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Tea with MD
Dermatologist

Tea with MD.

A Stanford and NYU-trained dermatologist who reviews sunscreens, serums, moisturizers, and masks through the same clinical lens she applies in her patient practice. Her channel leans heavily on formulation detail and real-world tolerability rather than trends.

Why Is She A Guru?
Board-certified dermatologist with dual academic training at Stanford and NYU, an active patient-facing practice, and a founded scalp-care brand.
125Products
117 yay98% approval rate
2 nayA few she would skip
2 hot takesWhere she breaks from the pack

Tea with MD's top picks.

The products Tea with MD has crowned best in their category, and brings up again and again.

★ Best retinoid for sensitive skin
AlphaRet Overnight Cream
SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream
Brought up 4 times
I actually use this on nights when I'm not using my retinoid, so my retinoid that I'm always using, my ride or die, is my SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream, and I use that about four to five times a week.
★ Best vitamin c serum
Alto Advanced Defense and Repair Serum
SkinBetter Science Alto Advanced Defense and Repair Serum
Brought up 3 times
The skinbetter science Alto Advanced Defense and Repair Serum has THD ascorbate, which is a very nonirritating lipid soluble form of vitamin C and this is my personal favorite. It goes on like a lightweight serum so it's hydrating enough that I don't have to use an additional serum or moisturizer in the morning.

Tea with MD, in short.

What does Tea with MD recommend?

Tea with MD has reviewed 125 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 SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream and SkinBetter Science Alto Advanced Defense and Repair Serum.

Which sunscreens does Tea with MD recommend?

She has reviewed 24 sunscreens and approved 23 of them. The ones she rates highest are Peter Thomas Roth Max Mineral Tinted Sunscreen SPF 45, Dr. Jart+ Premium BB Tinted Moisturizer with Niacinamide SPF 40 and EltaMD UV AOX Elements SPF 50.

Which moisturizers does Tea with MD recommend?

She has reviewed 15 moisturizers and approved 15 of them. The ones she rates highest are SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream, SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid & Peptide Cream and Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream.

Which haircare products does Tea with MD recommend?

She has reviewed 15 haircare products and approved 15 of them. The ones she rates highest are Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, OGX Renewing + Argan Oil of Morocco Shampoo and L'Oreal EverPure Sulfate-Free Clarifying Shampoo and Conditioner.

Which cleansers does Tea with MD recommend?

She has reviewed 14 cleansers and approved 14 of them. The ones she rates highest are CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser and Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm.

What does Tea with MD say no to?

She has skipped 2 of the 125 products she has reviewed. The ones she is clearest about are IPL Intense Pulsed Light and Caudalie Beauty Elixir.

What they review most.

Tea with MD's hot takes.

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

Tea with MD: Nay vs gurus 68% Yay
I didn't see a huge difference with the IPL treatments. [...] I would personally prefer to go for laser treatments which are more selective, more targeted, and more intense and more powerful.
Tea with MD: Nay vs gurus 64% Yay
Alcohol is actually listed as the second ingredient followed by a bunch of fragrances and essential oils. Alcohol can be helpful in skincare products as an astringent and can make products feel very light, however it can also be drying to the skin, especially when it's listed in the front of the ingredient list, which means it's at a higher concentration. I'm not a huge fan of essential oils and so many fragrances for people with sensitive skin.

Every review.

All 125 products Tea with MD has reviewed, grouped by product type. Click a product to see the full guru consensus.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Against the gurus
Sunscreen24 reviews
"I have found that a lot of cushion compacts, especially Korean cushion foundations, can accentuate my dry skin, my skin flakes, but this one definitely doesn't. It actually leaves my skin feeling hydrated throughout the day. And I am impressed by all the clinical research and background scientific work that went into making this product."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"Very lightweight, more of a watery kind of milky type of sunscreen. Not very thick, not whipped. It's just more light and fluid and I like it, but it's not my absolute favorite."
~Mixed
74%Guru Score
"I add my Dr. Jart+ Premium BB Tinted Moisturizer with Niacinamide and SPF 40 on top. I love a good tinted moisturizer, but those alone don't quite provide enough coverage for proper sun protection. So I really like layering an SPF as my base and then my SPF containing BB cream on top. It ensures that I'm fully protected against UV rays and harsh winter elements while still being gentle enough that it won't irritate or flare up my sensitive skin or my rosacea."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"This is a true favorite of mine. It's a mineral sunscreen, meaning it uses zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to block UVA and UVB rays. And it contains photolysase, which is a DNA repair enzyme that's extracted from plankton. It also has niacinamide for brightening and antioxidant properties, as well as squalane for that extra hydration. I find that it blends really seamlessly without leaving any white cast. And it gives me this perfect subtle even-toned glow that is great for everyday wear."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"It has this really fast absorbing, lightweight texture that doesn't peel under makeup. Initially when you put it on, you might [...] notice a little bit of a white cast, but the more you rub it in, it really does go away. This is mineral-based broad spectrum UVA UVB coverage, contains zinc oxide, and it really layers very well under makeup, BB creams, anything else you want to put on top of it. It also contains vitamin E for that antioxidant protection against free radicals."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"It's pure mineral with zinc oxide at 33%, and the thing I like about this is it comes out as a really silky lightweight cream. It's different from other options, really more lightweight and more like a cream. I really like this because it's great for normal to oily skin, it's non-comedogenic, and so if you're looking for a more lightweight sunscreen, if you're oily or acne-prone, then this is a great option for you."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"But what is really interesting about this one is it really does make my skin glow. [...] It's shimmery and it rubs in really easily. It's a chemical sunscreen with no white cast, it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin, and it really does actually feel hydrating. Beyond that, I've never used a sunscreen that leaves my skin looking so radiant and glowy. It [...] gives my skin a nice radiant kind of glowy finish. I've just never really used a sunscreen like that so I think that's kind of cool."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"The tint is really nice, it's not too orangey, it is kind of like a universally flattering tint and it's also hydrating. [...] It blends in so easily with no white cast obviously because it's tinted. This is such a unique and special sunscreen. I recognize that this is an expensive splurge product so I don't usually recommend it to everyone, but it is 30% off right now so this is definitely worth checking out if it's within your budget."
✓Yay
66%Guru Score
"It's a little bit liquidy, when I'm really pale coming out of the winter it can be a little bit orange on me, but I just love this sunscreen and I'm obsessed with this brand, the ISDIN Eryfotona line, and I will forever be singing its praises. But it rubs in really well, no white cast, and it does give a really nice, almost matte finish, it definitely covers up any imperfections, and I would say this is a pretty universally flattering tint."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"This is medium coverage because it can cover up any dark spots or imperfections and it leaves my skin feeling really hydrated as well. This is a really great option for those who are looking for a sunscreen product that does more than just protect your skin from the sun because it does have that really nice coverage, it has those extra skin care ingredients, and it's just a really elegant formula. This is one of my favorite tinted sunscreens."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"It also has vitamin E, which works synergistically with that vitamin C. It has hyaluronic acid to help your skin hold on to and retain moisture. It also has baobab and ginger root, which can help to calm down the skin and also decrease the appearance of redness. So in my mind, this is not just a sunscreen. This is like sunscreen plus skincare. It does contain a lot of brightening and calming agents that I think would be great for you if you struggle with dark spots."
✓Yay
71%Guru Score
"So I think this Beauty of Joseon one leans more heavily into traditional K-beauty, the traditional Asian medicine ingredients. Those are equally as good at skin soothing, calming, also great for skin barrier repair. So I think this is another wonderful choice if you are more interested in exploring some of those more traditional ingredients. And this one, instead of the hyaluronic acid, has glycerin, which is another wonderful humectant that helps your skin hold onto and retain water."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"This one is also really affordable, it's only $10 to $12 on various websites that help you bring Korean sunscreens over to the US. It comes in 1.69 oz, which is pretty much the standard size for all of the sunscreens that I'll be discussing today. This was a real winner for me, to be honest. For this one, I think this is a really great soothing anti-inflammatory and hydrating sunscreen."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"But it feels honestly so good on the skin. It's so nice and so elegant like this feels like an elegant nice hydrating lightweight serum in of itself and it has the added benefit of sunscreen. With this one it's even easier to reapply you can just apply it in layers on top of each other throughout the day because it is so lightweight and absorbs so easily and it doesn't build up and cause pilling."
✓Yay
66%Guru Score
"I love the sunscreen the beat the sun, like it's so elegant, no white cast, rubs in so well."
✓Yay
66%Guru Score
"Another one is the Tatcha Silk Sunscreen which I'm going to review in a future video. This one has a really flattering tint. A lot of tints are too dark for my skin, but this one is just very lightly tinted and I really like how this goes."
✓Yay
63%Guru Score
"EltaMD also has an amazing tinted UV Clear sunscreen which is great for those who struggle with acne or rosacea because it has niacinamide."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"The other gel sunscreen I would recommend is from Isntree, it's the Hyaluronic Acid Daily Sun Gel. This one is SPF 30 PA+++. When I put it on you can see it comes out like a gel and it also just absorbs so nicely and so quickly into the skin. This one isn't as much of like a jelly as the other one but this one is really nice too, super lightweight."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"Two of my favorite sunscreen sticks are the Beauty of Joseon matte sun stick, which I've talked about before and I'll link to the video here where I talk about it in the past."
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
"The Isntree Hyaluronic Acid sunstick, which I've also reviewed before, is really great especially for summertime because it is matte, it's oil absorbing, and it goes on totally clear."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"It really is a multitasking mineral sunscreen. It contains peptides, a blend of ceramids, hyaluronic acid to help your skin hold onto water, as well as allantoin to help protect and nourish your skin barrier. I like that it's tinted. It goes on so nicely, so smoothly, very radiant. It's very, very hydrating, very, very creamy. It provides light [...] coverage. This is more of [...] a straight-up sunscreen that I would wear on its own as SPF."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"This is one I've talked about a whole lot, it is one that I personally use. It is perfectly formulated for acne, oily, rosacea prone skin and it contains niacinamide as well as Vitamin E and hyaluronic acid. It comes as a tinted form and a non-tinted form and it is just beautiful. The tinted version blends into many different skin types quite seamlessly and it gives a very moisturizing finish."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"What I like about this sunscreen though is the tint and how easy it rubs in. It rubs in really nicely, it feels very hydrating, it's not firm, it's not sticky, it's not hard to rub in. I don't have to spend a long time rubbing it in and I really do think it has a very universally flattering tint. A lot of people say that they have difficulty finding a mineral sunscreen that doesn't give them a white cast, well I think this is a really great option."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"I wanted to quickly shout out the sunscreen compact from Skin Better. This is the Skin Better Science Tone Smart Broad Spectrum SPF 68 Sunscreen Compact. It works really well for reapplying sunscreen. Basically you pop it up, it comes with a little sponge, and you just go ahead and put this on your face. It looks a little bit like foundation, so it does provide a skin blurring pore erasing effect."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
Haircare15 reviews
"It's not greasy at all, and it absorbs really quickly. So your hair feels soft without that heaviness of other hair oils. Price-wise, it is a little bit on the pricier side, but honestly, a little pump goes a long way. And it also doubles as a leave-in treatment or a finishing oil. I love it because it seriously makes my hair look like I just walked out of the salon. Like today, all I did was blow dry my hair and put on a little bit of oil, and this is the result."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"It's not sexy but it works guys. It's a powerful antifungal treatment that targets the root cause of dandruff. This helps to reduce inflammation, scaling, and flaking. And it is clinically proven to help treat dandruff and even the medical form of dandruff, which we call seborrheic dermatitis. Nizoral or anti-dandruff shampoos can also help with hair loss that's tied to inflammation and really bad seborrheic dermatitis."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"This helps to treat flakes and itching while maintaining your scalp barrier, and it's a great option if you're dealing with dandruff but also noticing that you have dry, irritated, or itchy scalp. It has zinc pyrithione 1% which helps reduce yeast on the scalp. It also has ceramides which help to restore and maintain your skin barrier. It also has hyaluronic acid which helps you hold on to water in the scalp and niacinamide which helps calm inflammation and support your skin barrier function."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"The K18 Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo really delivers that deep clean without stripping your scalp skin barrier, and it does help prep your hair for treatments, for heat styling or if you're going in for hair dyeing or for curling or things like that. It contains activated charcoal which helps to draw out dirt, oil and impurities. It also has salicylic acid which helps to gently exfoliate your scalp, lift off those dead flakes. Salicylic acid is a great ingredient actually for dandruff."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"My first pick in the splurge category is the Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo. This one hydrates beautifully and softens without weighing your hair down. Their key ingredient is this long molecule bis aminopropyl diglycol daliate which is their patented bond repair technology. It also has panthenol which I've been loving recently for skin barrier repair. So it helps with repair of your scalp skin barrier. Glycerin which is a great humectant helping your scalp hold on to moisture."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"Why I like this shampoo, though, is not because it's sulfate-free specifically, but because it gently removes the buildup from hard water, product residue, and excess oils. I've used it and I've loved how it leaves my hair feeling really soft, weightless, and refreshed. It also contains menthol, which is a little different from the other shampoos. It provides an immediate cooling sensation to refresh and soothe the scalp, and my mom also uses this one and loves that cooling sensation."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"Head and Shoulders Clinical Strength Shampoo is a strong yet accessible option for persistent scalp issues like flaking, dryness, redness, and it also helps reduce excessive oil production. This contains selenium sulfide 1%, which is an antifungal and anti-inflammatory that helps reduce yeast levels and calm irritation down."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"My splurge pick is the Pureology Hydrate Shampoo. This one deeply hydrates dry, color-treated hair while helping to restore your vibrancy. It helps to smooth your frizz, soften strands, and improve your manageability of your hair. This one has Joba oil, which moisturizes and adds that shine without weighing down your hair and making it feel heavy. I also really like that it has green tea extract for some of that antioxidant protection."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"I love this product. I've been using it in the shower and actually my husband's been stealing mine and he loves it too. It smells so good, too. This one is a great pick for those of you with dry hair, damaged hair. And I love that the argan oil in it is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids to really smooth and nourish your hair strands. My hair feels silky smooth after I use it. It also contains silk proteins to help improve your hair strength and texture."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"My save pick for a clarifying shampoo is the Dove Scalp and Hair Therapy Clarifying Shampoo. I like that this is budget friendly. It does clear your buildup while being gentle enough for regular use. The ingredients are great. It contains pyrithione zinc, which is one of my favorites for controlling dandruff. It's an antifungal. It fights the scalp flaking. It also has vitamin B3, which is niacinamide, to support your scalp barrier and kind of soothe any irritation in your scalp."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"I love that this is a super multitasker of a product. It is actually a leave-in treatment that can help to hydrate, detangle, and also protect dry or [...] damaged hair. When I use it, it really helps to reduce my frizz, helps to make my hair feel soft. And I love that it protects against not only heat, but also UV damage, because we know that UV damage can cause oxidative damage to your hair."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"And it really helps my hair look clean and styled and more put together for a much longer time. [...] It's really great for all hair types. It has a lightweight emollient blend. Whenever I use this product, I immediately notice that it really does smooth my hair, which has a lot of frizz. It really does make my hair look more shiny and more brushable. All in all, a great product and a staple if you're doing a lot of heat styling."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"It has edetoise native cells which are really rich in antioxidants, [...] and it also has this Aqua Oolium complex which helps to lock in moisture while smoothing and softening your cuticle. This is an incredible product. It smells really good, too."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"The foam can be less irritating than the liquid so you can choose accordingly. I always tell patients to choose 5% minoxidil solution or foam, don't go for the wimpy 2%, just go for the 5% because that is what is the most efficacious. I definitely recommend investing in and using Rogaine. The cheapest formulation you can just find it on Amazon, just use it until your telogen effluvium is over, which is about 6 months, lasting up to a year."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"When I use Olaplex products my hair really does feel so much softer, stronger, less dry and brittle, less damaged. I do feel like the more I use it the more it helps to repair my hair. I like to use it together, the shampoo and the conditioner, for maximum effects."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
Moisturizers15 reviews
"For the daytime, I prefer a lighter cream and this one is really perfect for that. It's powered by squalane, which is an awesome ingredient because it mimics natural skin lipids without clogging your pores. This is ideal for combination or oily skin that still wants that hydration but doesn't want worsening acne or oiliness. This has been a great morning moisturizer for me because it layers really well under makeup and also sunscreen."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"It smells so good. I am obsessed. It smells so good. [...] And it's like the super pretty gloss color. I have really dry, chapped lips, and this can even help with dry lips because it contains plant-based oils like jojoba, sweet almond, apricot, evening primrose, and argan oil, and also shea butter, plus other emollients. So if your lips crack a lot, this is the type of lip product that you need and it doesn't feel sticky or tacky at all."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"The SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid + Peptide Cream is packed with ceramides, peptides, and humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. It also has red algae for extra help with locking in moisture. I really love its rich, buttery texture. It feels super nourishing on my skin. It is often spoken of as a dupe for the Skin Sudicles triple lipid restore."
✓Yay
91%Guru Score
"If you have oilier skin or live in a warmer climate and are looking for something a little bit lighter, [...] this one is a classic and for a good reason. The star ingredient here, hyaluronic acid. [...] It acts as a moisture magnet. It is a humectant and it really helps your skin retain water to keep it hydrated and plump. And this one also contains activated aloe water and caffeine which helps to soothe and decrease inflammation."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"This is one of my favorite K-beauty brands that launched last year in Sephora. This is the Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream and it is so, so hydrating and easy to use. This is a dermatologist-developed formula that delivers up to 120 hours of hydration. It has this really, really rich texture that's great for [...] sensitive skin or post-treatment skin -- that's because I personally fall under that category and I have a lot of patients who do as well."
✓Yay
90%Guru Score
"The Tower 28 Daily Barrier Recovery Cream. I love this one because it is so so hydrating, but really feels lightweight. Doesn't feel like there's anything heavy on your skin. [...] It's an intentionally basic daily moisturizer designed for sensitive skin. The founder suffered from [...] severe eczema and wanted to formulate something intentionally basic, going back to just the essentials to cut out all the other ingredients that might be irritating to your skin."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"This is a staple. It has 5% vitamin C in the form of 30 ethyl ascorbate and escoro glucoside, and it also has hexapeptide 5 which helps with the firmness of the skin. I like this form of vitamin C because it is a true moisturizer, so if you have really dry skin or if you're struggling with just feeling really dry, especially during fall winter, this is a wonderful choice for you. This is more of a [...] gel moisturizer, and it's really great for people who struggle with dryness."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"My personal favorite retinoid-containing product is the skinbetter science AlphaRet Overnight Cream. That's the only retinoid that my really sensitive, rosacea-prone skin can tolerate. It's actually a retinoid conjugated with lactic acid, along with a whole host of other goodies. That's my retinoid of choice for those with sensitive skin."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"This has the same patent pending BL3 lipid complex which contains a patent pending blend of vitamins lipids and peptides that can really help to repair your skin barrier. I find that this formulation is really soothing as well as hydrating without being overpowering and I love that SkinFix came out with a version of this that's heavier for the winter months and then this version for the warmer months."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"This contains a whole host of anti-dark mark ingredients that are really great. It obviously contains niacinamide. It also contains tranexamic acid, which I like to use for melasma, which is a different type of inflammatory hyperpigmentary condition. [...] Topical tranexamic acid can work in conjunction with other brighteners to help lighten up dark spots. This product also contains azelaic acid, which is another multitasking favorite of mine."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"I brought this La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 in case my hand get dry."
✓Yay
92%Guru Score
"It comes out of a pump and this one's a little bit thicker. They also make a more watery, thinner lotion type so you can choose whichever one suits your skin better. I like this one because it's free of fragrance and a lot of other things that could potentially irritate 10 to 12 year-olds' skin, which can be a little bit more sensitive at that age. It goes on really lightweight, it's non-comedogenic, it doesn't clog your pores. I've been using this on my son for a long time."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"I love recommending the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream to patients because it's affordable, it's very simple to use, it's no fuss, it's fragrance-free, it's great for those with acne, it's super hydrating without feeling very heavy or greasy on the skin so you can use this morning or night. It's a really hydrating and rich cream that contains hyaluronic acid, natural moisturizing factors, tons of amino acids, electrolytes, essential lipids, and ceramides as well."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"This gel went on really smoothly, it didn't sting my sensitive skin and my damaged skin barrier, which was probably dry from flying 20 plus hours from Singapore to New York in the middle of July. But this gel just glided on really smoothly, it was very hydrating, it absorbed quickly, and I felt like it did help calm down some of my inflammation. Even though I have sensitive skin, I don't react to fragrance and I don't react to essential oils, so I was okay with this product."
✓Yay
66%Guru Score
"Another great moisturizer for summertime is the Tatcha Water Cream. This has been a holy grail of mine for a really long time. It really helps to hydrate without feeling heavy or sticky at all. It is formulated with Japanese rose and also Japanese lily, so one helps to tighten pores and smooth the skin texture and one helps to kind of clamp down on excess oil. And it also comes with this proprietary blend called the Hadassei 3 Complex which consists of green tea, rice, and algae."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
Cleansers14 reviews
"I featured the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser in my winter skincare video. And spoiler alert, I'm still using it. It's milky, creamy, non-foaming, fragrance-free, and packed with niacinamide, ceramides, and panthenol to support hydration and that healthy skin barrier."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"Some of my favorite cleansing balms, especially for winter, includes this Eleus cleansing balm and also the Vanilla Co cleansing balm."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"If you wear sunscreen and makeup daily, double cleansing is key. And this balm does an incredible job at removing stubborn makeup, sunscreen, dirt, and oil all in one go. It's packed with botanical oils like starflower oil, which is a rich natural source of omega6 fatty acids and gamma linolenic acid, which helps to soften and nourish the skin. Elderberry oil, which is a natural antioxidant that's rich in essential fatty acid, smooths your skin without leaving that greasy feeling."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"This is the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, the original, so this is the yellow one. I love it because it is so luxurious with a wonderful fragrance. This contains starflower oil, elderberry oil, wheat germ, and oat oils."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"For cleanser I do recommend the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser. I've recommended this many times before and I actually use this myself every night. It is a very, very, very gentle as well as hydrating formula. It contains ceramides, which is the main stay of CeraVe's developments and products, and it's just very good for sensitive skin, oily skin, combination skin, acne skin."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"If you struggle with acne at this age, [...] you can opt for a salicylic acid cleanser like the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, and that can really help with acne too."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"If you struggle with acne at this age then you may want to use a different wash like you may want to use a Benzoyl Peroxide wash like from Differin. The Differin comes as a 4% or a 10% and you can use this wash on your face you can use it on your body like your chest and your back if you have acne at this age."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"The Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm comes as a very lightweight little jar so I like using it for travel and it is very affordable at less than $20. This one contains all sorts of antioxidants like vitamin E, jojoba oil, eucalyptus oil, avocado oil and clove leaf oil and all of that helps to keep the skin moisturized. It does have a slight refreshing scent almost like a minty smell so if you don't like that you may not want to use this product, but I like using this product."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"The CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser comes out as a gel but then as you're using it on your face and lathering it on, it becomes more of a bubbly foamy cleanser and it does a really good job of getting rid of the oils without leaving your face feeling really dry, prone to wrinkly, and like stretched really tightly. It also contains a blend of niacinamide, which is an antioxidant and good for acne-prone skin, hyaluronic acid to help hydrate, as well as its characteristic ceramide blend."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"Another soap that I like to recommend for my oily skin patients or acne prone patients is PanOxyl Wash. This is a benzoyl peroxide wash. It comes in percentages from 4% all the way up to max strength at 10% and you can choose which one you want to use depending on how sensitive your skin is, how oily your skin is, and how severe your acne is. So if you have very sensitive skin stick with the 4%."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"The Then I Met You cleansing balm is beautiful, it's this beautiful orange color and it reminds me of mango sorbet. It smells amazing with hints of rosemary, peppermint, and grapefruit in its scent notes, and I'm someone that likes fragrance and I enjoy that sensorial experience so I really like smelling it and using it every night to take off my makeup."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"She has told me and also in videos that we've made together that one of her biggest skin issues is dryness and eczema and she's had this her entire life ever since she was a little girl. She has struggled with dry skin especially during the winters so she swears by this oil. I personally was able to try a little bit of it and I think it's really awesome. I know it's a much more affordable yet still very effective cleansing oil if you like oils more than balms."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"Another cleanser I really love is one I've talked about before, it's from Youth to the People and it's their Superfood Cleanser. This contains a blend of kale, green tea, and spinach so it's loaded up with antioxidants and vitamins. And even though it's a gel cleanser, it really doesn't strip my face of moisture and I feel like it does a really good job in terms of cleaning my makeup off, even kind of stubborn mascara."
✓Yay
64%Guru Score
"One of the ones I like to recommend for summer, especially if you have acne, is the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser, and this comes with two percent salicylic acid. We know salicylic acid is one of our favorite BHAs because it really gets into the pores and helps clean out pores and reduce that appearance of oiliness and gets rid of all that gunk that's stuck in there."
✓Yay
88%Guru Score
Serums14 reviews
"I have been testing this and really liking it. It's hydrating, so it's very moisturizing as a serum. It doesn't sting my skin at all. It's 15% THD ascorbate but it also contains some other goodies too. It has a soybean derived phytosterol complex which helps to calm down the skin. It also has saccharide isomerate extract which helps reduce the appearance of large pores and it has glycolic acid which is an alpha hydroxy acid that helps to exfoliate."
✓Yay
64%Guru Score
"This one also has licorice root extract which is another one of our ingredients for brightening and helping to lift pigment. So all in all this is a wonderful choice if you're struggling with some post-acne marks, if you still have active acne or rosacea, but you are trying to conceive, pregnant or breastfeeding, this is a good option for you."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"It has 15% L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and 0.5% ferulic acid, so it's very, very similar to the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic."
~Mixed
77%Guru Score
"What I think is interesting about this one is that you actually mix it fresh before use. It comes with a liquid serum and it has the vitamin C powder, and you put it together and shake it around, and then you have a freshly mixed and freshly made vitamin C serum. I like that because sometimes you buy a product and it just sits on your shelf for a really long time and you might forget about it or you don't know how long that product has already been sitting on the shelf."
✓Yay
71%Guru Score
"This is an absolute Holy Grail product for me and probably one of my top three products of all time that I use every single day. This has THD ascorbate vitamin E but also 17 other antioxidants. I really think of this as more than just a vitamin C because it really takes kind of a holistic approach to treating your skin."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"Another awesome L-ascorbic acid based product is the Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C serum. This contains 15% L-ascorbic acid, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and pine polyphenols which are just another class of antioxidants. I like this one because it is very lightweight but still hydrating and it comes out as a serum and it's really easy to layer over. It doesn't irritate my skin so I'm a big fan of this one."
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
"Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster is 15% L-ascorbic acid, ferulic acid, and ergothionine, which is an amino acid that is commonly found in mushrooms and black beans and works as an antioxidant. This one is really well formulated and backed by science. I find that it's a very light hydrating serum. It's been another staple of mine that I've been really enjoying and that I recommend a lot to my family, friends, and my patients."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"The Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power Serum is 20% vitamin C in the form of THD ascorbate, 3% vitamin E, and 2% ferulic acid. I really like because it comes out like a hydrating serum. I can just use this in place of a moisturizer and it offers absolutely zero irritation. I love THD ascorbate as opposed to L-ascorbic acid because my sensitive skin just loves this stuff and I can use it every day and not have any issues."
✓Yay
72%Guru Score
"The Vanicream Vitamin C Serum is a really great affordable option. It's THD ascorbate based and goes on like a lightweight serum so it's hydrating enough that I don't have to use an additional serum or moisturizer in the morning."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"Use this kind of like a serum or a primer before you put on your sunscreen and your makeup. It really helps to give my skin a little bit of extra hydration especially during the winter months. It is also very lightweight so you can continue to use it as your primary moisturizer during summertime and it gives my skin a nice glow which I really like. Really versatile, layers well under sunscreen and makeup. [...] This product is viral for a reason."
✓Yay
68%Guru Score
"This product would be great for people who are suffering from hyperpigmentation or enlarged pores or acne marks"
✓Yay
68%Guru Score
"I would like to see some data about how this product performed on humans, on human skin, maybe even how it performs on human skin cells. I'd love to see some more clinical testing data, and usually with this type of technology it is linked to some type of white paper where they talk about how this technology has been tested and specifically how it has been tested in this formulation."
~Mixed
67%Guru Score
"One of the moisturizers that I like to recommend for summertime is the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel, the watery gel, not the cream. This is non-comedogenic, meaning non-pore clogging, and it really goes on like a gel but it provides this great hydration overnight. I have one in my medicine cabinet and I love using it during the summer time. The main ingredient is hyaluronic acid, which is a humectant that will help your skin hold on to and retain moisture."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"I've gone through like three bottles already. What I love about this is it's THD base, tetrahexodescorbate, so it's a very stable lipid soluble form of vitamin C, and you know that vitamin C is super hard to stabilize, that's why a lot of products kind of change colors or get funky after a certain amount of time, but this one's very stable and it comes in this airless pump so that you don't have to expose the whole bottle of product every time you want to use it."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
Other13 reviews
"No stickiness, no peeling under makeup, and no white cast. What I love about this is that it uses really advanced chemical sunscreen filters that are not available in the US. These filters [...] provide really broad UVA and UVB spectrum coverage, and they're just more cosmetically elegant. This one is SPF 50 plus PA++++ four pluses. It's formulated with 30% rice seed water, which helps to hydrate and brighten without irritation."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"So, while the science is promising, interesting, and exciting, we definitely still need more well-designed studies to really understand its everyday benefits in skincare on human skin. I've been really enjoying this ampule as a prep step before makeup for smoother application and also as a refreshing mist during the day to revive my skin and my makeup. I also really like to bring this on the plane with me or throw it in my bag because it is so travel friendly."
~Mixed
71%Guru Score
"One of my favorites that I've been using for years is the SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore. I know you've heard me talk about it before, but it really is a goat. It's a bit pricey, but it really works. It contains a patented ratio of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids to replenish lipid levels, helping to improve radiance, importantly that barrier function, and skin elasticity."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"Some of my favorite cleansing balms, especially for winter, includes this Eleus cleansing balm and also the Vanilla Co cleansing balm."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"I have found really good benefits with this both with and without laser treatments, but it can be very useful as an additional step after laser to really help to brighten up those dark spots. I also find that this doesn't sting at all, so this is really great for sensitive skin. This is something that layers really well too. [...] I find that this layers really well under moisturizers and under makeup."
✓Yay
71%Guru Score
"I am a big fan of the Phloretin CF which has the L-ascorbic acid at 10%. I also prefer the Phloretin CF gel which is a little bit more lightweight and evaporates more quickly and I recommend this a lot for my male patients because the C Ferulic can feel a little bit greasy sometimes on my skin or a little bit thick and oily. All three are amazing products."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"The Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly is an oil-free gel moisturizer that contains hyaluronic acid as well as a blend of barley, sunflower, and cucumber to help soothe and also help repair the skin barrier. I've been using this myself in the past few weeks and I've been loving using it, especially in the morning because it layers really well under sunscreen and makeup."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"I also packed some Cetaphil Gentle Makeup Removing Wipes in case I cannot get up to go to the bathroom which I think after a c-section I won't be able to walk for a little bit."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"I like that it comes in a pad form, a pre-soaked pad, because it's just very convenient. A lot of guys maybe don't have the most time in the world for their nighttime skincare routines, so it's really easy to just go and smooth a pad all over. Another possible place you could use the salicylic acid pads is on your arms, on your legs, on your butt, wherever you get keratosis pilaris, that bumpy kind of strawberry skin looking rash. You can also use it if you have thickened heel skin."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"One of the really great laser therapies that we have for rosacea is the Pulse Dye Laser or PDL for short. This laser works by selectively targeting blood vessels and it basically zaps and closes the blood vessels without damaging surrounding skin structures. It usually takes, depending on how bad your rosacea is and how red you are, anywhere between four to six treatments to really get rid of that redness. It's really great for total facial flushing."
✓Yay
88%Guru Score
"I didn't see a huge difference with the IPL treatments. [...] I would personally prefer to go for laser treatments which are more selective, more targeted, and more intense and more powerful."
✕Nay
68%Guru Score
"Alcohol is actually listed as the second ingredient followed by a bunch of fragrances and essential oils. Alcohol can be helpful in skincare products as an astringent and can make products feel very light, however it can also be drying to the skin, especially when it's listed in the front of the ingredient list, which means it's at a higher concentration. I'm not a huge fan of essential oils and so many fragrances for people with sensitive skin."
✕Nay
64%Guru Score
"It also comes with aloe and allantoin, which helps to calm irritation so it kind of counteracts the more irritating effects of the acids. Exfoliating peel pads are great. The ingredients look great. If you have very sensitive skin you want to be careful not to overuse acids because they might actually disrupt your skin barrier and cause more irritation."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
Eye Care6 reviews
"So you're really getting the highest density of light treatment, making it a very effective treatment. [...] They took inspiration from skiing goggles for this really, really comfortable eye shield. This is nice and cold on the chill pads. And they took inspiration from VR headsets to design this part so that it's truly very comfortable to wear. This has four customizable modes."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"This is a multitasker extreme. It contains SPF 41 sunscreen but it also does color correction, it's also a concealer, it helps to hydrate, and it gives you some protection. A little bit goes a long way. It comes out with this metal tip applicator that's also cooling and soothing, and you only need half a pump for each eye. [...] The color [...] is a peachy tone that helps to cancel out the blue undertones in the under eyes which give the appearance of dark circles."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"I like this product. I've been using it at night but I also recognize that this is an expensive splurge product so I don't usually recommend it to everyone but it is 30% off right now so this is definitely worth checking out if it's within your budget."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"I like that it's very cooling so it can help with that soothing, helping with the depuffing, and I think the ingredients are really great and it leaves your under eye just looking more hydrated. [...] When your skin there is more hydrated it's less likely to be prone to wrinkling, so this is a really great product to help with just a pick me up in the under eye region. I like to just put it on and it just leaves that area feeling very hydrated and cooled, and honestly it does calm it down."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"It has my favorite texture in the world. It's super cool and plumping, so it fills out any little fine lines and creates such a smooth base for your makeup. The main ingredient is centella asiatica, also known as tiger grass, which has been around for hundreds of years and is used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine. It really has a lot of evidence in the literature for its anti-inflammatory properties, wound healing properties, and its ability to help hydrate the skin."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"My main critique of this product is that it's 70 dollars for 12 pairs, which comes out to about five dollars and eighty cents for a pair, and these are single use. So if you're using one a day, you could only use this for 12 days. In my mind, what is a more cost effective and equally as beneficial method is buying an eye cream with retinol or retinoid in it, and if you really wanted that extra occlusion, you can get a reusable eye mask and put that over it."
~Mixed
73%Guru Score
Masks & Peels6 reviews
"This is my Holy Grail, the Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. [...] It's a workhorse, it gets the job done. This will clean out your pores, and it's great for acne-prone, oily skin. It's a true toner, so after washing your face you put it on a cotton pad and apply it to your face, or sometimes I just apply it to my hands and smear it all over. You would do this on your off nights from your retinoids. I usually reach for this one more in spring and summer. It's a staple."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"I have sensitive skin and exfoliants are usually pretty harsh on my skin and can cause me to turn red or sting, but this one has been very gentle and it has left my skin feeling really smooth. I use this on nights when I'm not using my retinoid, [...] and I find that this leaves my skin texture feeling really smooth, it helps to unclog my pores, and it's just a really nice gentle treatment that gives me all the benefits of an exfoliant without leaving my skin feeling stinging or over exfoliated."
✓Yay
65%Guru Score
"I do like the Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial to use once or twice a week in place of your retinoid."
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
"A 10% AHA acid booster, which let me tell you, AHA acid is a game changer for people with acne, dark spots, and rosacea, and especially those of us who are pregnant. AHA acid is one of those multi-purpose ingredients that is safe to use in pregnancy. And I think 10% is a really good medium because when you get too high, like 15% or 20%, it can actually burn the skin a lot and irritate it."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"I've been using the SkinFix Redness Recovery and Antioxidant Peptide Treatment Mask and it does say to wash this off in the morning but I don't because I like that it's really hydrating. This one contains all sorts of anti-inflammatory soothing ingredients like honey and peptides. It also has concentrated green tea and we know green tea has really awesome soothing anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant properties."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"The Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal peel pads is basically a two-step chemical peel system that you could do at home. In the first step you're using a blend of five acids, glycolic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid, along with chamomile for its anti-inflammatory effects. You do that first with a peel pad pre-soaked in the serum, wait two minutes, and then you go ahead and use step two which has more of the hydrating soothing ingredients."
✓Yay
70%Guru Score
Blush & Bronzer4 reviews
"This is the Glint highlighter and it has a look that's very glass skin inspired and it leaves more of like a wet sheen rather than a powdery highlight. [...] This is especially flattering for mature skin, dry skin, eczema prone skin, or anyone just prone to dryness. It also gives a beautiful subtle shine without settling into your texture."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"This is a sheer radiance stick that melts right into the skin, and it's perfect for anyone who wants that glow without shimmer. I really like these types of balms because they're actually hydrating, and they give dimension to dry or dull skin. I also love this stick balm applicator because it's perfect to use on the go. [...] It gives this nice buildable finish, so it's not like too much goes on all at once. [...] You can even use this on your lids for a fresh and romantic look."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"And I can personally attest that it does not flare up the rosacea on my cheeks. It's formulated with lightweight pigments and hydrating emollient, which means that it can actually give you a natural dewy flush without emphasizing texture or dryness. Price-wise, it is mid-range, but a little goes a long way. You seriously like I use my finger and I put like two dots on and that is all I need because it is so pigmented."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"It delivers the perfect amount of shimmer without it looking too crazy, like you look like a disco ball. It just delivers that just the right amount to highlight and it accentuates where the light hits. I like to use it on top of my cheekbones, kind of on my nasal bridge, underneath my eyebrow, and above my lip right there above the Cupid's bow. I've used mine to the bone because I carry it with me everywhere and it's actually survived several accidents where it's been dropped on the ground."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
Eye Makeup3 reviews
"Very smudge resistant, which I appreciate. I also love that the wand is so compact and petite. [...] I have short stubby lashes and so a lot of the American mascara wands are really thick and stubby and when I use those, the mascara gets all over my eyelids. Whereas these little guys, this holds on to every short little lash that I have and it just pulls them and makes them look longer and more curly."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"This is a cult favorite for a reason. It contains polymers and waxes that really help the lashes hold their shape. [...] If your lashes point straight down and won't hold a curl, I promise you this will keep them up all day. I also like that it's waterproof for people who struggle with smudging on the lower lids, especially those with oilier eyelids."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"This comes in six shades and I feel like it just delivers the perfect amount of pigment with each stroke. It also lasts for a really long time. In order to make it last even longer, I use this mainly for my inner brows where you need more definition and to draw more hairlike strokes, and then I use something that's cheaper and maybe a little bit thicker to do the middle and also the tail of the brow. But this is so good and I'm so grateful that this was invented."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
Lip3 reviews
"This is my go-to for hydrating soft lips, especially in fall and winter. So I use this during the day and Vaseline or Aquaphor at night. This product contains squalene, which is a skin-identical lipid that helps lock in moisture and antioxidants to protect lips from all those environmental stressors like cold winds and aggressive indoor heating. The texture is buttery yet lightweight, and it glides on so smoothly with a glossy finish, but none of that stickiness though, which I hate."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"I have been really impressed by these. My lips are always dry and I actually don't really like feeling a lot of product on my lips because it feels sticky and then I keep kind of going like this and then it runs and then they get more chapped but this one is actually really hydrating and it comes in beautiful colors. I like that the majority of the ingredients are actually skincare ingredients."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"I think the lip balms that Margot chooses to highlight and the ones that she likes to use are fine as long as she's not having an allergic reaction"
✓Yay
69%Guru Score
Mists & Essences3 reviews
"The only other thing that I use when I'm having a flare-up of perioral dermatitis would be our Rhode Glazing Milk. It's super gentle, it helps calm the skin, it doesn't irritate it any further."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"Caudalie also makes a grape water mist which has very very simple ingredients. I haven't used this personally but since it seems to have very simple basic ingredients, it basically just has grape water and grape juice which is really high in potassium and other minerals. I think this is a good alternative because it has very simple basic ingredients."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"Hypochlorous acid is really hard to stabilize and it does not mix well with other actives, which is why this product keeps it simple and pure. That's what makes this an OG. It's clinically effective, super gentle, and easy to use anywhere. I like spritzing it after the gym -- I keep it in my gym bag -- when my skin feels irritated, or when my skin has acne, a rosacea flare-up, or anytime I really need a reset. If your skin's feeling stressed or reactive, this is the one for you."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
Acne1 review
"You can put one of these on over your cyst and it can help to draw out some impurities and some pus. The main benefit too is that it keeps your dirty grubby hands away from it so that you're not introducing new bacteria, you're not tearing a hole in your skin, you're not pushing it, you're not trying to pop it. It really keeps it away from your hands. [...] One is the OG, it was produced by my friend actually Drew Ru. This is the hero, the Mighty Patch Original, imported from Korea."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
Powder & Setting1 review
"This one comes out as a very light mist and it doesn't leave my face looking wet or feeling sticky at all. I do notice that when I use this my makeup stays on all day. I don't even know what magic Patrick Star has put in this, but it's magical. It now comes in this size as well as a travel size, and I think it comes in an even larger size as well. I've also tried the Charlotte Tilbury makeup setting spray, but I like this one so much more."
✓Yay
88%Guru Score
Retinoids1 review
"If you're finding that you're starting to get blackheads, whiteheads, and clogged pores, you can use a retinoid and the one that I do recommend is Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1%. That's over the counter and FDA approved to treat acne. [...] These are very very effective for helping normalize skin cell turnover, exfoliate your pores, and help with whiteheads, blackheads, and acne."
✓Yay
94%Guru Score
Tech1 review
"There's the ZIIP GX Electrical Microcurrent Device which retails for 349 dollars and I just don't really know whether that's effective or not. I haven't reviewed the data on it."
~Mixed
69%Guru Score
Toners1 review
"The one I've been choosing is the Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Serum Toner. This contains ceramide MP which helps to strengthen the skin's barrier. It also has panthenol, which is an ingredient I really love for moisturizing the skin, reducing water evaporation from the skin, and helping to reinforce and heal my skin barrier, and it just feels really really nice. It also has glycerin, which helps your skin hold on to and retain water."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score

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Tea with MD 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.