Do: Use natural ingredients. When clients are battling hyperpigmentation, including age spots and melasma, it is important for them to use products with ingredients that are not going to permanently damage thier skin. Safe and effective ingredients for skin brightening include licorice, kojic acid, arbutin, and mulberry extract.  

The FDA recently banned the consumer sale of soaps that contain certain antibacterial ingredients. These ingredients – the most common of which are triclosan, which is used in liquid soap, and triclocarban, which is used in bar soap – were banned because the administration did not feel that their benefits outweighed their risks.  

While clients with sensitive skin are often told by their doctors to use hypoallergenic products, there is no industry standard for products that are labeled as hypoallergenic. For example, companies can remove the fragrance from their product and call it hypoallergenic.

My daily skin care ritual begins in the morning by rinsing with a mild and natural-based cleanser, toning and moisturizing, and using a sunscreen in the summer. In the evening, I use a cotton square with a creamy cleanser and toner, followed by an eye and night serum. I use a few natural-based lines.