Dermatologist-Approved Skincare Routine for Anti-Aging and hyperpigmentation
I’ve learned a lot of things from my mom, but skincare is not one of them. My mom is naturally blessed with great skin, but the products she was using were not doing her any favors, especially in the long term. I don’t think I’m allowed to say her exact age on the internet, but she was a teen in the late 80s when skincare advice was not the best. It’s hard to watch someone you love use St. Ives and no sunscreen, so I was excited to have board-certified dermatologist Dr. Alexis Stephens on board to give her a proper routine.
Dr. Stephens diagnosed her skin type as balanced (meaning not dry or oily), pigment-prone, resistant (meaning not overly sensitive to ingredients), and elastin deficient (meaning she is starting to develop fine lines which can lead to wrinkles). Here is how we gave her skincare routine a makeover.
CLEANSER
Before this skincare makeover, my mom used to use Eli & Rai Turmeric Cleansing Cream morning and night to cleanse her skin. It’s formulated for all skin types, and the turmeric in it is great for reducing pigmented spots. That all sounds great, but it was leaving her skin feeling tight. The “squeaky clean” feeling can actually damage the skin barrier and could lead to long-term damage.
Dr. Stephens suggested she switch to CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser ($17) because it effectively cleanses and hydrates the skin without disrupting the protective barrier. This simple cleanser is amazing for those with normal to dry skin types because it has ceramides and hyaluronic acid that help to retain skin’s moisture.
TONER
To tone, my mom was using Eli & Rai’s White Willow and Chamomile Toner. Unfortunately, the witch hazel in this product made it too harsh for her skin. Dr. Stephen’s recommended she switch to a hydrating essence instead. She’s been alternating between Naturium’s Hyaluronic Acid Essence 2% ($16) for an extra boost of hydration, and Naturium’s BHA Liquid Exfoliant 2% ($20) to address fine lines and wrinkles.
TREATMENTS
To treat her fine lines, my mom was, and still is, using Olay’s Retinol 24 Night Face Moisturizer ($34). It’s an amazing drugstore product with retinol and niacinamide that helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. Dr. Stephens recommended adding a product with L-Ascorbic Acid 10-15% (aka vitamin C) in the morning, and Retinaldehyde in the night – these two ingredients are powerful enough to address all of my mom’s skincare concerns. We decided to add Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster ($49) and Avene’s RetrinAl Advanced Wrinkle Corrector ($56) to the lineup.
SUNSCREEN
For the longest time, my mom was convinced that she was allergic to sunscreen, but the truth is it just took some time to find one that worked with her skin. I got her to try one of my personal favorites, the C’est Moi Tinted Moisturizing Lotion ($16), and she loves it. It has SPF 30 and comes in a warm golden tint that gives her skin a healthy glow. She doesn’t wear it as often as she should, but we’re working on that.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Revamping my mom’s skincare routine with the help of Dr. Stephens was a great bonding experience for us. My mom is a very busy woman, so it’s important that her skincare routine is simple and the products are effective. She is only two months into her new routine and she’s already noticed a big difference — her hyperpigmentation and fine lines are less noticeable. I haven’t been able to convince her that she needs to wear sunscreen indoors to protect her skin from UVA rays, but I know we’ll get there.
More than anything though, it’s been really fun for me to see her relationship with skincare change. She gets so excited to talk about new products and treatments, and is more open to adding new products into her routine. My dad isn’t sure how to feel because there is a little less counter space everyday (we’ll give him a revamp next). Welcome to the skincare fanatic club, Mom!
