As someone who dabbles quite frequently in skincare products, I’ll admit - I wasn’t always so savvy. Growing up, thanks to my dad’s advice, I used a bar of DIAL SOAP to wash my face. Yes, I can hear you laughing through the screen and I certainly would be too. MYYY how things have changed!

And while I really love trying out products, I was sort of doing so blindly. Face brightening? SURE. Eye mask, why not! So after a lifetime of playing the guessing game, I decided to visit a leading cosmetic dermatologist, Dr. Nicole Hayre over at The Cosmetic Dermatology Center in McLean.

My experience with Nicole was amazing. Within minutes and without any invasive testing, she was able to tell me what she could do to help my skin. Since I’m prone to dry skin and redness in the winter, she recommended a few key items from her skincare line, Schön (meaning beautiful) to help my skin reach its full potential. Here’s what she recommended:

MORNING ROUTINE:
Calming Cream Cleanser
This creamy face wash is the first I’ve tried that doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry. It has no scent (great for my sensitive skin) and really helps with the redness I’ve been experiencing lately.

Essential Eye Complex
As I’m getting older, I’m starting to notice laugh lines and dark circles popping up more prominently. To remedy this, Dr. Hayre recommended this eye cream. After cleansing, I massage this thicker lotion around my eye area. It’s only been a month and I have already noticed less darkness under my eyes!

Intensive Hydrating Balm
This stuff is like my skin shield. I feel like I’m giving my skin a gulp of cool water when I use it - not only does it hydrate your skin, but it helps reduce redness, reduces the amount of oil production and improves skin tone with the Vitamin B in it. Even after a busy day commuting in the harsh winds, my skin is STILL supple by the end of the day.

Sheer Signature BB Cream
I’ve been on the hunt for a BB cream for a while now and finally found one I really love. This tinted BB cream is the perfect skin protector and is filled with anti-oxidants and SPF. It blends into my skin perfectly and really evens out my skin tone. It also prevents premature skin aging (yes please!) This might be my favorite item Dr. Hayre recommended.

EVENING ROUTINE
Cleanser
Essential Eye Complex

Advanced Anti-Oxidant CE Ferulic Cream
My last step before going to bed each night is using this super hydrating cream. The Vitamin C and other anti-oxidants both brighten and smooths the texture of my skin. I always feel like I’ve just come back from the spa after I use this and my skin is SO SUPER SOFT in the mornings. I almost feel bad taking a shower because I don’t want to wash it away haha!

TWICE DAILY
Complexion Brightening Pads
Funny story - I never noticed that I had skin discoloration until I walked into a skincare shop and the sales lady offered to show me where the skin discoloration section was. I was SO offended! But I forgot about it. Fast forward to my trip to St. Lucia - I was talking a selfie with some macaroons (as one casually does) and it was THEN that I saw it. My tan had amplified the darker skin tones above my lip! THE HORROR. Even though I’m semi-mortified admitting something like that to the world on this blog, I’m obsessed with the results I’ve gotten with these complexion brightening pads. I thought I was basically doomed forever, but by using these once a day in that particular area, it’s evened out SO much!

ONCE A WEEK
Weekly Retexturing Treatment
Sunday is typically my beauty day. I do my nails for the week, treat myself with a Drybar hair mask and exfoliate my skin with the retexturing pads. It helps improve my skin’s texture (something that became not-so-great after all the holiday treats…) and smooths everything out. It's amazing.

If you’re looking to improve your skincare or develop your own skincare routine, Dr. Hayre’s office (The Cosmetic Dermatology Center) is located in Tysons at 8405 Greensboro Drive, Mclean, VA. You can call to make an appointment at 703-827-8600.

Thanks so much to Dr. Hayre and Schön Skincare for partnering on this post and helping me develop healthy skincare habits. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.