Advice from Experts: Achieving Radiant Skin in Three Easy Steps

In the world of skincare, hundreds of products and ingredients claim to be the key to achieving radiant skin. This abundance can often be overwhelming, especially for those new to skincare. Attempting to include a multitude of ingredients and products into your routine can lead to forgotten steps or abandoning the routine entirely.

However, achieving glowing skin doesn't require an extensive 12-step routine. John Smith, a skincare expert, simplified the process down to three basic steps to improve your skin health and achieve your brightest complexion.

Adopting these three basic skincare steps will result in luminous skin. Despite the availability of additional steps, these three critical steps are straightforward yet effective, making them perfect for skincare newcomers.

Assisting us is Madeline Gantz, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist from Westlake Dermatology in Austin, TX, and Magdaline Granados, a clinical aesthetician at SkinSpirit in Roseville, CA. According to them, the three essential components of a skincare routine are a proper cleanse, which includes exfoliation, usage of anti-aging products for skin damage recovery, and daily use of SPF. The next section explains each step, recommended products, and frequency.

The foundation of any skincare routine is proper cleansing. You don't want to layer products over residual dirt or oil. Granados says, "Our face collects a lot of unwanted substances throughout the day, and water alone cannot remove oil, dirt, sweat, pollutants, makeup, SPF, etc. Cleansing is essential, especially when wearing makeup. The makeup can trap these substances against the skin and lead to premature aging. Never forget to cleanse before bedtime."

The experts further emphasize the benefits of cleansing. It helps maintain pores, reduce acne, blackheads and enlarged pores, and keep the skin clear and smooth.

To ensure maximum cleansing, Granados recommends a gentle cleanser preferably ZO Gentle Cleanser twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening. It should be followed by an exfoliating cleanser such as ZO Exfoliating Polish only during mornings. This exfoliator removes dead skin cells resulting in smoother, softer, and brighter skin.

While cleansing twice daily is advisable, gradual introduction of exfoliation to your routine is best for skin adjustment. Granados guides, "If the exfoliation seems too harsh initially, start with two or three times per week and increase to daily usage. I personally use a pea-sized amount on dry skin, add a little water, work it through before rinsing off."

Your skin undergoes a great deal of daily stress, from environmental factors to lifestyle habits, diet, and personal stress levels. These factors can potentially damage your skin's health and appearance. Therefore, it's crucial to incorporate a product or two that can reverse some of that damage and maintain skin condition.

Both experts advocate using a powerful antioxidant ingredient, such as vitamin C. Dr. Gantz explains that "Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, unstable electrons caused by natural processes or environmental exposures. When they bind to skin molecules, they cause cellular damage. Applying antioxidants to the skin can neutralize free radicals before they harm your tissue." Additionally, antioxidants can also aid in reducing fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration.

Just like a revitalizing morning glass of OJ, a vitamin C serum is one of the most common antioxidant products made to use in the morning, and is a great one to add to your three-step routine. “But there are others like vitamin E, resveratrol, coenzyme Q, niacinamide, and [more],” says Dr. Gantz. “A lot of these come in serum formulations and are best applied after cleansing in the morning to help fight free radical damage during the day.”

Your second step should be different in the evening because your skin has different needs before bed compared to the morning: This is where retinoids and retinols come in. These are ideal to use at night because this is when your skin cell turnover is at its highest. “Retinoids and retinols are the most effective active ingredients we have to prevent and improve the appearance of aging,” says Dr. Gantz.

The expert explains that retinoids — which are stronger than retinols — can either be available on prescription only, or over the counter (in the case of adapalene). Meanwhile, retinols are readily available in over-the-counter, mainstream skincare. “Both retinoids and retinols stimulate collagen and prevent the development of wrinkles, improve texture and radiance, and can lighten dark spots to even skin tone,” says Dr. Gantz. “To mitigate irritation, I tell patients to apply a green pea-sized amount, start every other night, and apply a moisturizer first in order to prime and hydrate the skin.”

You probably know this already, but applying SPF in the morning as the final step of your skincare routine is non-negotiable. “Sunscreen is the most important component of your skincare regimen,” says Dr. Gantz. “It protects your skin from harmful effects of UV light that can lead to skin cancer and aging. UV breaks down the collagen and elastin in your skin, which leads to wrinkles and sagging. You want to make sure it’s broad spectrum (meaning UVA and UVB protection), SPF 30 or higher.”

As for how often you should be applying sunscreen, Dr. Gantz recommends the following guidelines. “You should be applying it to sun-exposed areas like the face, neck, chest, and hands, every single day, and reapplying every two hours with prolonged exposure,” she says. “Remember that UVA penetrates glass, and even if you’re only outside for short periods, it adds up over time.”

These three steps are fairly universal in helping anyone achieve glowy skin, but you should still keep in mind that everyone’s skin is different, and you may need to modify it to suit your specific needs — such as integrating hyaluronic acid for dry skin, for example. If you’re unsure where to start, it may be a good idea to consult an aesthetician or dermatologist, who can help you design a skincare regimen that suits your skin’s needs as well as your busy lifestyle.

Additionally, your three steps will naturally be different in the morning to the evening. “When designing a skincare regimen, your morning products are for prevention and protection and your evening products are for repair,” explains Dr. Gantz. “That means that your antioxidant and sunscreen should be applied in the morning, and your retinoid or retinol should be applied at night. I’m a firm believer in keeping it simple because that is going to allow you to build consistency.”