The 5 Best Anti-Aging Tips According to a Top Dermatologist

You’d think twice about seeing a dermatologist who has dull, lackluster skin, the same way you would question a dentist with poor oral hygiene or a plastic surgeon with botched, misconfigured features. The reason for this is quite simple, actually. We expect specialized experts to heed their own advice, to not only act as the authorities in their respective industries, but to also look the part. Luckily, you’ll find that most experts are chock full of good tips that they follow themselves. Because let’s face it, it’s a red flag if they don’t. Since skin care is our forte, we reached out to board-certified dermatologist, and Skincare.com expert, Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali for the inside scoop on the best anti-aging tips he not only recommends to his patients, but also incorporates into his own routine. Side note: He passed the good-skin test—we made sure of it!

TIP #1: LAYER ON THE SUNSCREEN 

Love it or hate it, you need to wear sunscreen each and every day. The sun’s harmful UV rays are one of the biggest culprits of skin damage and aging. And Bhanusali agrees. “Use a morning product with at least SPF 30 daily,” he advises. Also, make sure it offers broad-spectrum coverage—that’s a biggie. 

TIP #2: CLEANSE YOUR SKIN

Over the course of the day, dirt, impurities, sweat, oil, and dead skin cells can build up on the skin’s surface. If you neglect to rid your skin of this grime, not only do you risk clogging your pores and developing blemishes, but your skin will slowly begin to lose its youthful glow. “Cleanse twice a day to keep your pores clean and remove any pollutants that can accumulate,” Bhanusali says.

TIP #3: EXFOLIATE…BUT NOT TOO MUCH

The jury’s still out amongst derms on how often one should exfoliate, but there’s no question that you should do it. “Exfoliate only two to three times per week max,” Bhanusali says. “Over-exfoliating can actually lead to compensatory hypersecretion of oil with more breakouts and congestion as a result.” 

TIP #4: DON’T BE AFRAID OF RETINOL 

Retinol is a little-understood ingredient amongst many, which either leads to its misuse or abandonment in a skin care routine. It’s a potent ingredient and Bhanusali recommends using it nightly—here’s a beginner’s guide for using retinol. “[Products formulated with retinol can] help shrink the look of pores  even out your skin’s appearance, and give a great texture and tone to your complexion.” We like SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5.

TIP #5: INCORPORATE ANTIOXIDANTS

“Use antioxidants in your routine,” Bhanusali says. Antioxidants help to neutralize free radicals that are formed by everything from pollution to UV rays and cause accelerated signs of skin aging. Use them under sunscreen for the ultimate anti-aging combination. He admits he’s partial to cult-favorite daytime vitamin C serum SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic—but really, who isn’t? Frankly, no anti-aging arsenal is complete without it.