Essential Skincare Staples: My Top Three Recommendations for Radiant Skin

I often talk with my patients about skin care regimens and products to use. While every skin type is different there are three staples that I recommend to incorporate into a good skin-care regimen: Vitamin C, sunscreen, and tretinoin. For each of these, I do have my favorite brands that I use myself and would like to share. 

The first is Skin Revision’s C+ Correcting Complex. This is a form of vitamin C that I apply to my face every morning before my sunscreen. This is a powerful antioxidant which protects our skin against photoaging. I am very picky about which vitamin C I choose. In general vitamin C is very unstable so how it’s made and packaged is importance. Typically with vitamin C products, the higher the percentage, the more irritation. I like Skin Revision’s vitamin C because it is 30% vitamin C (compared to ~15% in other products) however it is very well tolerated and does not cause irritation. 

The second one is Elta MD UV clear. I have tried many sunscreens and this is by far my favorite. It contains lactic acid which gently exfoliates the skin. It also contain niacinamide which helps reduce redness and inflammation. This is the perfect sunscreen for rosacea or acne prone skin like mine. However if you don’t struggle with these skin conditions, it is still a wonderful product for an everyday facial sunscreen. It contains a mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide) which is the ideal type of sunscreen and the best part is, it doesn’t leave a white cast on the skin or have a displeasing texture. It comes in tinted (UV daily) or non-tinted. I personally go for the non-tinted and I use a generous amount (about the size of a slice of banana) for my face everyday, rain or shine. This should be the last step in a morning skin care regimen before makeup. 

The last product I use is tretinoin. This is a prescription product that does wonders for the skin. It improves acne and also turns skin cells over faster leaving your skin looking fresh and less dull. It also improves collagen production in the skin, improving fine lines and wrinkles. At Clarus we specially compound this for our patients. What makes it different from tretinoin that you get at your pharmacy is that ours is compounded in a vanicream moisturizer which helps skin tolerate the drying side effects better. I use a pea-size amount to my face at night. It should be noted that this cannot be used in pregnancy. 

Because these are such great products that I love to share with my patients, at Clarus we make these easily available so you can pick them up at anytime from us. If you have any questions about skin care regimens or in office treatments specially tailored to your skin, you can schedule a cosmetic consult with me anytime and I am happy to talk more in detail!  

Heather Guertin, PA-C

Sources: 

Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications

By Firas Al-Niaimi, Nicole Yi Zhen Chiang Year: 2017 Container: The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology Publisher: Matrix Medical Communications Volume: 10 Issue: 7 Page: 14-17 URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5605218/

Topical tretinoin for treating photoaging: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

By Irma Bernadette S. Sitohang, Wresti Indriatmi Makes, Normalina Sandora, Jose Suryanegara Year: 2022 Container: International Journal of Women’s Dermatology Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Page: e003 DOI: 10.1097/jw9.0000000000000003

CURRENT DRUG THERAPY LJ

By Donald Vidt, Wilma Bergfeld, Bergfeld URL: https://www.ccjm.org/content/ccjom/64/6/327.full.pdf