumps on the body. It also contains shea butter as well as plant-derived oils that are nourishing. I love the fact that texture-wise it's very fast-absorbing, it's lightweight but yet hydrating, and doesn't impart a funny scent, which some of the exfoliating, lactic acid based moisturizers can have. It's really fast-absorbing and elegant, so definitely something to try if you're looking for a more elegant, fast-absorbing moisturizer that also helps with dry, ashy, dull skin."
"First Aid Beauty's KP Smoothing Body Lotion has 10% AHA, predominantly lactic acid, but it also contains urea, which is another great ingredient and can help improve clogged pores and keratosis pilaris as well. In addition, it also has soothing oats, so it's more nourishing and soothing. I think it's really great for those with more dry skin that are struggling from keratosis pilaris."
"It's a hydrating serum, but certainly over time can help remove some of that chapped flaky skin on your lip that builds up over time. You apply it like a serum, just one little tiny drop all over my lip. It doesn't burn, doesn't stain. It's a great one if you're looking for something that gently exfoliates that doesn't stain, or if you struggle with flaky skin or retain dead skin or uneven tone. Using a gentle product over time can definitely help with that. Ingredient-wise it's got 5% gluconolactone, which is a PHA, glycerin and other wonderful hydrating and soothing ingredients. You can use it twice a day. I definitely would recommend applying more of an emollient over that because as a serum, if it just dries, that may pull more water out of your skin, or I feel like my lip doesn't feel hydrated or protected enough. So I always recommend following a serum that would dry more readily with some sort of emollient or petrolatum product afterwards."
"Their lip mask is kind of the lip version of the sleeping mask. It offers different flavors, with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and antioxidants that provide that hydrating component that makes your skin noticeably softer and smoother by the morning. It comes in lots of different fun, collectible flavors that are really fun to use, giving your lips that little bit of TLC."
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All 2 takes on Lip Sleeping Mask
What a Dermatologist Actually Buys from Sephora’s K-Beauty Aisle | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Their lip mask is kind of the lip version of the sleeping mask. It offers different flavors, with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and antioxidants that provide that hydrating component that makes your skin noticeably softer and smoother by the morning. It comes in lots of different fun, collectible flavors that are really fun to use, giving your lips that little bit of TLC."
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"This is a really great lip repair mask that you put on at night before you sleep. It contains berry fruit complex rich in vitamins along with vitamin C that acts as great antioxidants defending against external aggressors, along with shea butter, coconut oil, and other plant-derived oils that are really helpful at soothing our lips, hydrating lips, and keeping the lips smooth and reducing the dryness and their likelihood to chap."
"I really love and recommend Aquaphor Lip Repair. This is a fragrance-free formula, so even suitable for sensitive skin, that really helps to reduce dryness and chapped lips. Helps to kind of heal in moisture and is really designed for all skin types but particularly sensitive skin. I also love that petrolatum kind of leaves this really pretty shine to your lip. The formula includes nourishing vitamins, shea butter as well as chamomile essence to calm and hydrate the lip. So making it a great option for kind of a balm texture for daily use. And also it's very small, so you can easily put in your pocket, put in your bag, just take it out when you need and apply without your hands. That's the other benefit compared to Vaseline in that you don't have to use your hands. Just apply that product directly on your lip and you're all set."
"If you haven't tried COSRX pimple patches, highly recommend it. There's nothing special about their patches to be honest, but if you've like me have used many patches, many different ones from various brands, you can just tell some are just made with better quality. And that is why I recommend these. They're just better quality. The texture of their patches, the thickness of their patches in a good way, the way they stick on your skin is just so much better. COSRX makes patches of different sizes, and that is also what I love because not all acne and breakouts are the same size. But these ones stay on better. They're great if you're like a picker sometimes like me that can't help keep touching your acne. It's great to protect your acne. Sometimes it helps to draw out additional pus but also help it heal better and faster. I use it when I travel. I use it when I have acne that's red inflamed. I think they're so much nicer quality compared to some of the other ones."
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All 2 takes on Acne Pimple Master Patch
COSRX Skincare Favorites | Worth the Hype or Skip? | Derm Dr. Jenny Liu
"If you haven't tried COSRX pimple patches, highly recommend it. There's nothing special about their patches to be honest, but if you've like me have used many patches, many different ones from various brands, you can just tell some are just made with better quality. And that is why I recommend these. They're just better quality. The texture of their patches, the thickness of their patches in a good way, the way they stick on your skin is just so much better. COSRX makes patches of different sizes, and that is also what I love because not all acne and breakouts are the same size. But these ones stay on better. They're great if you're like a picker sometimes like me that can't help keep touching your acne. It's great to protect your acne. Sometimes it helps to draw out additional pus but also help it heal better and faster. I use it when I travel. I use it when I have acne that's red inflamed. I think they're so much nicer quality compared to some of the other ones."
Dermatologist favorite acne patches | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I love this one because number one it's super cheap, $3 on YesStyle, and you get a sheet or two of various different sizes. I love this one because it just has variety because we don't all get pimples the same size. It sticks fairly well even some of the smaller ones, because that's one problem I've had with other brands is some of the super tiny ones, it's hard to pull off and then once you pull them off they lose their stickiness and then they don't stick well onto your skin. But the one from Cosrx I overall haven't had much of a problem with, and I really enjoy the fact that it comes in various different sizes that you can pick and choose from to best match your pimple."
"Ingredient wise it contains zinc oxide along with centella and panthenol as well as green tea, so antioxidants you've got your panthenol and centella that are soothing and hydrating. It's lightweight, it absorbs really quickly but it doesn't cake. It doesn't leave a white cast and actually has once it's absorbed this hydrating and semi-dewy finish which I love. This has been one of my favorites because if you struggle with mineral sunscreens, if you hate that feeling of your skin feeling dry and tight, this one doesn't cake."
"It has 0.5% salicylic acid so lower concentration, which isn't as effective but will be less irritating along with licorice root that's anti-inflammatory and may offer some brightening benefits, and cica acid that is a brightening ingredient. This is a lightweight gel cream that is very fast absorbing but hydrating, doesn't feel sticky. I personally love this in the morning under sunscreen. It's not super mattifying but definitely is not sticky at all and can be used by everyone. If you are acne-prone but have oily skin I think this would be a good moisturizer. For those with more dry skin it's definitely hydrating but you may find it to be not supportive enough depending on how dry and sensitive your skin is. But overall for most individuals looking for a lightweight elegant moisturizer that offers some acne benefits, some brightening benefits, helps targeting post-acne marks, that's going to feel nice, not heavy, and layer nicely under sunscreen, I recommend checking this one out."
"Unlike Botox, dermal fillers really target the muscles that essentially over time, when they contract, create wrinkles that are etched into our skin from facial expression, so like the 11s when we frown repeatedly over time, or the forehead wrinkles from lifting our eyebrows."
"Sculptra, polylactic acid, is a biostimulatory filler. Even though it's injected similarly on the face as one would with HA fillers, it differs slightly in this sense: with traditional HA fillers you basically get what you see, when it's injected into skin it's there, it's instant aside from some swelling. But with biostimulatory fillers, as the name implies, they don't really give you that instant gratification. Instead they help to stimulate your skin, your body to build collagen over time, usually over a period of like three to six months. But they do help with the flattening of our facial features, helping with the deep folds, the wrinkles. It's not like one is better than the other. Honestly, for someone who is seeking dermal fillers in general for kind of rejuvenation, improving signs of aging, biostimulatory as well as HA fillers really complement each other and give you a more comprehensive and better result."
"Botox was mostly injected for treatment of movement disorders, particularly like eye movement disorders, and ophthalmologists at that time observed that when they injected Botox around the eye, it helped with their wrinkles like the wrinkles lessened and disappeared, and that is what led to 2002 FDA approval of the use of Botox for cosmetic use. Botox being really the original that's owned by Allergan, it's really become like the household name that we just think about and throw it out there, but just understand that Botox itself is actually a brand."
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All 3 takes on Botox
What you need to know about Cosmetic Botox | Injectables 101series with dermatologist Dr. Jenny Liu
"Botox was mostly injected for treatment of movement disorders, particularly like eye movement disorders, and ophthalmologists at that time observed that when they injected Botox around the eye, it helped with their wrinkles like the wrinkles lessened and disappeared, and that is what led to 2002 FDA approval of the use of Botox for cosmetic use. Botox being really the original that's owned by Allergan, it's really become like the household name that we just think about and throw it out there, but just understand that Botox itself is actually a brand."
What you need to know about Cosmetic Botox | Injectables 101series with dermatologist Dr. Jenny Liu
"Botox can be very helpful for treating dynamic lines and it's very quick to do, low risk, low downtime, and it's temporary so at the end of the day if you don't like it once it wears off you don't ever have to get it again. I definitely recommend Botox for those who are entertaining and wanting to start aesthetic treatments and improving their facial aging but maybe don't want to invest or are not ready for the bigger stuff like fillers or lasers. Botox can be a great place to start. Just be careful because if you get regular Botox with really heavy doses of it, it could potentially lead to muscle atrophy because you're not using those muscles, which can certainly impact how your face ages, or it can cause overactivity of other muscles that you're not treating and lead to less desired outcomes."
What you need to know about Cosmetic Botox | Injectables 101series with dermatologist Dr. Jenny Liu
"Botox can be very helpful for treating dynamic lines and it's very quick to do, low risk, low downtime, and it's temporary so at the end of the day if you don't like it once it wears off you don't ever have to get it again. I definitely recommend Botox for those who are entertaining and wanting to start aesthetic treatments and improving their facial aging but maybe don't want to invest or are not ready for the bigger stuff like fillers or lasers. Botox can be a great place to start."
"Cinnamon PDRN that helps to support skin rejuvenation, promote skin turnover, helps with elasticity, fine lines and wrinkles. And then hydrolyzed collagen along with 11 different types of hyaluronic acid that works to hydrate your skin, keeping your skin plump and hydrated, supporting the skin barriers, improving skin health that again is really important for kind of aging skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I really love this. I use it in the morning on top of my vitamin C serum and at night before my topical retinoid. It's a great one because it's not irritating. You can easily incorporate it into your existing routine and if you're worried about retinoids, this may interfere with your retinoids, it will not. So this is the beauty of this product, which is why I love it so much."
"Heliocare is a supplement that's been shown in clinical studies to reduce UV damage and sunburns. It's derived from a fern from South America called Polypodium leucotomos. It is not a replacement for sunscreen, however when taken with sunscreen on top of some protective clothing, it really essentially is an oral antioxidant supplement that can offer additional protection against damage. You can think of it as a practical way to reduce the risk of skin cancer. I use it in aesthetic dermatology in the sense that it helps to reduce melasma flares during the summer time, and certainly if you want less sun damage for anti-aging concerns, this would be a great one. You can take it every day, but I find it to be most doable when I know I'm going to spend all day out, and I will often take one when I know I'm going to spend extended time outside as additional protection for my skin. You essentially just take one to two as needed when you need to."
"Paula's Choice a peptide booster is also really elegant it contains eight different peptides that can help to support collagen synthesis along with glycerin amino acids glutamic acid those are really wonderful humectants to plump and hydrate the skin"
"If you're looking for a good concealer that doesn't cake, Tower 28 is the one I recommend. This brand really has been established for sensitive skin, and also makes makeup with skin care ingredients. This concealer is really lovely. It's got pretty decent coverage that is buildable, doesn't cake, and I use this concealer on my under eyes and I go one shade lighter, which really actually helps to brighten and highlight at the same time. It's got this serum-like lightweight texture that is medium coverage, buildable, and really hydrating. So highly recommend."
"What I really love is their Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment because it is green tinted, helps to neutralize redness. It contains actives like Centella and niacinamide and also there is an option with mineral SPF that kind of offers some protection at the same time. So if you are prone to redness, have rosacea skin, want a sunscreen, a color correcting product that you can use as a sunscreen and potentially moisturizer, this is almost like that one-stop shop that is great to wear alone as well as under makeup."
"The Omnilux mask for the face and one for the neck and chest, that one honestly I have been using the longest probably over a year now and really have noticed great results overall. Omnilux definitely has one of the most evidence-based devices on the market. They have a lot of publications, probably by far the most compared to other LED devices. Omnilux is also FDA cleared, so they not only make one that is high quality for anti-aging, they also have one for acne."
"Grande Lash contains a prostaglandin analog, like a common one is called isopropyl cloprostenate. There are many other ones, but this is a common one, and it can be a problem because number one consumers don't know that, and when they're using it they may not be expecting this irritation, hyperpigmentation that may occur. The irritation and the hyperpigmentation have been reported so much that the FDA has actually issued warning letters to the brand basically informing them they need to be fully transparent, and there have been class action lawsuits against brands like Grande Lash."
"Dr Dana has a nail renewal kit that comes with three items: basically that glycolic acid nail treatment and a pen that you can easily brush on as well as a nail buffer that we use afterwards and then a post treatment oil that you will brush on. You can basically have that whole rejuvenation process already pre-made for you that's really easy to use and can easily follow and do this regularly for nail rejuvenation. I just love how user friendly and not intimidating this kit is. Even though the concentration of glycolic acid here is not disclosed in the kit we're just really relying on it as the active ingredient to promote skin turnover help hydrate the nail. My favorite part of this kit is actually their buffering tool. I love using this to take down any unevenness of my nail plate any bumps or ridges but it does in such a gentle way. The texture of the buffering tool wand is very light and so that way you're filing down some of that evenness but you're not going to cause a lot of abrasion and micro tears to your nail plate as you're smoothing it down."
"It's super popular, it lasts for a long time, really great at controlling shine and kind of has this pore blurring effect and also creates kind of this no flash effect when you are filming or photographing. So just really nice to use regularly or for special events. A little bit goes a long way and I basically just set my eyebrow, my eyes, my T-Zone on a regular basis when I film or when I have special events, and then certainly you can use it all over too. Ingredient wise it contains vitamin C and vitamin E, great antioxidants, also has skin conditioning powder as well as pore blurring powder that really kind of helps to coat the pores and reduce their appearance and gives that kind of silky smooth skin finish. Highly recommend if you're looking for an awesome, amazing, long lasting setting powder."
"I think we definitely still need more literature on the true efficacy. You have to use almost like a lubricant, a gel ideally that is from the same company so that works the best. This is something that I would use intermittently, really kind of before a big event so that way my skin just looks tighter, looks more lifted, and most importantly helps to depuff. You have to use it, I believe, like 5 minutes, and then you have to use it 5 to 6 days a week for about 4 to 6 weeks before you kind of jump into the maintenance. The time commitment is probably very similar to other devices, but I don't personally have the time to every day or at least five out of seven days a week to use a device five minutes on my face. There's more evidence in LED light devices, and it's also just a little bit more friendly for me with my schedule."
~Mixed
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