Dermatologist Dr Dennis Gross Shares His Six Science-Backed Skincare Hacks

Thy Daily Scrub
Exfoliate daily. A healthy rate of skin cell renewal is one of the key components of radiant and even-toned skin. Add a little oomph to your daily regime by using a micro-exfoliation product with alpha or beta hydroxy acids, which build skin-firming collagen.

Keep it Clean
Healthy skin starts with proper cleansing. Make sure to remove your makeup before going to bed. If you don’t, it can clog pores and oil glands, leading to breakouts and pimples. When your makeup becomes impacted in your pores, it can make them appear larger. So cleanse thoroughly every night, even if you’re tired. It’s worth it.

The Eyes Have It
The sensitive eye area often displays the first signs of ageing, and is the most important to look after. Taking care of this delicate area of the face can completely change your whole appearance. Get into a consistent routine of using an eye cream – look for one with brightening Vitamin C to brighten. I’ve also just launched a new light therapy device, the SpectraLite Eye Care Pro, in the UK market. The 72 LED lights provide four wavelengths of red light therapy to target crow’s feet and lines, and diminish surface imperfections.

The Best Cure for Spots
If you have spots, a targeted spot treatment will treat the redness that appears when the blemish becomes infected and inflamed on the surface of skin. Look for one including sulphur, which controls the oil that feeds bacteria, thus reducing spots altogether. Sulfur also calms through osmosis to relieve swelling, and draws out the infection to flatten the blemish. Once the blemish is flattened and the infection is gone, the redness will begin to subside.

Take Your Vitamins
For brown spots caused by sun exposure or ageing, reach for Vitamin C. I absolutely love this ingredient for many reasons – one being that not only does Vitamin C help to lighten and break up pigmentation you might already have, but it prevents dark spots from forming in the future. It reduces the activity of the enzyme that leads to production of pigment, but also addresses the existing discoloration. My love for this ingredient inspired my new C+Collagen Brighten & Firm Serum.

Defensive Action
The most common reason people skip sunscreen is because they don’t like the one they are using. The key is finding a sunscreen you love—the texture, finish, scent, all have to work for you. And you also need to use it correctly. Sunscreen must be applied before any other product, unless it’s a liquid. Its defensive ingredients need to cling directly onto skin in order to be most effective. Also, don’t forget to apply sunscreen a full inch into your hairline, onto the back of your hands, on your ears, and onto your lips – all frequently neglected areas that get exposed.