8 StyleCaster Editors Share Their Entire Skin-Care Routines
When I was “researching” this story—as in, sending around an email requesting that my beauty-savvy coworkers send me a comprehensive summary of their individual skin-care routines, down to the last dirty detail—a couple of my subjects expressed concerns that their regimens were too exhaustive to share. “There’s no such thing,” I told them, because, really, that’s what makes other peoples’ routines so interesting: When you’re the type of person who wants to know about what other women are actually using, and therefore what’s actually worth trying, this stuff is practically porn for skin-care enthusiasts. Screw naked people; it’s a makeup-free face with miraculous clarity that we really get excited about.
I asked seven StyleCaster staffers (I’m in there too somewhere, so that makes eight) what they apply to their faces every morning and night to keep their skin in check. Some of us go to great lengths, some of us keep it fairly simple, some of us struggle with our skin while others are #bornwithit—but we all clearly feel very passionate about our routines. We’re talking four paragraphs of passionate.
“I prefer to switch up my skin care routine as I test out new products, but there’s a handful of constants I rely on and always go back to, all of which are ideal for my dry, dry skin. My all-time favorite product is Orico London Orange Micellar Cleansing Water, which dissolves all my makeup and leaves my skin extra hydrated. I moisturize with Dolce & Gabbana Aurealux Radiance Moisturiser Cream, which is made in Japan and is almost like a gel—it’s so gentle and cooling, I love it—and I usually apply Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate serum beforehand.
When I actually wash my face and not use micellar water, I go for a cleansing oil—right now I love Shiseido or Tatcha—and either use my Clarisonic Mia or mix it with an exfoliator like Orico London Streetwise City Face Scrub or M-61 Supersoothe E Microdermabrasion Scrub.
I’m terrible about eye cream—I just kind of feel like it doesn’t do anything extra, although an aesthetician recently told me she thinks it’s “time I start” using one. She’s probably right.
This all takes place at night—I never use anything in the morning except SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, which is packed with antioxidants and I find really does brighten and tighten. I’m hoarding the bottle I currently have so I’ve cut down my usage to a few times a week until I bite the bullet and buy a new one.” —Perrie Samotin, site director
“I basically do whatever Georgia Louise tells me to do, and her whole philosophy is layering. In the morning with a clean face, I start by exfoliating with Biologique Recherche P50 1970. Next comes Medik8 CE-Tetra Powerful Vitamin C+E Antioxidant Serum followed by Georgia’s The Beauty Cream. I seal everything in with a finishing serum—I alternate between Georgia Louise Vital Finishing Serum and Biologique Recherche Sérum Grand Millésime.
In the evening, I use the P50 again. I’m testing out Biologique Recherche Crème MSR-H—so far, so good!—and since winter and apartment heating tend to dry my face out a little, I put a layer of Georgia Louise The Balm on top. I apply the balm after I’ve kissed my husband goodnight (#protip). Our pillowcases are absolutely shot, but it’s worth it to wake up with plump, hydrated skin.” —Melissa Medvedich, creative director
“I’m not exaggerating when I say that executing my skin-care regimen is one of the highlights of my day, second to drinking my morning coffee. While the brands I use change frequently, the actual products and order in which I apply them never does, and I find Zen in the familiarity.
In the morning, my routine starts in the shower, where I wash my face with Olga Lorencin Rehydrating Cleanser, a gentle milky cleanser from a totally underrated L.A. facialist who gets celebs red carpet-ready before all the big awards shows. After I towel off, I immediately reach for Cecilia Wong Rose Toner to restore balance to my skin, then follow that up with a slick of serum (currently Soap & Glory Make Yourself Youthful Super Serum) for deep hydration. Next, I gently massage in La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Eye Cream—splurgey, but worth it for concealing dark circles like mine—and cap things off with Prescriptives All You Need+ Broad Spectrum SPF 15; SPF is non-negotiable for daytime.
At night, things look pretty much the same, but I swap out the cleanser for Origins GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser, a hardier scrub to take off the day’s makeup and grime; use Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum, which I can actually feel dissolve dead skin cells; and trade my SPF moisturizer for a richer formula, like Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream. Occasionally, I’ll throw in Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Extra Strength Daily Peel or Kiehl’s Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque after I cleanse to correct any dullness or oiliness, respectively.” —Cristina Velocci, managing editor
“Up until a few months ago, I swore by a mostly natural, pretty simple skin-care routine: Cleanse with Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil, exfoliate every few days with Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, tone with heavily watered-down organic apple cider vinegar, and apply organic jojoba oil and an organic eye cream (I’m not loyal to any particular brand) right before bed.
For about a year I religiously did this every night, and then, in a cruel twist of fate, my skin erupted in blemishes and breakouts, and I’ve spent the last four months in damage-control mode. Now, I use my dermatologist-prescribed face wash at night, diluted apple cider vinegar as a toner, and Tazorac (a prescription-only cream) every couple of nights before bed. My skin’s more or less back to normal, and I’ll eventually transition back to my more natural routine.” —Jasmine Garnsworthy, editor
“My hodgepodge background (I’m of Swedish, English, French, Hungarian, and Native American descent) means that my skin is perpetually confused. One day it’s dry, the next I have a pimple the size of Mount Vesuvius on my cheek (hello, adult acne!), and I’m 100 percent pale all day, every day. But years of serious scientific trial and error have mercifully yielded some results that help my sensitive combination skin look and feel its best.
Every morning, I start out with Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser to add some moisture. As soon as I’m out of the shower, it’s a layer of Ling New York Vitamin K Anti-Sensitivity Calming Solution to keep redness at bay. Bonus points: It smells like happiness in a bottle. Throughout the day, I’ll try to drink plenty of water or tea (try being the operative word). At night, I’ll slough off my makeup with Julep Konjac Cleansing Sponge and a muslin cloth, followed by Kiehl’s Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner and top it off with Dayle Breault Truthful Serum. Every two or three days, I’ll use my Clarisonic to make sure all the dead skin is where it should be—not on my face.” —Beth Stebner, lifestyle editor
“I have the perfect storm of extremely sensitive skin and a propensity toward hormonal acne, which means that maintaining a decent complexion is not always easy for me. After years of product experimentation and crying in front of the mirror, I’ve finally found something that seems to be working—and it’s far from the exhaustive 15-step regimen I always imagined would be the answer.
The catch? I only use tap water on my face about once or twice a week. Avoiding water sounds insane, but I’ve noticed a dramatic difference with this change alone. I use nearly the same stupidly simple routine in the morning and at night: I massage LUSH 9 to 5 Cleansing Lotion, which has a pleasant, subtle floral scent that makes me happy (not an easy thing to do at 8 a.m.), all over my dry face, then wipe it off with a cotton round. At night, I’ll follow up with a quick swipe of the mild, ultra soothing Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Micellar Cleanser to clean up any traces of makeup, but the cleanser removes most of it.
In the morning, I use a prescription topical called Aczone, which is really good for hormonal acne in women (ask your dermatologist about it today!), and at night I use prescription Tazorac, which has been a huge help in clearing up dark scars from old acne. After I give those a chance to sink in post-cleansing, I smear on Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Gel-Cream, which is so soothing and hydrating and wonderful that I’ve personified it in my head as an incredibly supportive friend, or Better Skin Mirakle Cream, which I just discovered and am loving. Morning and night I pat on Arcona Eye Dew Plus, which is the only eye cream I’ve ever tried that has actually made an appreciable difference.
Every other time I shower I’ll massage Ole Henriksen Truth Sugar Glow Polishing Mask and leave it on for about ten minutes before I hop in. I feel like exfoliating does more harm than good for me a lot of the time, but the oils and honey in this formula don’t leave me feeling dry or unpleasantly scrubbed down. I’m a beauty editor, so I do try new products often and occasionally they’ll make their way into permanent rotation—but this is the routine that’s got my skin looking truly great for the first time in a long time.” —Rachel Krause, associate beauty editor
“I’ve always been obsessed with taking good care of my skin, but my fastidiousness has only increased since I moved to New York City, which is undeniably grimy.
Every night, I take off all my makeup with an oil-based makeup remover (my favorite is Lancome Bi-Facil), then wash my face with warm water and either Origins Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser or Peter Thomas Roth Camu Camu Power C x 30 Vitamin C Brightening Cleansing Powder. After I cleanse, I wipe down my face and neck with Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2 on a cotton pad and wait until my skin dries, then I pat on SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, which I swear has made my skin super-clear and luminous (plus, my queen Cate Blanchett uses it, and who doesn’t want to age the way she has?).
When that dries, I use Tula Illuminating Face Serum, and then top that with the Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost [discontinued]. Depending on how my skin has been feeling, I’ll use Philosophy Hope in a Jar with a few drops of Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil mixed in (our creative director, Melissa, suggested this to me when I told her that putting face oil on top of my skin cream left my skin super slick) or if I’m feeling truly parched, I’ll use Lancôme Visionnaire Nuit Beauty Sleep Perfector, which makes my skin cushiony and velvety smooth. I finish it off with Clarins Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate because my mom has always been great about using eye cream and she has virtually no crow’s feet (or wrinkles, for that matter) and she’s in her 50s. Here’s hoping good genes and preventative skin care serve me just as well.
In the morning, I might wipe my face down with a cotton pad and some Dr. Jart+ Dermaclear Micro Water, then repeat the toner/serum/cream ritual, but more often than not, I’ll slap on more of the vitamin C serum (it gives you an instant glow, I am obsessed!) and then Aveeno Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15.” —Cady Lang, social media editor
“Since it’s winter, I use DHC Deep Cleansing Oil in the mornings to add extra moisture, then Bioderma Crealine on my eye area to remove any traces of mascara that may be left over from last night. It’s the only makeup remover that truly takes everything off. I scrub my lips with Sara Happ Brown Sugar Lip Exfoliator because it makes my lips super soft. Then, I use Clinique All About Eyes to reduce my puffiness and dark circles. I occasionally get acne, so I dab on some prescription Acanya, which is basically benzoyl peroxide, and finally, I use Glossier Priming Moisturizer—I feel like it makes my skin smoother and glowier.
At night, I cleanse with a prescription cleanser that has green tea and salicylic acid in it. Again, I’ll use All About Eyes on my under eyes and lids and Bioderma to remove my eye makeup and lipstick. I’ll use Korres Wild Rose + Vitamin C Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial for an extra pop of brightness—I love how fresh it makes my skin feel—followed by my new favorite night balm, Filorga Sleep-Recover, which makes my skin instantly plumper, smoother, and more radiant in the morning. If I’m feeling really dry, I slather Embryolisse all over my face and neck before bed.” —Kristen Bateman, associate editor/producer
