DECODING YOUR SKINCARE Expert advice to boost your skincare by Julia McEwan.

Click here for more skincare talk with our experts.

BRIGHTEN & PROTECT

Vitamin C is a workhorse ingredient. This overachieving antioxidant helps improve uneven skin tone, fine lines, dullness and rough texture. It also helps prevent oxidative stress caused by free radicals. “Antioxidant molecules help to neutralize these harmful atoms by giving up some of their own electrons,” says Dr. Vincent Richer, a medical and cosmetic Dermatologist at Pacific Derm. Think of it as nature's “off” switch.

Decoding Your Skincare

If treatment is impacting your skin, make sure you follow our simple steps on page 32. But if your skin isn’t impacted, or you’re done treatment and want to amplify your skincare routine, we’ve tapped the experts for their top advice. Julia McEwan

SERUM VS MOISTURIZER

A serum and moisturizer combo can enhance your skincare routine —but what is the difference? "Serums are formulated to penetrate deeply into the skin to deliver targeted active ingredients," says Dr. Arisa Ortiz, a Harvard-trained, board-certified dermatologist. This means they’re thinner and lighter to their creamier counterparts and also a more powerful delivery method. "Moisturizers help to reinforce the surface of the skin and work to increase hydration," she adds.

THE RULES OF LAYERING

Whether you are a product minimalist or maximalist, the order you apply your skincare matters—both for your skin’s health and the products’ efficacy. For the less-is-more folks, keep it simple: cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen. If your routine is more robust: cleanser, toner, serum(s), eye cream, moisturizer, face oil, sunscreen.

PLUMP IT UP

If you've noticed your skin getting drier as you age, or that's just your skin type, one active ingredient to be on the lookout for is hyaluronic acid, especially in a serum. The molecule, famous for holding 1000 times its weight in water, helps brings moisture to the surface of your skin. In the right formulation, it can produce immediate plumping effects, leaving skin looking dewy. But for folks with very dry skin or who live in a dry climate, Dr. Julia Carroll, dermatologist and co-owner of Compass Medical, suggests layering moisturizer on top of your hyaluronic acid serum to seal it in and provide a barrier to moisture loss.