đ Morning vs. Night Skincare: What Actually Matters | Dermatologist Explains
Do you really need different skincare routines in the morning and at night?
And when should you actually use products like retinoids, exfoliants, or red light therapy masks?
In this video, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dray breaks down exactly what your skin needs in the AM vs. PM â and whatâs just marketing fluff.
Whether you're building a skincare routine from scratch or simplifying an overloaded shelf, you'll learn how to make your routine more effective, intentional, and irritation-free.
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đč Retinols I Recommend
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đč Red Light Mask I Recommend
đč Sunscreens I Recommend
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Disclaimer: This video is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment or medical advice. Content provided on this Youtube channel is for informational purposes only. Please consult with a physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical or health related diagnosis or treatment options. Information on this Youtube channel should not be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional. The statements made about specific products throughout this video are not to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
𧎠Product Recommendations
đč Retinols I Recommend https://amzlink.to/az0yGIBP5dUEf
đč Cleansers I Recommend https://amzlink.to/az0CJclrGCS7M
đč Moisturizers I Recommend https://amzlink.to/az0lUNRpeQndJ
đč Red Light Mask I Recommend https://go.shopmy.us/p-36352
đč Sunscreens I Recommend https://o.bttn.io/0srZP41Tlaf
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Hi DrDray, are there some people who will never be able to use retinol/retinal due to just having been born with a too sensitive/weak skin type?
Dr Dray , can you please recommend safe skincare routine for teenager 13 yrs old with acne/closed comedone with surface dry skin that doesnt contain active ingredients? Thank you
Thank you for clarifying Dr Dray. Wishing everyone a wonderful day and a phenomenal routine! And as stated numerous times prior, sunscreen application is imperative!
Same to you!
â@@DrDrayzdayAlways Andrea!
Thank you for cutting workable paths through the jungle of all those helpful ingredients and developments whenever it gets overgrown with products.đș
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for clear advice. Most helpful. Happy Monday!
This is one of your best videos ever!!
Love your channel..â€!
Great advice, thank you! I am oily, dehydrated, sensitive, have seb derm and struggled a lot with acne in my youth. I started diggin deeper into skincare since the start of the year. Have tried out so many things, broke my barrier, healed it again and am now heading towards a stable routine with the least amount of products possible. I think it’s hard to judge your own skin and determine which products help and which don’t. So stability for me is the highest priority right now. I really vibe with the aveeno gel moisturizer in the AM. I find it mattefying somehow. And i have tried so many SPF lately… in the end the eucerin or LRP anthelios oil control dry touch gel creams work the best. At some point i vibed with the Missha Soft Finish, because it was truly matte, but it’s drying as hell because of all the alcohol. So i guess, what Dr. Dray says is absolutely true. And these more “boring” products just work. Wish me luck on my search for the right cleanser and AM serum. :)
Hey can u tell more abt ur skincare routine. my skin is exactly like u.
@@st99222
Hey, sure! Keep in mind though: I live in a humid climate. I am 38 years old. I use retinal for anti aging. And i am a man, but i guess that doesn’t make much of a difference. For context: After messing up my barrier due to over exfoliation and using too much stuff and swapping my routine around the whole time, i completely focussed on hydration: Gentle cleanser, Moisturizer and SPF. Also a watery toner here and there (the hatomugi one). After that i slowly built up retinal and azelaic acid. Very slowly. However i dont use azelaic acid anymore, because after months i didn’t really felt it was doing much. So i wanted to strip back, and find a stable routine. I have a list of products that i wanna test out. But i do that very slowly now. One at a time and each one for at least two weeks (serums/treatments longer). Here is my routine:
AM
Aveeno Calm + Restore Nourishing Cleanser
Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat gel moisturizer
La Roche Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Oil control gel cream
PM (Retinal nights)
Softymo Speedy Oil Cleanser
Geek and Gorgeous Jelly Joker
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6
Aestura Atobarrier 365 Lotion
PM (Hydration nights)
Softymo Speedy Oil Cleanser
Geek & Gorgeous Jelly Joker (Every 6 nights i switch this one up with Ketoconazole shampoo. On wet face, let it foam and wait for 5 minutes, then rinse of. To keep seb derm in check)
Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioner (2 Layers)
Aestura Atobarrier 365 Lotion
I switch every day between retinal and hydration nights. I don’t know if i will increase the retinal frequency in the future. I use two gentle cleansers, because i wanna use them up, but the Jelly Joker and the Aveeno cleanser are very similar, so i could use just one of the two. The medik8 retinal is quite expensive, the Geek and gorgeous a-game 5 retinal is a good dupe. But out of these products, the only holy grails i found so far are the Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioner (use it with a spray bottle, its awesome, feels so refreshing and light) and the Aveeno Oat gel moisturizer. BTW the azelaic that i was using is called Theramid AZID. Its by a spanish brand. I did like it at first and it didnt worsen anything. So maybe i will give it another shot at some point. The PM moisturizer i am not super convinced of, but its stable and ok. Hope this helped!
â@@Xhulu666thank u so muchâ€
Thank you for breaking it down this way. I have too many skincare products! Now I can just choose a good cleanser, antioxidant, moisturizer and sunscreen in the morning, and a good cleaner, retinoid, and moisturizer in the evening. Plus I keep a bottle of Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Lotion next to my bed and reapply to my face and neck when I wake up in the middle of the night. It helps me calm down and fall back asleep. It is the best skincare product I have ever used, no question.
I have had good results using gentle exfoliants in the morning after cleansing but before other steps, especially gentle enzyme masks or mud masks (which exfoliate a little). They do improve the look of my skin since I am getting old. Just have to limit masks so I don’t irritate…few times a week is good.
As I’ve aged, Tretinoin causes more irritation, but I still use it. For the past several years, I always use it over moisturizer. Recently, I’ve decided to use it every other day in stead of every day. And I had the strength us back from .07% to .05%. I’m also trying to cut back on other actives.
Iâve been traveling more than usual lately from PR to the states. I limit my products. No check-in bags EVER!! Travel sized neutrogena cleanser (any one is fine, canât go wrong), wonât tone, ilâll pump some differin into a travel-sized plastic bottle from the dollar store as my vitamin A (wont do without on anynight, although I use tretinoin normally, just wonât travel w it-she pricey), travel-sized cerave anything for moisturizer and Walmartâs equate brand travel-sized healing ointment tube for eyelids, lips, the plane ride and when I feel like slugging (especially in a hotel room) and a travel -sized sunscreen stick from any Korean brand. This is all you need and a great way to test out that you will figure out what your particular essentials are on a budget.
Cleanse, adapalene, moisturizer, sunscreen. Dazzit!
This was a great video! Have a great week!â€ïž
Dr. Dray, you have been the ticket to my successful skincare improvement journey over the past year. Thank you! Can you please do a video on how to care for the orbital eye area morning and night?
Judging by her previous videos I’d venture to say that Dray is not a fan of “eye cream”, and says it’s safe to treat the skin around your eyes the same way you treat the skin on the rest of your face.
â@PeterH-be1xe Thanks. I actually was more interested in retinoids and vitamin c serums that would be safe near the eyes, and how often to apply them You’re right: she has taught us not to waste money on eye creams.
Some people donât even use cleanser at all except water and use tret at night and the skin is flawless lol
I have sensitive eczema skin so I only spray a hydrating essence and sunscreen after in the mornings. Night time is where all the action begins.
I oil cleanse in the morning and sometimes double cleanse. It seems to help with smoothing my skin out and keeping sebaceous filaments at bay. I use a milky toner or a hydrating toner and sunscreen. I wear makeup several times a week. I double cleanse at night, use a treatment serum and a retinal. I moisturize my eyes, lips and I sometimes use another moisturizer after my retinal. The âsandwichâ is really important in the winter.
I have a super simple AM and PM skin care routine thanks to you, Dr Dray. My skin has never been better. While I was never doing 10+ steps I never had a consistent routine and also was using whatever products that were on sale so they weren’t consistent either. Finding products and a routine that works for me and sticking with them has made a huge difference.Thanks for all you do and for all of the help you’ve given me over the years. So glad I found your channel. Happy Monday!! Hope you have a tranquil evening. đ
Pardon me for commenting again, things just pop in my head throughout the day. Not to ride your coat-tails Dr Dray, but folks your most important skincare time is the evening. You not only wash off the days cesspool and make-up, but your skin repairs greatly while you are sleeping. I have extremely oily skin, so I must do am/pm. This may apply to you as well.
Happy Monday Dr DrayâŠsee you tomorrow xđ€©đ
Guess Iâm going against the grain here, but over the past year I have found that adding a few afforbable (and cruelty-free) additional products and steps has made a noticeable difference in my skin. I learned a lot from Dr. Dray, self research, and trial and error, and incorporated additional ingredients/products to address specific concerns. Examples are azelaic acid and hyperpigmentation serum, plus a hydrating or exfoliating toner depending what my skin needs. I also use a clay-based mask 1-2x times a week, which helps my mature but oily and acne prone skin. I find I enjoy the few minutes of self-care and have kept up with it faithfully. Seeing improvements certainly spurs me on! Just wanted to put this out there for anyone feeling guilty or frivolous for having a more complex routine. đ
Same! Mostly because Iâm tackling both rosacea and hyperpigmentation/melasma
A- Because of your advice , last year, I began applying sunscreen daily *including the backs of my hands, after rinsing my face with plain water (post brushing my teeth.) Iâm African American and didnât feel I needed sunscreen if I wasnât going to be at the beach or otherwise exposed to bright sunlight for hours.
I started using a retinol on my face and followed up with âGold Bondâ Overnight Retinol on my face, neck & chest.
I cleanse my face at bedtime with âPhilosophyâ or âNuetrogena Hydroboostâ.
Iâm considering a red light mask âBlack Fridayâ. purchase .
I also began a full body massage with baby oil AM&PM and my skin is remarkably soft and smooth all over! Iâm 62 and my skin has never looked better.
Great practical and concise information! đ THANKS for your video!đMuch appreciated â€â€â€
I wash my face at night. I do use eye cream, serum, moisturizer (also on neck and chest). I use Retinal two nights a week.
Morning i splash water on my face, neck, and chest, use vitamin c, eye cream, serum for hydration, and sunscreen.