What happens when one of the most renowned dermatologists meets one of the most influential personalites in beauty? Skin care magic of course!
That’s what happened when New York dermatologist, Doris Day, MD, recently sat down with beauty blogger extrodinare Huda Kattan to shoot a video for the blogger’s YouTube channel in Dubai. If you feel that you’re hearing the same advice over and over again and are ready for some next-level tips, then this video is for you. After watching Kattan pick Dr. Day’s brain, we managed to glean not one but five skincare tips that just might surprise you.
1. Using your hands to wash your face isn’t enough.
When discussing the ideal skincare routine, Dr. Day stressed the importance of exfoliation and deep cleansing. “Cleansing is the most important step of your routine,” Dr. Day said. She explained that it’s important to exfoliate without over-stripping the skin. If you’ve been thinking about introducing a cleansing face brush into your regular routine, Dr. Day strongly recommends it. “Cleansing is so important,” she explained, “and studies show if you use a cleansing brush it’s so much better than using your hands with soap and water.” Even a silicone scrubbing pad or a wet washcloth would be an improvement over using your hands to wash your face.
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2. The sun could be enlarging your pores.
If you’re worried about pore size, get ready for this next revelation. “You can make your pores appear smaller and prevent them from getting bigger,” Dr. Day told Kattan before shocking her (and us) with one cause of pores getting bigger: the sun. It turns out that sun exposure damages collagen and oil glands which leads to pores becoming larger. So although there is no way to completely shrink your pores, Dr. Day explained, you can prevent further enlargement by wearing sunscreen and avoiding sun damage.
3. You might be damaging your skin at work.
When talking about the importance of sunscreen, Kattan asked if the sun’s rays can cause damage while you’re inside. “Sometimes if you’re prone to melasma, the heat and the fluorescent lights and even your computer screen [can cause damage,]” Dr. Day explained. Plus, UVA rays can penetrate glass and break down collagen, so if you’re in an office with a lot of windows Dr. Day recommends making sure you’re wearing enough SPF protection.
4. You should never get a facial before a big event.
Kattan also asked about the best way to prepare one’s skin for an upcoming event. Surprisingly, Dr. Day recommends taking it easy and sticking with your regular routine. “The most important thing when you have an important event coming up… is to keep your routine,” she said. It makes sense when you think about it. There’s an understandable urge to kick your routine into overdrive in order to look your best, but the truth is that if your skin does well with its normal regimen then there’s no reason to risk upsetting it. Dr. Day warned against getting a facial or doing anything extreme before a big event because your skin needs time to heal afterwards. Instead she advised drinking water, moisturizing, and relaxing in order to avoid stressed-based breakouts.
5. You should eat all your meals within a 12-hour window.
Dr. Day stressed the importance of nutrition when it comes to helping your skin look its best. “As much as possible, try to eat within a 12-hour window,” she said. So if you eat breakfast at 8:00 AM, you should strive to be done eating for the night by 8:00 PM. Dr. Day said that this helps to regulate your circadian rhythm and your metabolism, which helps battle signs of aging. She referenced a study in which mice that ate within this 12-hour window stayed healthy, even if they ate an unhealthy diet and didn’t exercise. So although it’s important to exercise and eat healthy as well, obviously, Dr. Day said it’s extremely important to stick to a routine. We’re sensing a pattern here.
See the full interview below: