We Asked a Dermatologist to Rate Our Skin Care Regimen, Here's The Verdict

My skin care routine is something I take very seriously. I make sure to cleanse my skin twice a day, remove my makeup each night, and pick products that are formulated for my skin type. By my account, my daily regimen—more details on that later—is perfect. But I’m a beauty editor, not a dermatologist—so I decided to call on a pro in the industry to give it to me straight. To discover whether my skin care routine was flawless or flawed, I reached out to board-certified dermatologist, cosmetic surgeon, and Skincare.com expert, Dr. Michael Kaminer. I instructed him to rate my morning and evening routines with two separate scores on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the equivalent of an A+. Spoiler alert: I didn’t get a perfect score.

MORNING ROUTINE

I begin my morning routine with a gentle yet effective micellar water cleanser. La Roche-Posay Micellar Water and Vichy Pureté Thermale 3-in-1 One Step Solution are two that I’m loving right now. Then, I follow up with a hydrating moisturizer that contains SPF—I’m currently rotating between Lancôme Bienfait Multi-Vital SPF 30 Day Cream and Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Cream SPF 30—to protect my skin from sun damage and premature aging. If I have time, I’ll apply a face mask while I brush my teeth and choose my outfit for the day. Before heading out the door, I sweep a coat of SPF on my lips.

Score: 9
Feedback: “The only things I might add are an antioxidant to help prevent future aging, and some sort of a light skin treatment such as glycolic acid, or something along those lines,” Kaminer says.

Not bad, not bad. To reach a 10, I will add cult-favorite SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic—a vitamin C serum that strengthens the skin’s natural protection from free radicals induced by environmental stressors like pollution—to my morning routine, as well as rotate in a product formulated with glycolic acid to help brighten my skin, such as L'Oréal Paris RevitaLift Bright Reveal Brightening Day Moisturizer SPF 30. Totally doable.

EVENING ROUTINE

So, my evening routine needs a little bit more work, per Kaminer. Before bed, I use the same micellar water cleanser again to remove any makeup, dirt, and impurities on my skin from a long day. I love how the gentle micelle technology works to cleanse, tone, and remove makeup with just a few quick sweeps. Next, I apply a hydrating face mask or a serum. I typically skip eye cream. As a last step, I apply a non-comedogenic night cream to keep my skin moisturized overnight.

Score: 7
Feedback: “I like everything you are using,” Kaminer says. “I don’t really have a preference for eye creams. I’d love to see you add some treatments to your night regimen that have long-term efficacy, such as a retinol.” 

A 7 is certainly not ideal. To bump up my score, per Kaminer’s suggestion, I’ll add in SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, age spots, blemishes, and blotchiness. 

Word to the wise: Consult a dermatologist for the most personalized advice for your skin care routine. I’m sure glad I did.