25 Skincare Tips Dermatologists & Estheticians Know (That You Don’t)

Whether you take a minimal approach when it comes to a beauty routine, or devour any kind of skincare and makeup advice you can get your hands on, one thing remains universal: We all want to know the very best practices for achieving healthy, radiant skin. For the most part, we’ve got the basics covered by making sure our daily routine consists of drinking enough water, washing our face before bed, and doing our best to avoid anything toxic that might frustrate our pores.

While innovation is a beautiful thing, it seems these days there’s always a new ingredient, technique, or product on the scene with a bevy of skincare tips to go along with it. Seeing as taking care of our skin ranks fairly high on our to-do list, we reached out to several top dermatologists and estheticians to take a deeper look into all the advice and time-tested information they’ve learned throughout their careers.

Keep scrolling for all the tips you need to know from sun protection to the proper techniques in applying skincare products, and so much more!

 Michela Buttignol/Byrdie

Tip #1: Avoid the Sun and Wear Sunscreen

“Avoid the sun, and when you can’t avoid it, wear sunscreen and a hat. I swear by Coolibar sun-protective clothing and Colorescience’s Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield SPF 50.” — Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, founder, and director of Capital Laser & Skin Care

Colorescience

Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield SPF 50

$69.00

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“One of my best skincare tips is to use a sunscreen containing anti-inflammatory and barrier-repairing ingredients. A broad-spectrum sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection of at least SPF 30 is best. I recommend Epionce Ultra Shield Lotion SPF 50 every day—even during non-summer months.” — Carl Thornfeldt, MD, founder of Epionce.

Epionce

Ultra Shield Lotion SPF 50

$21.00

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Tip #2: Get a Full-Body Exam

“You have to get a full-body skin exam by a dermatologist by the time you turn 30. It’s important to have expert eyes take a look at any moles you may have and be able to follow them for changes in the future. Also, the dermatologist can teach you how to do a proper skin check on yourself. This is very important because melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, is almost 100% curable if caught in its earliest stages. If women are armed with information on what to look for, it may save their lives.” — Elizabeth Tanzi, MD

Tip #3: Layer Products From Thinnest to Thickest

“We consider treatment steps to be anything between toning and moisturizing. Layering your serums and essences from thinnest to thickest helps the skin to absorb each layer most efficiently! We like the Blithe Tundra Chaga Pressed Serum.” — Sarah Lee and Christine Chang, founders of Glow Recipe

Blithe

Tundra Chaga Pressed Serum

$38.00

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Tip #4: Stimulate Blood Flow

“Ginseng applied topically is one of my favorite skincare tips—it works to stimulate blood flow in the capillaries, promoting a healthy, firmed, glowing-from-within visage. Bonus points if you layer a product containing plumping hyaluronic acid with your ginseng!” — Sarah Lee and Christine Chang

We recommend this Ginseng Collagen Boost Mask from 100% Pure.

100% Pure

Ginseng Collagen Boost (5 Pack)

$8.00

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Tip #5: Maximize Your Sheet Mask’s Fit

“When applying a sheet mask, maximize adherence by snipping from the side of the nose fold to the eye hole. This will allow you to wiggle the mask just so, getting it closer to the under-eye area and preventing any tenting. If necessary, make a snip below the cheekbone and layer the mask over itself to maximize the fit further. Try it with an aloe vera-based mask like Whamisa’s Organic Hydrogel Mask.” — Sarah Lee and Christine Chang

Whamisa

Organic Hydrogel Mask

$14.00

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Tip #6: Use Targeted Exfoliators

“AHAs and BHAs are popular in dermatology clinics but are also formulated to be used in at-home exfoliating treatments to reveal brighter and more even-toned skin. Simply put, AHAs help to ‘unglue’ stubborn surface skin cells that cause dullness and clog pores, while BHAs enter pores to dissolve sebum and fight dormant acne.” — Sarah Lee and Christine Chang

Herbivore Botanicals

Prism 12% AHA + 3% BHA Exfoliating Glow Serum

$54.00

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Tip #7: Remove Your Makeup

“It’s been said a million and one times, but effectively removing makeup is the gateway to clearer, healthier skin. When makeup is removed, the skin becomes a clean canvas ready to absorb the product. An easy tip is to clean your face as soon as you get in the door instead of waiting right before you go to bed. Just as you are dying to get out of your constricting work clothes, skin desperately wants to rid itself of pore-clogging debris and pollution! We like to use gentle cleansing oil as a first step.” — Sarah Lee and Christine Chang

Eve Lom

Cleansing Oil Capsules

$75.00

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Tip #8: Soothe Inflammation

“Use a skincare product that optimizes the skin barrier and contains anti-inflammatory ingredients. This will also help reduce chronic inflammation induced by ultraviolet light and airborne pollution. Barrier-damaging skincare and cleansing should be avoided.” — Carl Thornfeldt, MD, founder of Epionce.

Give Tatcha’s The Indigo Cream a try if you have sensitive skin.

Tatcha

The Indigo Cream

$88.00

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Tip #9: Invest in a Great Moisturizer

“Moisturizers help our skin barrier by providing lipids, protecting from external chemicals, and providing water to our sometimes parched skin. My all-time favorite moisturizer is, of course, virgin coconut oil.” — Vermén Verallo-Rowell, MD, of VMV Hypoallergenics

If coconut oil doesn’t do it for you, we’re partial to La Mer Moisturizing Cream.

La Mer

The Moisturizing Soft Cream

$545.00

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Tip #10: Eat Well

“Your skin acts as an excretory system to get rid of substances that don’t agree with your body. In the case of dairy, it is mucus-forming and can be difficult for the body digest—which is why many people are lactose intolerant. So when you get too much dairy for your body to digest, it may come out in the form of cystic acne (hard, painful bumps under the skin) on the chin and jawline area. The consumption of milk, cheese, and yogurt may become factors that influence endogenous hormones and mimic the hormones that trigger oil production in the skin to ignite the acne process.”- Renée Rouleau, celebrity esthetician

“As soon as cysts form, dab on my Anti Bump Solution,” says Rouleau. “It will dramatically reduce the infection and cut the healing time, at least by half. When used twice a week on areas prone to cysts, you may find they won’t show up at all! It’s one of my best skincare tips.” 

Renée Rouleau

Anti Bump Solution

$50.00

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Tip #11: Aim for a Restful Night’s Sleep

“I often explain this concept to patients by giving the analogy of our minds being like a computer that needs to be rebooted every night so as to process everything we put into them. Seven to eight hours of sleep allows this to happen.” — Vermén Verallo-Rowell, MD

Need some help getting those z’s? A melatonin supplement may help. Just be sure to consult your doctor before adding new supplements to your routine.

HUM Nutrition

Beauty zzZz Melatonin & B6 Dietary Supplement

$10.00

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Tip #12: Implement More Greens

“My number one tip is absolutely my favorite skincare tip: Drink a green juice every day. It will be a great replacement for your afternoon coffee and will transform your skin in a matter of days. The ingredients in the juice help oxygenate the skin and stimulate lymphatic drainage, so it’s de-puffing too! .” — Joanna Vargas, celebrity facialist and founder of Joanna Vargas Salon and Joanna Vargas Skincare

You can also add an extra nutritional boost to your smoothies with Vibrant Health Green Vibrance Powder.

Vibrant Health

Green Vibrance Powder

$86.00

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One way to get more greens into your diet is by eating avocados or even adding a few slices into your morning smoothie. “Avocado supplies the skin with healthy fats and phytonutrients to hydrate from the inside out and bring back your glow,” says Vargas.

Tip #13: Gently Exfoliate

“Exfoliating twice weekly is what I call my secret weapon to perfect skin. We all tend to either skip it or overdo it. Twice a week with a physical scrub that has a chemical element like lactic acid is a perfect combo to great skin. It keeps the pores minimized, keeps the fine lines at bay, and resurfaces the skin perfectly.” — Joanna Vargas

Goldfaden MD

Doctor’s Scrub Crystal Microderm Exfoliator

$75.00

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Tip #14: Try Lymphatic Drainage Massage

“Another great at-home treatment is lymphatic drainage massage to keep skin clear, de-puffed, and glowing. For dry skin, massage in circular motions upward. Start at the base of the neck where your arteries are. Massage in gentle circles upwards, toward the jaw, up the sides of the face, and around the eyes. This will help coax nutrients into the tissue. You want to do the opposite motion and start on the top of the face by the eyes if you are prone to breakouts—this will draw the waste away. Lymphatic drainage massage can completely change the look of someone’s face and is a great, under-the-radar skincare tip.” — Joanna Vargas

Gua sha massage technique, which can be done using a jade roller, is also a great way to facilitate lymphatic drainage.

Mount Lai

De-Puffing Jade Facial Roller

$34.00

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Tip #15: Utilize Your Vitamin Serum

“Complete nutrition for the epidermis is critical. The epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin) is a key protective structure that uses 23 vitamins. These vitamins must be provided at therapeutic concentrations and delivered within the epidermis for optimum skin health. A vitamin serum is non-irritating and formulated with vitamins A, B, C, D, and E to give skin the nutrition it needs.” — Carl Thornfeldt, MD

Skinceuticals

C E Ferulic Serum

$166.00

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Tip #16: Look Into Peptides

“When applied topically, specific peptides can reduce the appearance of lines and crow’s-feet. My favorite non-needle approach is painless, affordable, and cumulative.” — Francesca Fusco, MD, dermatologist

BeautyCounter

Countertime Tripeptide Radiance Serum

$87.00

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Tip #17: Try Micro-Needling

“This instrument, Stacked Skincare Micro-Roller, helps to restore the look of tightness to the face, neck, and body. It reduces the appearance of fine lines, softens the look of scars, and enhances the performance of skincare ingredients.” — Francesca Fusco, MD

Learn more about how it changed our editor’s skin.

StackedSkincare

Micro-Exfoliating Facial Roller

$26.00

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Tip #18: Use Non-Foaming Cleanser

“When choosing a cleanser, stay away from high-foaming cleansers, as they can strip the skin, leaving it tight, dry, and more prone to breakouts. It can even cause lines, wrinkles, and sensitivity to the environment. Instead, one of my most strategic skincare tips is to apply a pre-cleanser prior to cleansing to help thoroughly clean your skin without stripping your skin’s natural oil.” — Candace Noonan, esthetician and director of education at Environ Skin Care

Tata Harper

Refreshing Cleanser

$86.00

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Tip #19: Wash Your Body With Care

“Dry, overly washed skin highlights wrinkles and looks more aged than hydrated skin. Also, as we get older, the skin naturally loses the ability to maintain its own natural moisture retention. Stick to something like Dove Beauty Bar Soap, and you can’t go wrong.” — Rachel Nazarian of Schweiger Dermatology Group

Dove

Pink Beauty Bar (6 Pack)

$12.00

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Tip #20: Sleep Right to Avoid Wrinkles

“After sunlight/UV exposure, the second cause of wrinkles is sleeping. Squishing your face into a pillow for approximately 2,500 hours per year while you sleep is like ironing wrinkles into the skin. Strategically position your head so the lower half of your face never touches your pillow. What this helps to prevent is a squishing of the face, which would exacerbate the wrinkles that come with age. These are the deep creases also known as the ‘parentheses’ or ‘marionette’ lines that run from the nostril to the corner of the mouth on both sides of the face and are enhanced every time you smile or laugh.” — Renée Rouleau

Did you know that sleeping on a silk pillowcase can be way more beneficial to your skin than cotton? Since it is less absorbent, sleeping on silk might help your skin retain moisture along with potentially reducing bed head and split ends.

For a silk pillowcase plus comfortable memory foam, try this Discover Night Pillow.

Discover Night

Pillow

$150.00

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Tip #21: Find the Right Spot Treatments

The best solution initially is to leave your pimple alone (without the application of a drying spot treatment) to get rid of it faster. “This may come as a real surprise, but most spot treatments actually make the blemish stick around longer when used in this way. It will also lead to a prolonged recovery time with scarring. When there is an infection within the pore, the natural process is for the infection to come up and out through the skin’s surface. Applying a warm, damp washcloth to the blemish beforehand for two minutes can soften up the skin to make for easier extraction. Once the whitehead is removed, dab on a zit-zapping product. This works to dry out any remaining bacteria to help close up the skin.” — Renée Rouleau

“When the infection comes to the surface, appearing as a whitehead, you can gently squeeze it out as long as it comes out in one or two tries. Anything more than that means it wasn’t ready to come out and you will injure the skin, resulting in a red or dark scar,” says Rouleau. “Be sure to wrap your fingers in tissues when trying to pop a pimple.”

After the whitehead is removed, use a spot treatment product like ZitSticka Killa Kit.

ZitSticka

Killa Kit

$29.00

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Tip #22: Treat Your Neck as an Extension of Your Face

“The 45-degree angle that you hang your head to look at your cell phone causes a repeated squishing of the neck, also called ‘tech neck,’ resulting in premature folds and wrinkles. To treat this, most people know to apply moisturizer to the neck, and many do this, but the mistake is made in treating the neck as an afterthought,” says Rouleau.

“This particularly applies with sunscreen, since the number one cause of premature skin aging is UV rays given off from the sun. The best way to apply sunscreen to this area is by doing a full second application exclusively to the neck. In addition to sunscreen, be sure to apply your serums and moisturizers in an upward motion to go against gravity,” she says.

Révive

Fermatif Neck Renewal Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 15

$165.00

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Tip #23: Increase the Circulation in Your Skin

“When the skin ages, less oxygen and [fewer] nutrients are being delivered to it. So with fewer vessels, it means less nutrient-rich blood, and oxygen is being brought to the cells of the skin. The result is dull, tired-looking skin. To be sure skin is healthy and has good blood flow, hang your head upside down for three minutes per day—it’s one of the best skincare tips. This can also be done up against a wall, during a downward dog in yoga, or by simply hanging your head over the side of your bed.

After three minutes, a slight redness will appear on the skin, and in the long run, it can make a big difference in getting and keeping that inner glow going strong.” — Renée Rouleau

Tip #24: Start Getting Facials

“I always recommend clients have facials once a month. Nothing you do at home can replace professional exfoliation, extraction, and attention!” — Joanna Vargas

If you can’t make it for a facial each month, try a deep cleansing face mask at least once per week to try to help draw out dirt and oil and clear up clogged pores.

Alder New York

Clarifying Face Mask

$25.00

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Tip #25: Take Chamomile and Rosemary Baths

“One of the best skincare tips I can recommend is something I learned when my son had eczema as a baby. To this day, it is my family secret for healing dry, sensitive skin. Boil a large pot of water with one cup of chamomile tea leaves and one cup of rosemary. Cook these for 15 minutes. Then strain and add this water to your bath. Not only will you feel relaxed from your day, but also, this potion will soothe your skin like nothing else. Dry patches and redness will disappear overnight!” — Joanna Vargas

If you prefer to use bubble bath, try this chamomile foaming bath from Dr. Teal’s.

Dr. Teal’s

Comfort & Calm Foaming Bath With Chamomile

$5.00

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