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In 2021, the Goldfaden MD team is manifesting Bright New Beginnings. After such a hard year, our goal is to approach this new chapter with optimism, peace of mind and even a blank slate. So, to give you a bit of inspiration, we tapped some of our favorite founders to see how they’ll be approaching the new year and making it a Bright New Beginning.

Annie Jackson | Co-Founder + COO of Credo

“Our bright new beginning is to be together in person as a team again.  After 9 months of all day zooming, we are excited to collaborate in person but more importantly hear how peoples weekends were, celebrate babies being born, talk over the lunch table.  I cannot wait.  We all know each other on a much deeper personal level now – which is ironic because it happened when we were separated.  We are stronger now more than ever at Credo and can’t wait to celebrate 2020 being over as a team, in real life.” 

Celene Gee | Gee Beauty + 6 By Gee Beauty

“My intention for 2021 is to be really present, and focus on what’s around me. How I can learn more, love more, give more, take more care of myself and the ones I love, and to create more. To try to take in the beauty of my surroundings each day, while exploring and having new experiences. Seeing beauty with my eyes in each day is my intention.”

Ariel Kaye | Founder of Parachute

“I’m a big believer in self-care and plan to carry the rituals and routines that serve me into 2021. I just had my second baby, so taking time to care for myself allows me to be the best mom to my kids and leader to my team at Parachute. For me, I turn to meditation, long walks, breathwork, and a warm shower each night to nurture my mind and body. I also like to be intentional with my home to create a nurturing environment. I plan to fill our space with music, flowers, natural light, and cozy textures in 2021.”

Olivia Muniak | Founder of La Cura

“In 2021 my intention is expansion and growth, harnessing the creative clarity and vision I’ve received in the past year and shift into actionable change. For me, that looks like reactivating events (when it’s safe), building out the catering services, and continuing to share the gift of entertaining at home. Personally, carving out more time for reading and analog activities, traveling (a girl can dream), and quality time with friends I have not seen!”

Kelly Marks |Co-Founder and Director of PuRe PR

“My intention for 2021 is to fully respect all aspects of my life, being sure to recognize joy, show gratitude and be positive. I’m a believer that what we put in, we get back. I will be making time for it all. “

Depending on who you ask, glowing, radiant skin is priceless. But when it comes to the wonderful world of skincare, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the plethora of products at your disposal. That said, if you’re new to skincare or otherwise want to simplify your routine, there are a few tried-and-true staples you’ll always want on hand.

If your goal is to know which types of products deserve prime real estate on your bathroom shelf, consider this your ultimate guide to skincare essentials.

4 Essential Steps for a Simplified Skincare Routine

Exfoliate

Sometimes overlooked yet essential nonetheless, exfoliating just might be the magical step that’s missing in your current skincare routine.

Simply put, the benefits of exfoliating are plenty. (And, if you ask me, they’re too good to pass up.) Among many things, exfoliating:

  • clears away dead skin cells
  • promotes skin cell turnover
  • smooths skin
  • evens tone
  • boosts radiance
  • helps reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines
  • allows other products to penetrate better and work more effectively

Luckily, there are different options to choose from when it comes to finding the best exfoliator for you.

First, there are physical exfoliators that manually polish your complexion. Remember to exfoliate gently with only light pressure.

If you prefer to go this route, make sure to choose an exfoliating scrub with perfectly round exfoliants—rather than jagged shells that can inflame the skin, or plastic microbeads that can threaten the environment—such as the ruby crystals in our Doctor’s Scrub. (Bonus: The Doctor’s Scrub also contains hydrating powerhouse hyaluronic acid and moisturizing jojoba oil.)

P.S.: Don’t forget that all your skin could use some love, too! Add on the Doctor’s Body Scrub for smooth, glowing skin from head to toe.

Second, there are chemical exfoliators that polish your skin with AHAs, BHAs, PHAs, and/or fruit enzymes. Personally, we love lactic acid for its gentle yet still potent properties. Luckily, lactic acid also happens to be one of the best exfoliators for sensitive skin. You can find it alongside citrus fruit enzymes in Fresh A Peel, which promotes a fresh, youthful glow—sans irritation. (Note: You’d use this type of exfoliating treatment only after cleansing.)

Cleanse

Cleansing is arguably the most important step in any skincare routine.

A good cleanser is your best bet to remove surface oils, dirt, and impurities from both daily and overnight buildup. After washing your face with a high-quality cleanser, you’ll have a clear, fresh canvas that’ll allow the next products to work their magic.

For a gentle, gel-based cleanser that’ll delight your skin and senses alike, Pure Start is your best bet. For those who are acne-prone, we also have the Detox Clarifying Facial Wash with a blend of exfoliating AHAs and antioxidants for a deeper clean.

Treat

This all-important step in your routine is all about you and will be specific to your unique skin concerns.

Such concerns may include:

  • blemishes
  • dryness
  • fine lines and wrinkles
  • hyperpigmentation
  • an uneven, dull skin tone

Daily, semi-weekly, or weekly treatments are your best allies to supercharge progress to achieve your biggest skin goals.

As far as products go, skincare treatments often come in the form of a serum or oil. They’ll typically contain a concentrated amount of active ingredients to address your areas of concern.

When choosing the best specialized treatments for your skin, here’s a quick primer with a few star ingredients to look out for:

  • hyaluronic acid for dry or dehydrated skin
  • retinol for rejuvenation and anti-aging
  • alpha arbutin for natural lightening of dark spots
  • antioxidants (such as CoQ10 and vitamins C and E) for brightness and protection from free radicals

Apply your treatment after cleansing and allow it to absorb fully before moving on to the next step of your simplified skincare routine.

Hydrate & Moisturize

Last but not least, hydrating and moisturizing products will keep your skin fresh and promote a healthy skin barrier.

To clarify, hydrators (aka humectants) help from within to infuse your skin cells with water. Meanwhile, moisturizers (aka occlusives) lock in the moisture you’ve achieved thus far.

Both provide a necessary one-two punch to encourage a fresh, glowing complexion both throughout the day and into the night. After all, if you’ve made it this far into your skincare routine, your progress will be for naught if your skin gets parched or goes unprotected.

Some people may prefer nourishing their skin with an oil alone, like Fleuressence, which replenishes hydration and softens skin with omega fatty acids. Otherwise, a tried-and-true moisturizer, such as Vital Boost, can provide a brightening glow for all skin types.

To get even more granular, you can also use a moisturizer tailored to your skin concerns. Additionally, you may choose to use a richer formula, such as the Plant Profusion Night Cream, to boost moisture and radiance even further while you get your beauty sleep.

Final Thoughts

For those who are new to skincare or simply want to pare down their shelves to the essentials, these four pillars get the job done to inch you closer to your ideal of great skin. (And don’t forget, applying SPF daily is the ultimate insurance policy for skin protection.)

It’s also worth noting that when you revamp your skincare routine, you should integrate only one new product at a time for at least two weeks. A more ideal time frame would be a month, which will permit a full cycle for skin cells to turn over. Doing so will allow you to witness progress in the making, as well as understand which new products yield results.

Finally, once your skin starts to improve, you’ll probably start to wonder what other goodies you’ve been missing out on. (I’m talking mists, masks, eye creams, and the like.) As terrific as these other products are, start first with the basics and then feel free to work your way up.

Author Bio
Michele Ross is a beauty and lifestyle writer based in Los Angeles. She’s passionate about clean skincare and hiking in the California sunshine (with adequate SPF, of course).

At this point in quarantine, a sweet escape from your bucket list sounds heaven-sent and much needed. Let’s face it, travel blues are a real thing, especially for wanderers who live for passport stamps. Thankfully, the world of skincare provides a global beauty getaway within minutes. Exploring formulas and ingredients can take you to new places as you understand the origin and science behind those youthful, hydrating, and radiant results. International trips are officially on pause; however, experts agree, healthy, glowing at-home facials are timeless. Use your skincare routine to teleport you wherever your heart desires. Create a luxurious spa-inspired regiment with global beauty gems from different parts of the world. Since vacationing feels and looks different this year, get ready for a beauty voyage beyond your wildest dreams with an array of products. You’ll feel rejuvenated and refreshed as if you just got back from a peaceful trip. Let’s stamp our beauty passports with Mexico, Turkey, and South Africa with botanical-infused elements below. 

Bring to life at-home a relaxing aromatherapy facial massage from a five-star spa resort in Mexico. As you teleport yourself within a tropical atmosphere, prepare to enjoy a celebrity-approved skincare encounter.  Formulated with Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Co-Enzyme Q10, avocado oil, Dr. Goldfaden’s Overnight Creamy Facial Treatment ($85), will leave you with luminous, youthful-looking skin. The buttery texture comes from avocados found in west-central Mexico, where there are sunny skies year-round. Stroke your temples as you experience the super surge of hydration from the miracle jar. Along with powerful anti-aging and moisturizing benefits, the firming ingredients help reduce fine lines, while creating long-lasting hydration overnight. While the avocado oil boosts a dewy finish, it’s essential to know the other elements at play within this beauty buy. The Co-Enzyme also aids skin from pollution, while the alpha-lipoic acid reduces the appearance of puffiness. Begin to massage the creamy texture all over and watch the instant results flourish in less than 24-hours.

Next stop, Turkey! Famous for its sizzling hot summers, this destination requires a dose of hydration and coolness. Today, dark circles around the eyes due to lack of sleep are one of the most significant skincare concerns. Hence why we’re tapping into the country’s most celebrated fruit, apricot as a skincare superfood. As you envision yourself exploring the colorful vibrancy Istanbul has to offer, try Dr. Goldfaden’s Dark Circle Radiance Concentrate ($55). The eye cream is full of prestigious elements such as Soy Peptide, Arnica Tincture, Hyaluronic acid, and apricot kernels. Together the properties brighten, minimize darkness, puffiness, and fine lines, and provide a youthful-looking finish. The travel to the Mediterranean destination with this experience will simply be unforgettable. 

Visualize yourself on a South African safari. Take a moment to envision discovering the elephants, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, and zebras as well as other species. That’s right, one encounter with Dr. Goldfaden’s Ruby Crystal Power Exfoliator ($98) will take you there. Filled with South African Organic Red Tea Extract, Ruby Crystals, seaweed extract, and hyaluronic acid, this multi-purpose scrub does it all. Treat yourself to a weekly exfoliating treatment that removes dead skin, dirt, and oils for brighter, smoother, and more radiant skin. Rich with antioxidants and vitamins from the tea extract and ruby crystals, the cruelty-free exfoliatin also firms and soothes the skin.  

Here’s to taking more beauty-inspired trip worth your wild in real life soon, until then open your cabinets and explore the world of ingredients. Allow your lotions and potions to take you places you’ve never been to!

Ashley Jimenez’s Bio

Ashley Jimenez is a multi-media journalist and Co-Founder of LatinaWatch. She oversees LatinaWatch.com and all of the website’s editorial and video content and strategy, as well as social media channels. As the former Beauty Director of HOLA! USA, the Puerto Rican-Dominican reporter, is an expert in identifying trends, highlighting multicultural content, and exploring thoughtful conversations within the influential Latina beauty segment. Her past roles include Senior Beauty Editor at Latina Magazine, where she created beauty, wellness, and lifestyle content specifically for women of color. She explored intersections of vision, Afro-Latina identity within the hair industry, socially conscious skin care, mental health topics. Ashley’s dedication to storytelling has created groundbreaking content that speaks to the duality women face as they navigate the world while honoring traditions and crafting new age customs.