Dr. Cynthia Bailey's Top Personal Skin Care Tips

Dermatologist Shares Insights for a Healthy Complexion

What's my personal skincare routine like?

It is going to sound like a lot but it is purposeful and goes quickly - really. My routine is based on the AM and PM cycle and my Complete Skin Care concept of:

1. CLEANSE
2. CORRECT
3. HYDRATE
4. PROTECT

I start with clean skin ready to maximally absorb specific actives. All my products are hypoallergenic.

In the morning, I first wash off my night products with Triple Action Exfoliating Cleanser. This AHA and BHA cleanser brightens my skin for the day and prepares it to absorb my next products. I do a second cleansing step with my Naturally Hydrating Pore Minimizing Toner because my skin loves it. 

Next, I apply a high concentration and water based hyaluronic acid serum (Instantly Luminous) then high concentration green tea antioxidant (Green Tea Therapy). These two favorite products are my Layered Up Besties.

Around my eyes I apply my Advanced Corrective Eye Cream.

I top this with my Daily Moisturizing Face Cream and then my Sheer Strength Pure Physical Tinted Sunscreen. This combination is my Fort Knox for your Face Kit.

If I wear makeup it is one of my pure mineral makeup powders applied with my cruelty free brushes. This minimizes exposure of my face to allergens, fillers and dyes in traditional makeup products.

My complexion is pretty nice for a 60+-year-old blond Californian who tanned as a teen, so I don’t really need to soften or hide complexion flaws.

At night I cleanse my skin with my gentle pH balanced Extremely Gentle Foaming Facial Cleanser followed by my Naturally Hydrating Toner. 

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  If my skin is irritated by weather or my rosacea is threatening to flare up, I apply the Green Tea followed by my Daily Face Cream (Normal to Dry) boosted with my Omega Booster Oil.

• If my skin is feeling tolerant, I use my favorite anti-aging products - either tretinoin (prescription) or retinol. Tretinoin is in a hydrating base, but if I use the retinol, I hydrate by topping it with my Daily Face Cream and Booster Oil or Glycolic Acid Face Cream.  

 You can get the key anti-aging products in my Ageless Rejuvenation Skin Care Kit and add the others such as the Triple Action Cleanser, Toner, Eye Cream, Face Oil, and Luminous Serum depending on what your skin needs. This is a complete routine made from compatible products. In fact, all of these products are compatible. 

If I could only use three skincare products for the rest of my life, what would they be?

That’s easy, zinc oxide sunscreen, a professional green tea product and a retinoid.

What are my top 3 skincare tips to take care of your skin?

1. Protect your exposed skin from the sun daily with sunscreen or clothing, and seek the shade. Sun breaks down your skin structure more than time does. Just say ‘no’ to skin sun exposure.
2. Focus on your skin from the inside out with a health veggie packed diet and regular exercise. Skip the daily junk food and empty calories, they show up on your complexion. Exercise makes your skin glow with vitality.
3. Create a complete skin care routine with compatible products. That means tick the boxes for Cleanse, Correct, Hydrate and Protect every day. You can do that as simply or as complexly as you want.

What skincare treatments (dermabrasion, lasers, etc.) do I regularly have done?

I have had a series of IPL (5) and do 2 a year on my face, neck, chest, hands and arms. This has made a huge difference for my skin. I do an ablative erbium laser face and neck treatment once or twice a year. I have a face full of Allergan injectable products and have for years – Botox on my upper face and hyaluronic acid and a Juvederm family of fillers on my 60+-year-old lower face. I appreciate Allergan’s product formulation technology and I think they offer the safest of all injectables so I don’t stray into other brands.

I do a glycolic acid peel on myself once a month and I like to get a facial with microdermabrasion about every 6 weeks.

My 60+-year-old fair skin grew up in California and tanned until my mid-20s. This sun damage would love to show up in my complexion as dull, wrinkled and spotty old lady skin. It takes effort to resist that.

What lifestyle habits do I have that keep my skin in top shape?

• I eat mostly plants with only a small amount of animal foods in my diet such as goat yogurt/cheese and some meat. I have a glass of red wine with dinner every evening too! (Cured Italian meats are my guilty pleasure).
• I have always exercised regularly, for both my physical and mental health. I get at least 150 minutes of cardio each week (brisk walk and lap swim at this age, but I did more intense cardio when I was young). I do yoga and Pilates every week too.
• I spend time outdoors for the serenity and recharge it gives me.
• Since undergoing treatment for BRCA breast cancer, I also occasionally take an afternoon nap with my dog. I make it a priority to get a good 8 hours of sleep too.

At 60+, if I fall off this full wellness routine, my complexion starts to look as depleted as I feel.

What's in my makeup bag?

Not much! I wear blinc mascara (I love their tubular technology. Any other mascara smears under my eyes the minute I put it on). I use my pure mineral makeup powders for eye shadows and blush. I have the most beautiful and simple cosmetic collection that I have hand curated over the years. I line and fill in my lips with natural lip products and I switch around on the brands. 

Click here to learn more about my Ageless Rejuvenation Skin Care Kit.