The Ingredients I Keep Coming Back To

After years behind the treatment bed, my favorite ingredients are quieter than you might expect. Niacinamide for nearly every skin type. Azelaic acid for sensitivity and pigment. A well-formulated retinoid, used with restraint. Peptides for repair. A single, gentle exfoliating acid — chosen for the skin in front of me, not the trend in front of the algorithm.

What I keep prescribing less and less: harsh physical scrubs, ten-step routines, and any product that promises a transformation in seven days.

Beautiful skin is mostly the absence of irritation. Start there.