What I Actually Use on My Skin (No Links, No Sponsorships): Part II

Part 2/2. If you need part one, you can find it here (plus I clarified a few things!).

I’m not a serial product dryer-outer. But I’m not a product minimalist either.

Oh, and most product “research” is run—or bankrolled—by the very companies selling the products themselves. Translation? Tiny trials, cherry-picked participants, and results that are... let’s just say, highly convenient.

Why hello!

You're about to see why I had to break this into two parts.

This is pretty much everything I’ve learned about skincare since I stopped relying on professionals and decided to figure it out for myself.

Don’t get me wrong—professionals are great. But I started to feel helpless and overly dependent, and I really don’t like feeling that way. So I got curious. I read, I experimented, I read/watched/listened to experts (my two favorite YouTube derms are Dr. Shireen Idris and Dr. Sam Ellis, for the record!), and paid attention to what actually worked for my skin.

So here's what I’ve learned all compiled into a list. I totally get that a lot of it WON'T apply to you. But if you have dry skin/dehydrated skin/or highly sensitive skin, OR if you battle adult acne & dry skin or redness, some of this might make sense. And even if not, this is a solid plan for preserving skin elasticity, fighting pigmentation, and protecting your skin barrier (all good things!).

P.S. Something worth considering: If your opinions and beliefs never change, you might want to ask yourself why that is. Research evolves. My views on fitness have shifted countless times over the past 15 years. If you’ve got rock-solid beliefs about skincare, it can’t hurt to read a little non-company-sponsored research. Just saying. 😉 (And for the record: most product research is company sponsored.... short trial periods, small trial groups, and just totally biased and unreliable.)

The Fine Print
A few extra lessons learned along the way:

1. Hyaluronic Acid = Handle with Care

For me, this is an ingredient I use with caution.

It’s everywhere because it’s cheap to include and has major buzzword status. In my personal experience, it gives short-term plumpness followed by end-of-day deeeeeep dryness (even the ultra-low molecular weight kind—the more expensive version, which I’m pretty sure is trash). I’ve used high-end, low-end, and the regularly occurring hyaluronic acid that shows up in literally every skincare product, and I swear to God, just removing this one ingredient cold turkey for several months was a major factor in restoring my skin.
I now use it sparingly and only in select products (prefer not to use it at all, but sometimes it sneaks in). I mostly stick to glycerin, ceramides, and skin oils for moisture instead.

An important thing to remember: hyaluronic acid is a humectant, which means it pulls water to itself—from the environment or from deeper layers of your skin. This is why it requires an occlusive (something to seal it in). But in my experience, it literally sucked the moisture out of my skin and left it dry as a paper bag.

(HA goes by many names—check your labels if you’re interested in testing this out.)

Here’s a really detailed post from Dr. Shireen Idriss on what hyaluronic acid actually does in the skin. 
​

2. Peptides = Building Blocks for Your Skin

Peptides signal skin to produce collagen and repair itself. Cheaper formulas have 2–3 amino acid chains; higher-end products can have 9 or 10+. They aren’t compatible with exfoliating acids (like glycolic or mandelic acid) and don’t pair well with vitamin C (use C in the morning, peptides at night). Peptides work well with retinoids.

3. Spend on Serums

That’s where results happen. I don’t splurge on cleansers, moisturizers, or sunscreen. Even retinols/retinoids should be affordable—or even dirt cheap if you have insurance and a prescription.

4. Retinoids: The real MVP

• Avene Retrinal 0.05% – beginner

• Avene Retrinal 0.1% – experienced (This is a gold-standard product that I've head good luck with, but if you have another retinol you like and/or tolerate, that is wonderful.)

• Agency or Curology – (it’s the same company) prescription-grade, customizable, great for sensitive skin
  ⚠️ Retinoids need to be used at least every 48 hours to stay effective. If your skin is irritated, lower the strength—not the frequency. (And remember to buffer with moisturizer!)

• Many estheticians and dermatologists rave about AlphaRet from SkinBetter, but I haven’t tried it. That would also be a good product to consider (pricey!).

5. Growth Factors = Do Your Research

They’re amazing for anti-aging and elasticity and work by boosting cell production and repair—but because they increase cell proliferation, there’s a theoretical risk if you have a history of skin cancer. I haven't found any actual research, but again, it's theoretically an issue. Do your research.

6. Vitamin C = Collagen Hero

The most researched and proven ingredient for brightening and collagen production. Use it in the morning. Where peptides repair collagen, C prevents collagen loss. If I had a teenage daughter, I’d have her use a gentle C serum. (And there are several types of C to choose from, from ascorbic acid to Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (gentle!) to Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) and more. 

7. Sunscreen

I love the sun—but I love even skin more. I stick to mineral-based only. Prequel’s is excellent and cheap. People also love Elta MD and a number of Korean brands. 

8. Niacinamide (B3)

Fades dark spots and post-acne marks. Fights inflammation and aids barrier repair. I use a 4% formulation in my nighttime retinoid.

9. Glycerin > Hyaluronic Acid

Deeper hydration, fewer side effects. Look for high glycerin + ceramide content in your moisturizer.

10. Double Cleanse at Night

First cleanse removes makeup and sunscreen; second one clears everything else. It’s a game-changer.

11. Breakouts? PanOxyl to the Rescue

Let it sit for 60 seconds, then rinse. Keep it off towels and PJs—it will bleach. Use sparingly. It’s gentle, effective, and dirt cheap. I only use it maybe once every two or three months, and I've found that it really stops your skin from freaking out overnight.

12. Check Your Makeup

If you break out, search for comedogenic ingredients. Use ChatGPT.

Common offenders:

Isopropyl Myristate
Isopropyl Palmitate
Acetylated Lanolin
Coconut Oil
Wheat Germ Oil
Ethylhexyl Palmitate

13. Gentle > Intense

If you’re breakout-prone, ease up on acids or anything that dries you out or disrupts your barrier. That doesn't mean eradicate them completely. Just don't use an acid-based cleanser, acid-based toner, a morning acid, a pm acid, etc. I alternate mandelic acid (super gentle) with my retinoid every second night or so.

14. Barrier Freak-Out? I’ve Got 2 Suggestions (and One Is a Diaper Cream)

Yes, really. If my skin’s angry, I use Triple Paste Cream (zinc-based, unscented). It heals overnight.

My husband loves this look. (Kidding. It’s absurd—but effective.)

The other miracle product is by Avene and it’s called Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream. This stuff is legendary—great for cold weather. It’s not the most elegant formula and I haven’t needed to use it in a long time, but if my skin were dry and sensitized, I’d use Triple Paste at night and Cicalfate during the day.

15. Peels: My thoughts

I used to get regular, gentle TCA peels—like every 28 days for three years. These are great if you need immediate clearing and they’re amazing for overall brightening, but I started to wonder if my skin was "addicted" to them and if my constantly problematic skin was caught in a bad cycle.

I’d get a peel, my skin would look great for three weeks, and then during week four, I’d start getting redness, irritation, and/or breakouts. I'd get another peel, and start the whole process all over again. I haven’t had a peel in over a year now and I truly think retinoids are superior to peels, but I'm open to other perspectives here so I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! 

16. Last thing: When in doubt, try a Skincare Diet.

When my skin was just totally chaotic, my friend Kim put me on a skin diet. (She's a nurse and an esthetician). No serums, toners, acids, oils, retinoids of any kind for 28 days. She said to cleanse, moisturize, and use a sunscreen during the day. I did that, and I'm telling you, it made a huge difference. Sometimes less is more when you need to calm down (a metaphor perhaps? I feel like this applies on so many levels).