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Get a handle on hydration and protection<\/strong><\/p>\n To the chagrin of marketers and social media influencers, when it comes to skin care, we only need<\/em> three things, according to dermatologists: a cleanser, a moisturizer, and SPF. Yes, just a single cleanser\u2014not an oil-based cleanser in tandem with a water-based one. (Lower your shoulders, dear reader. I\u2019ll explain in a bit.)<\/p>\n For SPF, the apple of every dermatologist\u2019s eye, the rule of thumb is to use two fingers\u2019 length applied directly to the face, according to David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, and reapplying every two hours if you\u2019re outdoors.<\/p>\n Finding the best moisturizer is a choose-your-own-adventure scenario that\u2019s based on your skin\u2019s particular needs. For oily skin, Dr. Kim recommends a simple, hydrating serum in the morning and a light moisturizer at night, suggesting glycerin and colloidal oats as standout, nonirritating ingredients for most skin types. For drier skin, a richer moisturizer with ceramides is his go-to advice.<\/p>\n Proper cleansing is mandatory<\/strong><\/p>\n Back to cleansers: If you\u2019re not wearing a surplus of water-insoluble products, like waterproof makeup or heavy occlusives, a standard (that is to say: unmedicated and without actives), non-stripping cleanser will suffice. It\u2019s really a matter of how you use your cleanser.<\/p>\n \u201cMassage in circular motions, usually three to five times per area,\u201d says Morayo Adisa, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Chicago. \u201cThat way, you are working the cleanser in, and it\u2019s having enough time to dissolve the dirt, makeup, and grime.\u201d Give your cleanser the time it needs to work, and don\u2019t forget every area of your face\u2014forehead, eyelids (including your eyelashes), eyebrows, cheeks, and the creases around your nose.<\/p>\n When and how often should I wash, you ask? According to Amy Wechsler, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, those early-morning face washes are optional. “If you’ve gone to bed with clean skin, taken the dirt of the day off\u2014makeup, sweat, the invisible pollution\u2014and everything, including your pillowcase, is clean, then you wake up with clean skin,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Look for powerhouse formulations<\/strong><\/p>\n We\u2019re working smarter, not harder here. That means using ingredients efficiently and intentionally instead of throwing an entire medicine cabinet of lotions and potions at your skin.<\/p>\n Dendy Engelman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, recommends looking for multitasking products that include a blend of standout ingredients, like ceramides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidants. \u201cThat’s a good way to have a lot of your active [ingredients] in one step,\u201d she says. \u201cIt doesn’t have to be that you apply your vitamin C, then your hyaluronic acid, then your ceramide, and then your emollient.\u201d<\/p>\n Make your sunscreen work<\/strong><\/p>\n This might be more polarizing than the double-cleanse erasure, but, depending on your skin-care concerns and needs, a single SPF product can tackle seemingly disparate steps. For example, those with oily-to-combo skin may find in warmer months that their sunscreen is hydrating enough, pushing a standalone moisturizer to the back of the proverbial shelf.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that mineral sunscreens are more moisturizing than the chemical ones, at least the US versions,\u201d says Dr. Wechsler. \u201cIf someone wants to use their sunscreen as a moisturizer, it should be mostly a zinc oxide- or zinc oxide plus titanium dioxide-based sunscreen, because those molecules [can be] inherently moisturizing.\u201d Of course, Dr. Wechsler says this could be a bit of trial and error based on specific formulations, but notes she has seen her patients use this hack.<\/p>\n Danny Guo, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, calls this seeking \u201cthe best bang-for-your-buck products that combine multiple actives into the same product.\u201d He highlights the Celimax Pore+ Dark Spot Brightening Care Sunscreen as a standout example, saying, \u201cIt has ingredients for pigmentation, like tranexamic acid and niacinamide, so you can skip your pigmentation product in the morning if you just use this sunscreen.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Get a handle on hydration and protection To the chagrin of marketers and social media influencers, when it comes to skin care, we only need three things, according to dermatologists: a cleanser, a moisturizer, and SPF. Yes, just a single cleanser\u2014not an oil-based cleanser in tandem with a water-based one. (Lower your shoulders, dear reader. 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