It's not every day that you get one-on-one time with a dermatologist. Sure, most of us have a standing annual appointment, but that time is usually taken up by the necessary things like skin checks and medication updates, so you don't always have time to get all your questions answered.
That's why, when dermatologist and TODAY contributor Dr. Michelle Henry joined us to moderate our "The Doctors Are In" panel during our Shop TODAY Stages Health & Wellness summit, we made sure to set aside some time for her to answer all of our burning questions about aging, overhyped skin care trends and more.
But first, we asked her to walk us through her morning and nighttime skin care routine, step by step, including the products that she currently uses.
Editor's note: Henry is not being paid by any of the below brands; however, she is on the advisory boards for L’Oréal, Dior and Elta MD.
Dermatologist-approved morning skin care routine
Henry says she "really, really" likes Neutrogena's Hydro Boost cleanser. It not only features hyaluronic acid for hydration, but the brand says that it lifts away makeup and impurities without stripping your skin.
"I'm starting to get a little bit of hyperpigmentation," Henry says (yes, even derms struggle with it). That's why she's been using this serum in the morning. It features ingredients like tranexamic acid, niacinamide and Isdin's Spot Corrector Complex, which all help to brighten skin and reduce the appearance of dark spots, the brand says.
"For my moisturizer, I actually am currently using La Mer. They have a fresh cream that I’m obsessed with," Henry says. The cream features the brand's famous Miracle Broth, which is at the heart of all of its products, and is said to accelerate skin renewal.
"For my sunscreen, I use Elta MD, their UV Clear. They have a deeper tint that works perfectly, and it’s very glowy. So I love that," Henry says.
This bestselling sunscreen comes in both tinted and non-tinted versions. According to the brand, it's oil-free and suitable for those with sensitive skin.
Dermatologist-approved nighttime skin care routine
Isdin's products are a staple in both Henry's morning and night routines. "They have an oil cleanser that I really, really like. It gets off all of my makeup, doesn’t clog my pores," she shares.
Henry says that she "always, always, always" uses a prescription retinoid in her nighttime routine, but that is usually followed up with a night cream like this one from L'Oreal or the option below.
According to the brand, this cream works overnight to help repair your skin barrier, smooth wrinkles and boost radiance overall.
If she's not using L'Oreal's night cream, this one from Dior is another of Henry's current go-tos. According to the brand, after just seven days of use, your skin should look visibly smoother and firmer.
The morning skin care steps a dermatologist never skips
On rushed mornings, we don't always have time to go through our entire skin care routines — and Henry says in those moments, there are two things that she will always do.
"I do wash my face every morning," Henry says. "Maybe I dream a lot, maybe I’m sweating at night ... I always wash my face. I’m always going to put on my sunscreen. Thankfully, my sunscreen’s also really moisturizing. So just those two steps alone, I’m ready to go for the day."
The best thing you can do right now for aging skin, according to a dermatologist
For those struggling with wrinkles and aging concerns, we had to know what Henry recommends implementing immediately, and you probably won't be all that surprised by her answer: "The best thing that you can do for your skin right now to really collagen bank, to fight those wrinkles [is to] A. protect your collagen with your sunscreen, B. stimulate collagen with your retinoids. And then C. see your dermatologist: We have lots of easy lasers and treatments that we can do to help you boost that collagen and look younger, longer."
The biggest mistake people make in their skin care routines
"So the biggest mistake that people make is thinking that they need to have 35 steps," Henry says. "First of all, who can do that? If you can’t stick to it, if you can’t do it consistently, don’t do it at all. And that’s why I always say keep it simple."
She adds, "You really just need a good cleanser, you need a moisturizer, a sunscreen and then, if you want to beef it up a little bit, you can also add something for your targeted skincare concerns. So I often use something that I call the core four, especially as we’re getting older. So the core four includes your antioxidants — you absolutely need antioxidants — you need a great moisturizer, you need a great sunscreen. And you need either a retinoid or a peptide, depending on your sensitivity. But those are the core four."
The skin care trend that is not worth the hype
People on social media have been singing the praises of beef tallow as a moisturizer (yes, really), but according to Henry, that's one skin care trend that might not be worth it.
"I know there are a lot of people who are obsessed and love beef tallow. But it really is just like rendered fat, and it has some fatty acids. So if you need it to lock in moisture, sure. But if you’re someone who’s acne-prone, that’s not what you want to use."
How we chose
As a TODAY contributor and top dermatologist, we interviewed Dr. Michelle Henry because we thought her insights would be of interest to readers. All of the above products were mentioned by Henry as being part of her current skin care routine.
Meet the expert
- Dr. Michelle Henry, MD, is a TODAY contributor and dermatologist as well as the founder and CEO of Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan. She is also a clinical instructor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College.
