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Dr Alexis Stephens
Dermatologist

Dr Alexis Stephens.

Dr Alexis Stephens reviews everyday skincare and beauty products through both a clinical and a formulation lens, explaining what the ingredient list actually means for skin health. Her channel trades in straight assessments rather than trends.

Why Is She A Guru?
She holds board certification in dermatology alongside a background in cosmetic chemistry, giving her the tools to read a formula and its clinical evidence at the same time.
62Products
59 yay98% approval rate
1 nayA few she would skip
1 hot takesWhere she breaks from the pack

Dr Alexis Stephens, in short.

What does Dr Alexis Stephens recommend?

Dr Alexis Stephens has reviewed 62 products. Of the ones she gives a clear yes or no to,she approves 98%. The products she rates highest and brings up most are La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5, Summer Fridays Shade Drops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen and Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum.

Which serums does Dr Alexis Stephens recommend?

She has reviewed 16 serums and approved 16 of them. The ones she rates highest are The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum, SkinBetter Science Alto Advanced Defense and Repair Serum and Allies of Skin Mandelic Pigmentation Corrector Night Serum.

Which sunscreens does Dr Alexis Stephens recommend?

She has reviewed 9 sunscreens and approved 8 of them. The ones she rates highest are Summer Fridays Shade Drops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen, Trader Joe's Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40 and EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46.

Which body and tanning products does Dr Alexis Stephens recommend?

She has reviewed 8 body and tanning products and approved 8 of them. The ones she rates highest are Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum, Cetaphil Rough & Bumpy Daily Smoothing Moisturizer with 20% Urea and Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Body Lotion.

Which moisturizers does Dr Alexis Stephens recommend?

She has reviewed 7 moisturizers and approved 7 of them. The ones she rates highest are La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5, CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion and SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream.

What does Dr Alexis Stephens say no to?

She has skipped 1 of the 62 products she has reviewed. The ones she is clearest about are Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides with Amino Acids, Iron and Protein.

What does Dr Alexis Stephens recommend for mature skin?

There is a guide to her picks for mature skin: Dr Alexis Stephens on mature skin.

What they review most.

Dr Alexis Stephens's hot takes.

Products where their take diverges from the rest of the gurus.

Dr Alexis Stephens: Nay vs gurus 67% Yay
I did not get along well with the Vital Proteins actual collagen. It for sure caused acne for me.

Every review.

All 62 products Dr Alexis Stephens has reviewed, grouped by product type. Click a product to see the full guru consensus.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Against the gurus
Serums16 reviews
"Why do I love this product? It can help you to brighten your skin, it can help with collagen, it can help with fine lines, it can help with uneven skin tone -- it's a fantastic product for many different things. And that glutathione antioxidant is going to help to fight off the environmental stressors that promote all of the things that we don't want, so we need something in our daily routine that can help to combat that."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"I actually incorporate niacinamide and retinol [...] both into my body skincare routine as well on retinol nights. For my cleanser I'm using this Naturium Niacinamide Serum 5% body wash. This has niacinamide and glycerin and a body wash that cleanses without stripping your skin so you're getting all of those benefits from head to toe that niacinamide can generate."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"The tried and true SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic has tons of data and research backing up its efficacy, but this package is pretty big and you really do want to go through your vitamin C within about three months because of that instability."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"This is the CeraVe Vitamin C Serum. Most importantly is the packaging. It's 10% L-ascorbic acid, but this packaging will hold up with different light and as oxygen and air gets exposed to it as you're using it. This is actually the same kind of packaging that a lot of medication comes in, so I really like the stability of this packaging."
✓Yay
70%Guru Score
"Vanicream makes a nice Vitamin C Serum at a much more affordable price. [...] This is made for sensitive skin and as you can see it's actually also formulated with ceramides so this is going to give you the THD and the ceramide delivery at not such a hefty price."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"Some of the products that I really love and use in my everyday routine are the SkinBetter Science Alto Advanced Defense and Repair Serum. [...] This is a powerhouse of an antioxidant serum. It actually has 19 antioxidants in there. THD is just one of them. This product is beautiful but expensive."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"These come in these little individual capsules. [...] The reason that I like these is because they come in individual dosing so that makes them very stable and you don't have to worry about them going rancid or trying to use them up as quickly as possible because they're going to come in these individual doses and then you don't have to worry about the light stability, the oxygen, and all of the other things that you tend to have to worry about when you're using a dropper bottle."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"I've started adding in vitamin C even at night and the one I've been loving is this one here by Allies of Skin, it's the CE15 Brightening & Firming Oil. So not only does it have THD but it also has phycocyanin and CoQ10. On the nights that I'm not using my retinoid I reach for this one here just for the extra anti-aging benefits and the skin brightening benefits. This is a little bit pricey."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"A good product would be the First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum. This uses 3-0 ethyl ascorbic acid, a newer derivative that doesn't have quite as much research behind it, though the clinical data that is out there is pretty promising. While this derivative is weaker than L-ascorbic acid, it does show that it has antioxidant properties, can help to boost your collagen, and help with evening out your skin tone."
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
"It also has a lot of the same proven benefits as ascorbic acid, especially when it comes to hyperpigmentation, and because it's a higher pH and its lipid soluble it's much less likely to be irritating on the skin. [...] THD is going to be a fantastic vitamin C derivative honestly for pretty much every skin type. It's especially good if you have sensitive skin or if you're dealing with hyperpigmentation."
✓Yay
72%Guru Score
"There is a very potent amount of vitamin C in this serum and it releases micro doses of the vitamin C throughout the day. [...] It is 20 vitamin C brightening serum. If you ever see anything above 20 on a vitamin C serum, my suggestion would be to leave it on the shelf where it is and not use it."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"Lactic acid sits right in the middle. You can find this over the counter anywhere between like five and up to ten percent. They're a really great inexpensive option for lactic acid like the INKEY List. [...] Try your best not to get too hung up on percentages because 10 percent lactic acid from two different brands can yield completely different results. Remember it's not just about the percentage, the bioavailability and the pH and overall formula really makes a big difference."
✓Yay
68%Guru Score
"One of the best well-known ones for carrier peptides that help to transport different trace elements like copper into the skin [...] is from The Ordinary. I really love the Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum. This one has copper tripeptide 1 and tetrapeptide 30, which is a fantastic brightening peptide. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and blocks the transfer of melanin to the surrounding cells."
✓Yay
88%Guru Score
"The Rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid has acetyl hexapeptide-8, which is one of the ingredients that are considered the botox in a bottle and it's marketed as Argireline. [...] I really like this one, it's just a really lightweight gel-like serum. [...] There are several different benefits of peptides and one of them is hydrating and moisturizing the skin. The Rhode skin care line is really geared towards hydrating and moisturizing, nourishing the skin barrier."
✓Yay
71%Guru Score
"Nanopeptide one which can be found in the Allies of Skin Mandelic Pigmentation Corrector Night Serum is one of my favorite peptides that is really well known for being great at brightening. These are super well-rounded products, they have tons of other brightening ingredients in there in addition to the brightening peptide."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"Medik8 did clinical testing on the product from the fairest to the deepest skin tones and showed that it was effective at brightening the skin and fading hyperpigmentation in all skin types. The respiratory trials benefits definitely do extend beyond tackling dark spots and hyperpigmentation. It has the anti-inflammatory benefits of soothing and calming the skin, it has the antioxidant ability to fight against environmental stressors, and it does have anti-aging abilities."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
Sunscreen9 reviews
"It's completely clean, literally leaves absolutely no white cast, and in my opinion it feels very similar to the Supergoop and Trader Joe sunscreen, just a slightly more rich texture. And again, a fantastic price point. I believe it's $14, easily accessible quality product, no white cast sunscreen. It's a winner. It is a chemical sunscreen, and I know that you guys always ask me for those recommendations, so I'm happy to be able to add another one to the list."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"A great chemical slash organic option for this would be the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40"
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
"This was the clear one and then the tinted of course has the iron oxides in there which can really help if your acne healed with hyperpigmentation. One of the sunscreens that I recommend literally all day to my patients and it's a huge patient favorite is the EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46. For oily acne prone skin you really want to consider reaching for a sunscreen that has zinc oxide in the formula."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"Facial sunscreen broad spectrum SPF 40 from Trader Joe's for dry skin opt for sunscreens with added moisturizing components to it like ceramides glycerin or hyaluronic acid to really help to moisturize the skin. So cream based sunscreens are those with a more thicker consistency tend to be really great for dry skin."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"A really great mineral or inorganic option is the Summer Fridays Shade Drops mineral milk sunscreen."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"For combination skin we really have to walk this fine line of using a sunscreen that can help to control the oil in the T-Zone without clogging the pores [...] but still be hydrating enough for the other more dry areas of the face. The Naturium Sheer Reflect Antioxidant SPF 50 does this very well because of the additional ingredients in the formula. It's PA plus plus plus."
✓Yay
66%Guru Score
"I'm giving the Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor that is fragrance free a 5 out of 5. Yes it is a little bit pricier but it is worth it in my opinion because it truly is a two-in-one moisturizer and a sunscreen so you're replacing two products there. You've got a lot of really good additives and synergistic ingredients in there. It's doing more than just protecting your skin, it's also working to even out your skin tone, providing antioxidants, and it looks really good."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"It's got really great sun protection. I can deal with the white cast and it definitely isn't preventing me from using the sunscreen. I think that the fill is incredible on the product. I like that they added the additional bonus of the iron oxides in there for visible light protection and the other soothing ingredients. But the price is pretty steep and at that price I would really hope that I don't see a cast."
~Mixed
74%Guru Score
"So you might want to use something like the Double Repair from La Roche-Posay. This is a great moisturizer with nice soothing ingredients that can help to repair your skin barrier, so hopefully with time you can actually just use a moisturizing sunscreen as the last step of the morning."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
Body & Tan8 reviews
"I use this Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Body Lotion [...] on the areas that I really want to get that collagen and firming benefit from."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"I love how they have this kind of dichotomy of ingredients right, you've got this good nourishing and loving ingredients but you've got the heavy hitters that can help with exfoliating the skin and you can also bring in the hydration properties of the skin. If you want buttery, soft, smooth skin you definitely should be exfoliating maybe two times a week or so on the body and this is a great product to do it."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"CeraVe has the ceramides in there but it's also got salicylic acid and niacinamide and glycerin plus urea and lactic acid and it's fantastically formulated to actually be gentle enough to use every day."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"I like this one by Cetaphil, it's their Rough and Bumpy Daily Smoothing Moisturizer. It's a really good moisturizer. It's got 20% urea and glycerin in there which really help to soften and smooth the skin, hydrate your skin, and it's suitable for everyday use right after the shower while your skin is still damp because there's no actives in there, so that's super convenient, easy one to find, and it's really an excellent product, especially if you have KP."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"This one here is the Olay Retinol Body Rinse Off and it has retinol but it also has niacinamide or vitamin B3 in there which really helps with discoloration whether that's red or brown discoloration. And then the retinol in this wash off product is fantastic because that short form of contact really works well for those with sensitive skin. If you have KP my friend you most likely have sensitive skin so it's a really great option."
✓Yay
64%Guru Score
"This one is the fragrance free wash. It's got niacinamide and vitamin E and it feels so good. There's still such an experience with it even though this one is fragrance-free. So it's soothing, it's nourishing, it's repairing. I really like this product a lot. This is, I don't know, my third or fourth bottle of this one."
✓Yay
Notverified
"The Body Serum from Necessaire is a much more lightweight option and this has the eczema seal of acceptance."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"An amazing moisturizer that has the colloidal oatmeal and the ceramides is this Necessaire Body Cream. Not only is this rich with colloidal oatmeal and ceramides but it also has five percent niacinamide, linoleic acid and glycerin so really helpful for hydrating the skin, sealing in the moisture in the skin barrier, but also helping with hyperpigmentation with that five percent niacinamide."
✓Yay
Notverified
Moisturizers7 reviews
"It has shea butter in addition to the centella asiatica extract and the panthenol, and it's just a little bit more occlusive. You do not need to use this particular balm; [...] the point is to just add a little extra protection to the areas of the skin that are the thinnest, that are the most prone to irritation."
✓Yay
92%Guru Score
"If you're looking for something a little bit thicker and richer, this is a great option. This is the [...] Dr. Idriss Major Fade Active Seal, it's a moisturizer in a beautiful convenient pump and it's really really really nice on my skin. It does include the THD in there plus it has additional brightening ingredients, so if you're finding hyperpigmentation, you're getting a lot of ingredients in this nice well-rounded moisturizer."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"If you have normal balanced skin and no skin concerns then your main focus is just helping your skin barrier do what it does best using a product like CeraVe PM which is very well balanced is a great way to do that."
✓Yay
88%Guru Score
"If you're dealing with sensitive or sensitized skin, your moisturizer really matters because I'm sure you've all experienced when you just put moisturizer on your skin it's still stinging or burning if it's the wrong one. My recommendation would be to go with something like Vanicream Moisturizing Cream that is free of pretty much everything that can cause any irritants or sensitivity on the skin."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"The INKEY List Omega Water Cream is super affordable and it's full of rich omega fatty acids."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"Definitely one of my favorite anti-aging creams. SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream has palmitoyl tripeptide 1 in addition to many other fantastic skincare ingredients."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"Another product that I love that has tetrapeptide 30 is EADEM Cloud Cushion Airy Brightening Moisturizer."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
Cleansers6 reviews
"I just need something that can get the job done. I don't have a lot of dirt, debris, or anything built up on my face because I just woke up."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"An excellent facial cleanser with prebiotic benefits, helping to repair and rebalance the skin microbiome, is the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"I'm using the Murad Soothing Oat and Peptide Cleanser because tonight is my retinol night and I like to use cleansers that have colloidal oatmeal whenever I'm going to be using a retinol."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"I love this because it features grape seed oil, sunflower seed oil, and vitamin E, so all those omega fatty acids that are great and nourishing for your skin. It allows you to really get off any stubborn makeup, especially around the eyes where you really shouldn't be tugging or rubbing too hard to get rid of any type of waterproof mascara. It's fantastic. It feels so good on the skin and it really gets the job done in an easy and efficient manner."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"The Cetaphil Gentle Clear Complexion Clearing BPO Acne Cleanser has been a staple I've been using this product all the time and that's very unusual for me with someone with very sensitive skin to be able to tolerate a benzoyl peroxide without getting extremely dry."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"If you've got oily skin and you need something a bit more robust and the two percent salicylic acid tends to be the better choice here, but I know a lot of you guys don't necessarily want to go into the derm's office or wait for something to come through the mail, so there's some great over-the-counter options. INKEY has a fantastic one that is two percent and extremely affordable."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
Retinoids4 reviews
"The e.l.f. Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum is easily one of the most affordable, high-quality product launches of the year. It's formulated with 0.0% retinal, which is retinaldehyde, plus 1% Granactive Retinoid, antioxidants, and peptides."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"It's got glycerin in here, they also have hyaluronic acid as well as a soluble collagen. It just really kicks everything up a notch. I'm using just one pea-sized amount and that pea-sized amount is going to be distributed evenly all over my face. I [...] have now graduated to a prescription strength, but trust me it took me years to get to this point. [...] You absolutely have to wear sun protection in the morning anytime you're using retinol at night time."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"A great product that pairs the neural peptides with retinol is the Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum. It has acetyl dipeptide-1 acetyl ester, which can help to decrease some of those muscle movements while giving you all the benefits of a retinol."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"They make the process so incredibly seamless and easy for you to access your dermatologist, get appropriate care, and get strength as medication that wouldn't necessarily be readily available over the counter. Sometimes your hyperpigmentation or your acne or whatever other condition you are trying to treat really needs more than what over-the-counter products can offer."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
Masks & Peels3 reviews
"I really do love this product for helping with brightening the skin"
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"Another really good peel that's on the market for this is the Perfect Derma Peel. It has almost all of the ingredients that we talked about before but it also has additional brighteners in there like alpha-arbutin and glutathione."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"The VI Peel is actually a really good peel that's available in a lot of clinics that can treat active acne while getting rid of some of those dark marks because it has things like kojic acid also integrated into the peel. These can also be plus or minus hydroquinone which is completely at your provider's discretion, so make sure that you talk to them about that as well."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
Other2 reviews
"I really like the ones that include different tyrosinase inhibitors including cysteamine. [...] They have glycolic acid, they have Alpha Arbutin, they have tranexamic acid, plus or minus hydroquinone depending on you and your provider's preference, but these tend to be super duper effective at treating melasma. Cosmelan is one of my favorite peels on the market for melasma because it has different types of tyrosinase inhibitors."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"This is the Sleep and Glow Omnia Pillow, and it is my best kept beauty secret. I've been using this pillow for years -- it's been a game changer for not only me but also for the patients that I've recommended it to, and everyone in my family loves it too. [...] The Omnia Pillow has this really innovative 3D structure where [...] your face is cradled, kind of floating all night, by these two side cradles that make sure your face is floating as opposed to being smooshed by the pillow."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
Supplements2 reviews
"I did not get along well with the Vital Proteins actual collagen. It for sure caused acne for me."
✕Nay
67%Guru Score
"I don't take them a lot, I try to be very mindful of what I'm eating and it has 5 grams of total sugars. If I'm going to get sugar I want to get it from my food and not necessarily from a gummy."
~Mixed
74%Guru Score
Balms & Ointments1 review
"When you are going to be going to the pool, go ahead and slather on a nice thick layer of Vaseline almost to provide an occlusive buffer between their skin and the water."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
Eye Care1 review
"So it helps with brightening, de-puffing, and plumping up fine lines. While it's not a must-have in a skincare routine, if you're someone like me who doesn't sleep as much as they should or deals with under eye puffiness or hyperpigmentation, it's a really nice little additive to put into your skincare routine."
✓Yay
69%Guru Score
Mists & Essences1 review
"I love the spray because it is so hydrating. It's got anti-inflammatory and soothing properties, perfect for if you're going to be using something irritating like a retinol. On top of the fact that it has panthenol, the B5, it also has madagasca side, which is an extract of centella asiatica, so anti-inflammatory, soothing properties. [...] This is something that I love to just rehydrate my skin with."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
Tech1 review
"I am very critical about at home microneedling but there is one exception to this and this is at home micro infusion microneedling treatment systems. [...] The Qure Micro Infusion Treatment System is such a game changer. [...] It's microinfusion, also known as collagen induction therapy, where tiny small dermal needles thinner than your eyelash are inserted into your skin to create micro channels."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
Tools1 review
"Sleep and Glow launched their copper pillowcase which is great for any of us that are battling acne and anti-aging at the same time. [...] The copper pillowcase can really help to minimize the bacteria buildup that happens on the pillowcase and think about it we are sleeping hopefully between 7 and 8 hours a night so this should really help."
✓Yay
Notverified

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Dr Alexis Stephens is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, The Guru Index. Every quote on this page comes from her public YouTube videos, linked at the timestamp. Verdicts and approval stats are our editorial read of what she said. "Guru" is a title we award, not a sign of any affiliation.