My skin has been extremely high maintenance lately. Let me explain why. I used prescription-strength tretinoin for years and dried out my skin religiously, thinking it would clear up my acne—of course, it did not. In some ways, it actually made matters worse because I was left with serious moisture-barrier damage that I’m still correcting (you live and learn). Now that I’ve ditched the tretinoin (and any retinol-derivative, for that matter), my skin is extra sensitive and dehydrated and needs gentle products that won’t dry it out.
Because of this, it definitely hasn’t been easy finding the right skincare routine for my current needs, but luckily, I have celebrity estheticians on speed dial that can help. I decided to ask celebrity facialist Shani Darden for a few tweaks to my routine because she’s truly a wizard of her craft. She recommended two serums and a moisturizer which made a huge difference. I’ve also used some of Darden’s products for years because I consider her formulas some of the best on the market. If you also have acne-prone skin and want a few product recommendations from Darden, keep scrolling. She shared all her favorites below.
“Sake Toning Essence is an antioxidant-rich essence that helps refine pores, dissolves excess oil, and leaves skin glowing. It’s an alcohol-free, two-in-one mattifying and brightening treatment with antioxidant-rich sake to brighten, sebocytine to minimize excess sebum, and niacinamide to refine pores and even tone for a soft, shine-free complexion.” — Darden
“IS Clinical’s Pro-Heal Serum is an amazing vitamin C for everyone but is still gentle enough for those with sensitive or acne-prone skin. It is formulated with vitamins C, E, and A to protect the skin and offset the effects of oxidative stress, helping to brighten the skin and boost its elasticity. It also contains Olive Leaf Extract, which is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties helping to calm and soothe blemish-prone skin.” — Darden
For anyone who wants to treat acne and fine lines simultaneously, Darden formulated the perfect serum for this. “Retinol Reform is a retinol and lactic acid serum that can support healthy cellular turnover, which helps to keep pores free of congestion and brings fresh new skin to the surface for more even-toned, glowing skin.” — Darden
“However, if you spend a lot of time in the sun, you can’t use retinol. Another product I love to alternate nights with is IS Clinical’s Active Serum. It contains a blend of botanically sourced AHAs and BHAs to gently exfoliate and clear out congestion.” — Darden
“Using a lightweight moisturizer in the summer like the Weightless Oil-Free Moisturizer can also help. It’s a fast-absorbing moisturizer with hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin without causing any congestion.” — Darden
Alternatively, if your skin is really dehydrated (like mine) and you need something intensely hydrating that still won’t cause congestion, give Darden’s Peptide Cream a try. I’ve been using it on days my skin is extra thirsty. It’s rich, oil-free, silicone-free, and has skin-supporting peptides along with barrier-protecting squalane.
“Exfoliating one to two times a week with the Dr. Dennis Gross Peel Pads will help to keep breakouts under control as well.” — Darden
“Control Corrective’s Oil-Free SPF is a lightweight, non-greasy sunscreen with SPF 30 that will protect the skin without causing any congestion. It’s also lightly hydrating as well!” — Darden
I never stop talking about how good this cleanser is because it’s the holy grail for sensitive, dehydrated, acne-prone skin. It deep cleans your pores with kaolin clay and tea tree oil and hydrates with ingredients like glycerin. It never leaves my skin feeling tight or dry.
Although my skin has been pretty dehydrated, I’m able to use Surface Revival from Cosmedix twice a day because it’s a gentle yet powerful exfoliant. Lactic acid gently removes surface debris while niacinamide fades dark spots and antioxidants protect against environmental stress. It’s also one of the most hydrating exfoliants I’ve ever used with moisturizing ingredients like snow mushroom extract.
This serum has been a game-changer for me. I wish I’d had it years ago before using damaging creams, Acutane, antibiotics, and other things to clear up my acne. It’s a live probiotic serum that helps recalibrate your skin microbiome in a really gentle way. I did experience some purging for the first few weeks, but my skin has cleared up so much now that I’m moving into month two of use. I can’t recommend it enough to anyone who’s acne-prone because it really works and isn’t drying like basically every other acne product on the market. Invest in this one—you won’t regret it.
I love both the IS Clinical vitamin C serums, but my skin has been extremely sensitive to retinol lately, so I opted for this retinol-free version from the brand instead. Both are equally good, TBH. I use this in the morning and, as Darden instructed, the Active Serum a few nights a week. It has worked wonders for my skin.
Even though I’m going into my second month of using Phyla, I still get the occasional hormonal breakout here and there while my skin is healing. I use the Active Serum a few nights a week to help with this and fine lines, in addition to Phyla.
This moisturizer is so lightweight and deeply hydrating with squalane, glycerin, and jojoba oil. It’s really helping to repair my skin barrier. On days I could use some extra hydration, I’ll opt for Darden’s Peptide Cream, as mentioned above. Both are now my holy-grail moisturizers. They provide the perfect amount of hydration without clogging my pores.
I’ve been obsessed with this plum oil from Le Prunier. It helps balance, restore, and refresh skin because it’s rich in omega fatty acids, polyphenols, and vitamins A and E. This oil is completely noncomedogenic, but I was surprised by just how much hydration it offers. I use it twice a day along with my moisturizer, and I couldn’t be happier with how much my skin glows after using it.
In addition to using Darden’s Peptide Cream, I love using her Intensive Eye Renewal Cream twice a day. It’s really rich and hydrating around the eyes, plus it helps fade dark circles with ingredients like silk tree extract.
