A Dermatologist's Skincare Routine
What is your daily skin care routine?” I’ve been asked this more times than I can count - from my patients and family, to the friendly faces on social media. As an aging dermatologist who has access to everything and has seen what really works…it may be surprising how simple I keep things. But I know first hand that in the long term, fewer products and better ingredients lead to the best results.
Morning Routine
The first thing I do when I wake up is drink a glass of water to rehydrate. Then I brush my teeth, splash my face with cool water, and pat dry with a clean towel.
To my bare skin, I apply two pumps of Doctor Rogers Day Preventive Treatment. One to my face and one to my neck and chest. My Day Preventive Treatment is a next-generation antioxidant serum formulated with 10% Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) - an effective and well tolerated form of vitamin C - along with Bis (Cyano Butylacetate), Anthracenediylidene, Acetyl Zingeron, Niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. The powerful antioxidant serum protects your skin before, during and after exposure to UV radiation, pollution, blue light and other sources of free radicals to slow the signs of aging. And it works extremely well--check out these before and afters. Every ingredient is nontoxic, vegan and biodegradable. I use this every day rain or shine unless my skin is irritated…then I skip it and go straight to my Face Cream. One bottle lasts me three months.
I follow that with a healthy application of Doctor Rogers Face Cream to my face, around my eyes, neck and chest. I don’t use eye creams - my face cream is all your eye area needs. I cannot go a day without my face cream and I go through a jar every month. I travel with two jars just in case I run out or lose one. I am obsessed. For dry, sensitive skin my face cream ensures skin stays hydrated throughout the day, preventing dryness, irritation and maintaining plumpness. It is packed with squalane, glycerin, shea butter and niacinamide. Instantly, your skin feels plumped and with regular use, it builds a healthier, brighter complexion with visibly fewer lines and wrinkles.
If I am particularly puffy or my eyes are hooded I do a bit of lymphatic massage with the Joanna Czech Facial Massager. It is expensive but works better than any other I have used. And by using it after I apply my serum and face cream it helps pump the skin with all that goodness.
Next, I apply a zinc based, mineral sunscreen. Again, rain or shine, winter or summer, I always wear sunscreen. Consistency is key as 90% of aging is caused by the sun and you never know when the sun may come out. I use zinc-based, hypoallergenic options so I can use around my eyes without irritation, along with my face, neck, and chest. I have several I like:
-DermaQuest Sheer Zinc SPF 30: Available in sheer, as well as tinted in multiple shades, I use nude on my face most days. It is very cosmetically elegant, but the second ingredient is silicone which is not biodegradable and can pill on the skin.
-Kinship Self Reflect: This is also 100% mineral, but doesn't have the silicone in it and is a cosmetically elegant option.
-Vanicream Facial Moisturizer: Is 19% Zinc Oxide and tolerated by really sensitive skin. I use this often on my neck and chest. The price point is great.
-Isdin Eryfotona Actinica: It comes in two forms - the tinted and the white. It is also easy to apply to your body because it's quite milky.
Lastly, I apply makeup if I am wearing any, and then I’m off!
Nighttime Routine
It doesn’t matter how tired I am…I ALWAYS brush my teeth and wash my face before bed. I do my night routine in just my bra to make sure my neck and chest get the treatment as well - these areas are just as important as your face! I use a dime-size of my Doctor Rogers Face Wash, start around my eyes and then my full face, neck and upper chest. It can get messy and my husband calls me a seal.
It is remarkable to me how many face washes can’t do their job and don’t remove makeup or sunscreen so we have been taught to double cleanse. Just get a face wash that works…don’t buy into this crap! My face wash is made with only gentle, biodegradable ingredients and does exactly what it is supposed to do - remove the day’s buildup in one wash without stripping the skin.
I pat my skin dry with a clean towel and move on to the cell turnover step. This is a repair step necessary to correct damage that has already been done to our skin by promoting our skin to turnover and build new collagen. The most well-known repair treatment is retinol. It works great but can be irritating, particular to dry, mature or sensitive skin. I cannot tolerate it so I made my Doctor Rogers Night Repair Treatment with a powerful, yet well-tolerated combination of bakuchiol, glycolic acid (alpha hydroxy acid), gluconolactone (polyhydroxy acid) and antioxidants. This formula reverses signs of aging, builds collagen, evens skin tone, and improves skin texture and elasticity without the irritation commonly associated with retinol or tretinoin. And all ingredients are nontoxic, vegan and biodegradable. I use two pumps, one for my face and one for my neck and chest. I even put a rice grain amount around my eyes. I go through a bottle every three months.
If my skin is overly dry, sensitive or irritated I skip the treatment step, just like I skip my vitamin C day treatment serum in the morning and go straight to my Face Cream.
Next, is a generous application of my Face Cream to the usual suspects…face, eyes, neck and chest. This is followed by my Doctor Rogers Healing Balm for my lips and eyes as a hydrating sleeping mask. If I am really dry or irritated, I pat it on everywhere.
The last step is an eyelash conditioner most nights. I typically use one of the following:
-Sweed Eyelash Growth Serum: is prostaglandin free with a study showing excellent results.
-Revitalash: has a lower concentration of prostaglandin concentration than latisse and was developed for women to use during and after breast cancer. It has studies showing efficiency and well tolerated.
Body Routine
Either after my morning shower or before bed, I alternate between applying my Body Cream and my Body Repair Treatment to keep my body skin soft, smooth and supple. The body cream is like my face cream but for your body. Formulated with thick, rich with face-quality ingredients the body repair treatment quickly sinks into your skin, leaving skin instantly softer and plump.
The Body Repair Treatment is launching in April 2025, but I have been using it for over a year. It is a game changer for achieving smooth body skin while also improving crepey skin and sun damage. It is a proprietary blend of bakuchiol, glycolic acid, and antioxidants, all in a deeply hydrating cream of squalane and glycerin to build collagen, smooth crepey skin, and even skin tone. All ingredients are nontoxic, vegan, and biodegradable.
Also, on my bedside table is my Healing Balm so I can coat my nails and cuticles with the ointment for further hydration.
Oral Supplements
-5g of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides are mixed into my morning coffee. In studies, oral collagen has been shown to improve skin elasticity, boost collagen production, and enhance overall hydration.
-5g of Creatine to maintain muscle mass. There are studies showing it also helps with brain function.
-An oral hyaluronic acid. Specifically, the Hycera from Ritual. In a study it reduced wrinkles around the eyes and improved skin smoothness.
-ISDIN Sun supplement an antioxidant supplement designed to defend against photoaging and enhance general skin health. It has Polypodium leucotomos, a fern extract and has shown promise in protecting the skin from sun damage with powerful antioxidant properties. While it should not replace sunscreen, it can be a valuable addition to your skincare routine, especially in sunny climates.
-Vitamin D 2000 iu. As I do not spend much time in the sun, I like to maintain a healthy level of Vitamin D through oral supplementation.
At Home Procedures
Celluma my face, neck and chest twice a week. I rarely get this done more than once a week but I try! Well-designed red light improves the way our cells work. Our cell’s mitochondria absorb the photons (energy) from the light. This activation makes them more efficient in their use of oxygen and better able to make ATP (cell fuel). With more fuel, the cell becomes more active and better at doing their jobs, including DNA repair, collagen synthesis, or calming inflammation. The best results are for skin rejuvenation and wound healing using red light (640 +/- 25nm) and infrared light (880 +/-50nm). Having a bunch of wavelengths is less important than having a quality device that is comfortable and easy for you to use for your primary goal. The data is simply not as strong for blue, green and yellow light. More on redlight here.
I have many but do not use other at home devices besides red light. Learn more about why here.
These recommendations are not sponsored. They are the result of Dr. Heather D. Rogers, MD evidence-based research and extensive clinical experience.
To learn more, sign-up HERE to receive weekly educational newsletters from our founder and dermatologist, Dr. Heather D. Rogers, MD.
The information on doctorrogers.com and our social media channels, including articles, newsletters, videos, blogs and related links, are provided for general information and educational purposes only. There is no doctor-patient relationship implied and it is not a substitute for obtaining medical advice from your physician. Use of this information and recommended products on this site is at your own risk. Further, their use indicates your agreement with the Terms and Conditions of doctorrogers.com. There is no intent to diagnose or treat any specific medical problem through any of the information shared. Additionally, information shared here is not an extension of the medical care Dr. Rogers provides at her practice.