How to Boost Your Skin Confidence, According to a Dermatologist

View yourself the way you're meant to be viewed. This helps keep your perception in check. “No one looks at you this close,” Dr. Bea wrote. “Be kind to yourself and your skin.”

The dermatologist tagged petroleum jelly as “the cheapest and one of the most effective skincare products in the market.” If you’re wondering what it’s for, Vaseline lists 101 uses of petroleum jelly—and no, it’s not an exaggeration! From relieving itchiness to removing makeup, to protecting newly healed tattoos and preventing skin stains from hair dye, it serves more purposes than one might think of.

Rosacea is a skin condition that causes visible long-term redness. Dr. Bea controls hers by using azelaic acid, a topical cream that kills bacteria and keeps the pores clean. As always, it’s best to consult a dermatologist before trying prescription strength.

Seborrheic Dermatitis causes itchy and scaly flakes or patches on the skin, including the scalp. According to Dr. Bea, ketoconazole shampoo is “the only thing” that can control hers, plus it helps make the skin thicker by lessening shedding. Did you know that ketoconazole shampoo helps control the overgrowth of yeast, thus making it an expert-recommended product to treat fungal acne, too?

To break down and deeply hydrate hardened skin and to reveal the “smoothest feet ever,” the dermatologist applies 40% of the “underrated ingredient” called urea cream. Its formula also includes 2% salicylic acid to help loosen dead skin cells and enhance exfoliation. The cream was meant to be used on the feet only, though, so don’t apply it on other parts regardless of how tempting it may be. For the percentage that will best address your condition, it’s recommended that you ask your dermatologist.

You read that right—face masks are better used in the morning instead of the evening. It provides instant hydration and a brightening effect, waking up your senses and priming your face should you choose to wear makeup that day. Feel free to store it in the refrigerator, too, so it’s cold by the time you use it. This helps reduce the puffiness we usually get when we wake up.

If there’s one thing that all (and we mean, all) dermatologists can agree on, it’s the importance of applying sunscreen every day. Tinted sunscreen, in particular, can help prevent and control dark spots and hyperpigmentation, while keeping the heavy, makeup-like feel to a minimum. Dr. Bea’s tip is to apply ⅛ teaspoons of regular sunscreen first, then going in with the same amount of tinted sunscreen. They’re best layered, not mixed.

“I will forgive you if you choose not to wash your face in the morning, but please never not wash before bed,” Dr. Bea lightheartedly emphasized. For the uninitiated, double cleansing means washing your face with an oil-based and a water-based cleanser. By doing so, you’re thoroughly freeing your skin from impurities that accumulated from both oil and water.

This may be a surprising tip from a dermatologist, but “it does help lift off dry, flaky skin instantly without using acids or harsh scrubs,” even for people using retinoids or dealing with sensitive skin. On that note, it’s important to choose a gentle formula with no beads, grains, and the like. Apply it delicately, too, instead of scrubbing it in. Physically exfoliating once or twice a month will suffice.