Why Your Dermatologist May Not Be the Best Person to Build Your Skincare Routine
One of the biggest misconceptions in skincare is assuming that because someone is an expert in skin disease, they are automatically an expert in personalized skincare routines, cosmetic ingredients, skin barrier health, and product formulation.
Dermatologists are essential for diagnosing skin conditions, skin cancer, severe acne, infections, rashes, eczema, psoriasis, and prescribing medications. Their role is incredibly important.
But personalized skincare is often a completely different conversation.
From what I hear from clients every single week — both in-person and virtual — many dermatology appointments are extremely short. Sometimes 15 minutes or less. I can’t even complete a proper virtual skin consultation in 15 minutes.
When someone comes to me struggling with acne, redness, inflammation, texture, puffiness, or sensitivity, I’m looking at everything:
what they’re currently using on their skin
pore-clogging ingredients in makeup/ skincare
barrier damage
irritation triggers
over-exfoliation
diet
stress
lifestyle
consistency
Inflammation
& so much more!!
Because skin is not one-dimensional.
What I often see instead is people being prescribed medications or harsh skincare without a deeper conversation about what may actually be contributing to the issue in the first place.
And many “dermatologist recommended” or mass-produced skincare products do not impress me from a formulation standpoint. I constantly see products labeled “gentle” or “non-comedogenic” still leaving clients with:
inflamed skin
congestion
clogged pores
dehydration
recurring breakouts
damaged skin barriers
Because formulation matters.
An ingredient may technically work, but the entire formula matters too. Fillers, supporting ingredients, texture, and pore-clogging ingredients can completely change how someone’s skin responds.
I see over 50 clients a week and I watch skin change in real time. I see redness calm down. I see texture improve. I see inflammation decrease. I see acne clear when people use the right formulations consistently and support their skin properly.
This is what I do day in and day out.
The products I carry in my studio and online shop are products I truly believe in because I’ve seen the results firsthand — not just from marketing claims, but from real client skin transformations.
And to be clear — dermatologists absolutely have their place, especially for severe acne (you still need guidance on how to prevent it in the future and keep the skin healthy!) and medical skin conditions. But healthy, resilient skin often requires a more individualized conversation than prescriptions alone.
If you’re struggling with acne, inflammation, redness, texture, puffiness, congestion, or skin that just doesn’t seem to improve, you can book a virtual consultation with me here.
Or shop my personally curated skincare here.