Do dermatologists often find themselves short of time for an extensive, eight-step skincare routine like the rest of us? If yes — do they skip their regimen altogether? I have to admit that I do — because if you’re not doing it from the top, what’s the point of doing it at all? But a couple of articles suggested that a short and quick routine isn’t the same as an incomplete, half-hearted one.
If that’s true, what does this quick, 5-minute regimen involve? And does this routine accommodate all that a longer, all-encompassing one has to offer? Because if I were to trust anyone’s opinion, it’d be theirs. And that’s why I roped in 5 experts to walk me through their rushed, gotta-leave-for-work skincare regimen, and trust me when I say it’s revolutionary for those of us who are always late — or invariably in a rush. Ahead — some helpful advice.
6 Experts On Their Under 5-Minute Skincare Routine
Dr Nidhi Singh Tandon
Dr Nidhi Singh Tandon, Board-Certified Dermatologist & Founder, The Skin Art Clinic & Wholistic Derm, might be on her toes all the time — but self-care is non-negotiable for her.
Daytime Routine: “Considering my tight schedule, I’ve created a very simple yet effective skin-care regimen that doesn’t demand much time. When I wake up, I cleanse my face thoroughly before layering my skin with a Vitamin C-infused or Niacinamide-infused serum. I follow this up with sunscreen (I never leave home without sunscreen). Using an antioxidant-charged serum like Vitamin C, and pairing it with sunscreen is your best bet against free radical damage caused by environmental stressors and UV radiation. Vitamin C potentiates the effect of sunscreen, making this combo an extremely powerful one! I skip moisturisers during the day in summers.”
Night-Time Routine: “At night, double-cleansing is a must since I want to make sure my skin is squeaky-clean and ready for my night-time treatment. This is followed by a Retinol-infused serum thrice a week, and a Lactic Acid/AHA-based serum twice a week. I conclude with moisturiser at the end of my night-time treatment. There are days when I only hydrate my skin at night with a good Hyaluronic Acid-based serum as well as a moisturising gel-based cream. It takes me 2 to 3 minutes to finish my-skin care. It’s simple, basic, and effective, and addresses all of my skin-related concerns.”
Dr Debeshi
Dr Debeshi, Award-Winning Clinical Cosmetologist and Head & Founder of Lueur Aesthetics says, “I never recommend following eight to ten steps for skincare — especially when it’s humid. I always believe less is more. Your skin doesn’t require steps — it requires ingredients for its vitality. I always prefer:
- Day: Cleansing – Correction – Moisturiser- Sunscreen
- Night: Double-Cleansing – Cleansing- Correction – Moisturiser – Eye & Lip Care
Choose skincare items according to the demands of your skin. For correction, you can choose active ingredient-based serums to correct specific concerns. I always recommend doctor-tailored skincare.”
Dr Ameesha Mahajan
Dr Ameesha Mahajan – Consultant Cosmetic Dermatologist, RM Aesthetics, Amritsar, believes in keeping it simple. “It happens so frequently that I am rushing to the clinic in the morning, and don’t have much time for skincare. Most of my working patients also deal with the same problem, but they love the skin care regimen I suggest to them. My mantra is to keep it simple and attach a skincare routine to the already-existing things we do every morning. After you have showered and cleansed your face, I suggest applying a serum right after towel-drying your face while it is still damp — followed by a moisturiser immediately. Let it all absorb into your skin while you dress up. And, then, use sunscreen as the last layer of your skincare. If you like to use makeup, it goes on top of your sunscreen. I like layering a tint on top of a regular sunscreen to give my skin an even finish, like a BB cream would. That’s all, and you are good to go!”
Dr Sravya C Tipirneni
Dr Sravya C Tipirneni, Consultant Dermatologist and Cosmetologist at Manipal Hospital, Bangalore, tells me that her quick, got-to-go routine consists of just four steps:
“As much as most of us like following an elaborate, step-by-step skincare routine, sometimes, it’s just not possible to commit to one every day. I have days when I have to rush to the hospital, but there are certain steps that I cannot skip even if I have just about 5 minutes on my hand. I start off by cleansing my face with an AHA-BHA-PHA face-wash — this step is absolutely necessary. It makes my skin feel fresh and oil-free. Cleansing must be a part of everyone’s skincare routine — you cannot just skip washing your face. I moisturise right after cleansing my face. My favourite moisturiser is gel-based, and it contains Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, and Panthenol. It has a pH of 5.5 as well. I cannot do without it and have to use generous amounts of the cream on my skin after my facewash. My matte-finish liquid-based sunscreen — almost like a fluid that easily glides on my skin — concludes my 5-minute routine for the day. I finish off with an SPF-infused lip-balm, and that’s about it.”
Dr Sushma Yadav
Dr Sushma Yadav, Dermatologist, Cosmetologist, Hair Transplant Surgeon and Founder of Skinology Centre – breaks it down for us like this:
“Following a 10-step skincare routine doesn’t always agree with our busy schedule. This basic 5-step skin care routine won’t exceed 5 minutes.
- Cleanser: Every skincare routine must start with a cleanser. If you wear makeup, make sure you remove it beforehand and use a cleanser based on your skin type to rid your skin of oil, dirt, residual makeup, and impurities.
- Face Serum: You can use a Vitamin C or Hyaluronic Acid (whichever suits your skin) serum and Retinol (preferably night-time). This step will deliver beneficial properties to your skin, and revive your glow.
- Moisturiser: This one-minute step is going to provide your skin with all the essential hydration it needs, and eliminate dryness and flakiness.
- Eye cream: This one’s going to take years off your face. The area around your eyes is more sensitive than the rest of your face, and it is more likely to display early signs of ageing. Taking care of the skin around your eyes will help you look youthful and fresh!
- Sunscreen: This one needs no explanation. You must wear sunscreen every day — irrespective of whether you are indoors or outdoors, or whether it’s sunny or gloomy.
Remember to take care of your skin from within as well. Feed that glow from the inside by proper hydration and nutrition.”
Dr. Niketa Sonavane
Dr. Niketa Sonavane, Celebrity Dermatologist and founder of Ambrosia Aesthetics, Mumbai, spells it all out for me, “My mom introduced me to ‘sunscreen’ when I was in 8th grade. Since then, there hasn’t been a single day that I have skipped applying it. Much later, when I was studying dermatology in med school, I realized how important antioxidants are for truly healthy skin too. My quickest day-time routine consists of a brightening serum that also prevents skin congestion and photo-aging along with a sunscreen that not only blocks UVA and UVB but also blue light and infra-red radiation; and it hydrates the skin!
Currently, I am loving a liposomal serum containing Azelaic acid and Tranexamic acid. The active ingredients in this serum are encapsulated in liposomes to enable deeper penetration which makes the product work like a charm. It gives me a smooth and even tone skin by preventing acne, pigmentation as well as sun damage. The next product I swear by is a water-gel sunscreen SPF 50+ with the patented Fern Block technology. It is ultra-light weight as well as hydrating. It not only protects against the 4 types of radiation (UVB, UVA, Visible and Infrared), but also neutralises and repairs sun damage.
Night time, for me, is more of nurturing along with gentle repair. My skin does not like too much of exfoliating actives such as AHA and retinol; it rebels by throwing up PIH (post-inflammatory pigmentation).A quick night time routine includes a micellar gel face cleanser to remove dirt, grime, makeup and pollution in a single step. I follow this with a (one and done) night cream containing 3 types of retinol cream in a sustained release formulation that perform sequentially and have an excellent tolerance towards sensitive skin such as mine. It helps minimise the appearance of wrinkles, increases firmness and hydration and evens out my skin tone.”
So — don’t treat skincare like it is all or nothing. You don’t have to layer your skin with ten formulas every day — maintaining your skin’s glow and health doesn’t depend on the number of steps your routine is composed of. It has more to do with which formulas you’re choosing. And now you have six experts backing you up on that.
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