How I layer clinical actives, Korean skincare, luxury creams, and simple at-home rituals.
Great skin isn't just about drinking more water. It's built over time by what you put on it, how you use it, and knowing when to pull back.
I've tried more products than I can count. What stays in my routine is what actually works for me, and it doesn't always come in a gold jar. This is my current routine, from the $400 creams to the $4 mask I mix in my kitchen. I switch things up often.
Cleanser
I keep cleansing simple. My go-to is Revision Skincare Gentle Foaming Cleanser. It cleans without stripping, which matters when you're using actives.
Vitamin C
A good, stable vitamin C helps protect skin from environmental damage and brightens over time. The problem is that many formulas oxidize before you even open them, so I only use ones that are properly stabilized.
My pick: Allies of Skin 20% Vitamin C Brighten + Firm Serum. It goes on first every morning.
Copper peptides
Copper peptides support the skin's natural repair process, which is why I lean on them after treatments.
What I use: Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide Serum. It's my favorite after procedures. I layer it with tretinoin and other actives and my skin handles it well, but everyone's skin is different, so introduce it slowly.
PDRN serums
PDRN is huge in Korean skincare, and I reach for it when my skin feels depleted or is recovering from a treatment.
My go-tos: Rejuran Healer Turnover Ampoule, and Curacen when I can get it through a clinic.
At night I use Dr. Reju-All PD2 Advanced PDRN Copper Peptide Serum, while my skin is resting and recovering.
Serums
Codage N°06 Anti-Âge Suprême: I picked it up in France. It has real actives, but it's so gentle it never irritates my skin.
Thermoceutical EXO Regentron Serum: my pick for hydration, elasticity, and a smoother, firmer look. It softens the appearance of fine lines.
Tretinoin
Yes, I use it, but never daily. Tretinoin is prescription-only, so talk to your doctor before starting. I use it a few nights a week and always make sure my skin barrier is in good shape first. On those nights I buffer it with a gentle cream, like Allies of Skin Multi-Nutrient Daily Treatment or BeautyBio The Quench on drier nights.
Toners and essences
For hydration without clogging, I love TIRTIR Milk Skin Toner, TIRTIR Ceramide Milk Ampoule, and Anua Heartleaf 77 Toner. Thermoceutical Hydra Bubble Toner leaves my skin so hydrated and plump. When I want to splurge, I use La Prairie Pure Gold Revitalising Essence. It feels incredibly luxurious and gives my skin a beautiful glow.
SPF
Every morning, no exceptions. I rotate between two: Allies of Skin The One SPF 50 Invisible Sunscreen Gel and Thermoceutical Solarcare 90 Gel Fluid SPF 50+ PA+++.
Moisturizers and barrier creams
BeautyBio The Quench Face Cream for everyday hydration
Allies of Skin Barrier Recovery Cream Balm, which is underrated
Revision Skincare CMT Post-Procedure Cream: excellent when my skin is compromised, after lasers or any time it needs real recovery
Avène Cicalfate+: a pharmacy staple I always keep on hand for irritated or healing skin
Eye treatments I actually finish
Cosmedix Elite Eye Doctor
BeautyBio The Eyelighter Concentrate in the morning
Numbuzin No.9 eye cream, morning or night
La Prairie Pure Gold Radiance Eye Cream when I want to splurge
The splurges I'd repurchase
La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream: firm and cushiony, my favorite in winter or after a treatment
Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream: great when my skin is stressed
AmorePacific Time Response Skin Reserve Cream: calming and elegant
Crème de la Mer: I only use it when my barrier is really compromised. It's more of a protective layer than a treatment, but it works when nothing else does.
These aren't daily creams for me. I use them on tretinoin nights, after treatments, or after flights.
My at-home rituals
Pearl powder and castor oil mask: costs about $5
Manuka honey and turmeric mask for redness
Plain yogurt mask for brightness
Chilled spoons for morning puffiness
Red light therapy on my face and neck
Gua sha with Allies of Skin CE15 Bakuchiol Firming Oil, which I also use on its own
My routine
Morning: Revision Gentle Foaming Cleanser, hydrating toner or essence, vitamin C or copper peptides, moisturizer, SPF. PDRN if my skin is recovering.
Evening (no tretinoin): cleanse, toner or essence, PDRN or copper peptides, rich cream, eye treatment. Sometimes a castor oil or pearl powder mask.
Evening (tretinoin): gentle cleanse, tretinoin, recovery cream. Nothing else.
After a procedure: gentle cleanse, copper tripeptide serum, then Revision CMT or Cicalfate+. Always follow your provider's aftercare instructions first.
The bottom line
Your skin doesn't need ten steps. It needs the right ones at the right time. Some nights that's a cream that costs more than dinner. Other nights it's a $4 powder and a cold spoon from the freezer. Knowing which is which is the real skill.
Keep reading: What Your Skin Is Telling You, The Truth About Lasers, and Beauty Is Biology
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