DERMATOLOGIST DR. DRAY’S AM & PM SKINCARE ROUTINES – STEP BY STEP
Dermatologist Dr. Dray recommends keeping skincare routines minimalistic, less is more when it comes to skincare, however, it is crucial to never be stingy with sunscreen. The essential skincare products are necessary to keep your skin looking and feeling healthy. Let’s be honest, when it comes to skincare, most of us just wing it, which is why it is useful to see what a board-certified dermatologist like Dr. Dray not only recommends to her clients, but also follows herself every day.
If you prefer the video format, here is Dr. Dray’s original skincare routine video.
Dr. Dray’s PM Skincare Routine
In general, we are tempted to ignore skincare at night and focus more on our morning skincare routine. It is important to remember that our skin rests, rejuvenates and heals itself at night, when our whole body, mind and soul are at ease. Hence, it is a better practice to concentrate more on your nighttime skincare routine than the daytime skincare routine. Likewise, dermatologist Dr. Dray has a more elaborate PM skincare routine.
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Now let’s get into it!
1. The Double Cleanse Method – Step 1 – Cleansing Oil, Cleansing Balm
People seem to think that cleansing the face is not necessary at night if you do not wear makeup. However, hopefully you are wearing a sunscreen, and reapplying it throughout the day. Sunscreen needs to be cleansed too. It is invisible, but it is still makeup, it is still cosmetic, and it needs to be washed off before you get into bed at night.
Dermatologist Dr. Dray prefers nighttime showers, and before getting in the shower she uses an oil cleanser to break up the film of water-resistant sunscreen from her face. This will also help makeup wearers disrupt the film of makeup, dirt, or sweat from the skin as well.
A lot of people gravitate to using makeup wipes, makeup removers, micellar water, and the likes but Dr. Dray prefers using a cleansing oil, because using the other methods will require you to rub the skin a lot more than using a cleansing oil. Being gentle on your skin is the best thing you can do for it to make it look healthy and happy forever.
The Cleansing Oil Dr. Dray uses and recommends is the Neutrogena Body Oil. Yes, body oils are safe to be used on your face as well. It is oil, and that is the main thing to remember here.
If you are interested in other Cleansing Oil and Cleansing balm recommendations by Dr. Dray, click here. I have an entire blog post dedicated to her top favorite Cleansing oils and Cleansing balms. Pick your favorite and move on to Step 2.
Click here for some Neutrogena Favorites by Dr. Dray
2. The Double Cleanse Method – Step 2 – Cleanser
Dr. Dray gently rubs the cleansing oil on her face and neck, getting the mascara off, sunscreen off, and then runs her face under the shower. This process will remove most of the stuff from your skin. This is followed by step 2, which is to wash your face, and the remaining cleansing oil on your face with a gentle cleanser. The one dermatologist Dr. Dray recommends is the CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser. Just spread it on your face neck, in gentle circles and that is all the exfoliating your skin requires. No need for the extra scrubbing or exfoliants.
Here are top CeraVe products recommended by Dr. Dray.
3. Body Wash
Now that we have the face covered, the next step is the rest of your body. Dr. Dray recommends cleansing your body specifically in areas you have skin folds, or areas that are soiled or sweaty, or body washes that are targeted towards skin conditions like acne, rosacea, etc. Typically, body washes have too much soap, which is not ideal for the skin, as it strips the skin of its natural moisturizers and causes dryness, irritation, and in some cases, even allergies.
The body wash Dr. Dray recommends is another gem by CeraVe. The CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser. Yes, it is okay to use face washes as a body wash. Peroxyl’s Benzoyl Peroxide Wash is another recommendation. Benzoyl Peroxide is anti-inflammatory, anti-acne. Just apply this to your skin folds, leave it on for a few minutes and rinse it off. The anti-bacterial properties will also help with body odor.
The CeraVe body wash is also a great one!
4. Body Moisturizer
Next, Dr. Dray does not use towels to dry herself. She uses a cotton tee shirt to wrap her hair up while still in the shower, this makes sure that most of the water from the shower has dripped off. On the damp skin, she uses a moisturizer or a lotion. Moisturizers work best when applied to the skin while it is still damp. Always, always follow a body wash with a body moisturizer.
Here are some other amazing moisturizer recommendations by Dr. Dray.
5. Facial Moisturizer
After moisturizing the body, Dr. Dray gets out and stands on a bamboo bath mat, which makes quite a difference. A bamboo bathmat makes a huge difference, as they do not harbor mold, they last a lot longer and are easy to clean. This is where she follows up with a facial moisturizer. The one she recommends is Cetaphil Redness Relieving Night Moisturizer.
Here are some of Dr. Dray’s top Cetaphil Products for skincare.
6. Lip Ointment
After moisturizing the face and the body, Dermatologist Dr. Dray recommends a lip ointment. Yes, Lips are skin and need some love too. CeraVe Healing Ointment is a good one for anybody with lips. You can use it on any part of your body that is dry, like elbows and knees.
7. Retinols and Tretinoin
This step is not for everybody, but if you are someone who uses retinols, or Vitamin A, this is when you should apply it. It is best to put these on at night, as many forms of Vitamin A degrade with exposure to sunlight. Tretinoin is prescription only, but there are over the counter products as well. Differin Gel is the most popular one of those. Neutrogena’s Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream is another great product.
If you are looking for a list of Dr. Dray recommended retinols, click here!
8. SLEEP – Non-Negotiable
Last but not the least is going to sleep. Sleep is the most important step that helps your skin. Adequate sleep is a must for good healthy skin. 8 hours of high-quality sleep is highly recommended.
Dr. Dray’s AM Skincare Routine
AM SKINCARE ROUTINE STEP 1 – SUNSCREEN
As mentioned before, Dr. Dray’s morning skincare routine is not as elaborate as her PM skincare routine. This is simply because, our favorite dermatologist is quite busy in the morning and does the bare minimum. She does not wash her face in the morning, and just starts the day with the most important part of skincare. SUNSCREEN!
Washing your face in the morning is not necessary but it depends on personal preference. If you like washing your face in the morning, go ahead.
Dr. Dray encourages everybody to film themselves while wearing sunscreen, just so you know which parts you usually forget to put sunscreen on – around the eyes, nose, neck, sides of the face are areas that are usually skipped.
A Few Great Sunscreens to Try
1. Image Prevention Daily Ultimate Protection SPF 50
Combination sunscreen, meaning it has a mineral active ingredient and some chemical active ingredients for maximum protection.
2. Coppertone Defend & Care Oil Free SPF 50
This one is water resistant, so it is perfect for hot and humid days.
3. Eucerin Daily Hydration Cream SPF 30
This is a great choice for the body, areas that are exposed to the sun should also have sunscreen, so do not forget that. It is a good idea to wear sun protective clothing, hats, sunglasses, etc. for maximum protection from the sun.
4. Eucerin Daily Hydration Hand Cream SPF 30
Sunscreen needs to be reapplied throughout the day, so here is another option to protect your hands. This hand cream is moisturizing and has SPF in it, especially after washing your hands.
5. Vanicream Lip Protectant
Lips are often overlooked, but lips are skin and need sun protection. This one is a great one that Dr. Dray highly recommends.
Looking for a list of sunscreens suggested by Dr. Dray, click here for the post!
AM SKINCARE ROUTINE STEP 2 – MASCARA
This one is not skincare related, but since we are talking about Dermatologist Dr. Dray’s morning routine, I felt the need to mention it. She uses a mascara, as the only beauty product, and recommends Maybelline’s Colossal in the shade Glam Black.
Wrapping Up
Different skin, different requirements, but seeing what a board-certified dermatologist does to ensure her skin is taken care of is useful. You can add or subtract the steps according to your preference but if you take one thing away from this post, it should be that sunscreens and moisturizers are crucial, and must not be ignored. The rest can follow.
Stay safe and keep your mind and skin calm!