
Essential Skincare You Need in Your Routine
It's an ongoing skincare dilemma: how do we keep our skin (both face and body) moisturized and youthful, while avoiding common skin conditions like acne, or keratosis pilaris? According to Dr. Pimple Popper, it’s all about the ingredients. Here are her must-have basics that keep skin healthy and balanced, year-round.
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No matter what season it is, it seems like the same skincare dilemma continuously comes up: how do we keep our skin (both face and body) moisturized and youthful, while avoiding common skin conditions like acne, or keratosis pilaris?
According to Dr. Sandra Lee (aka Dr. Pimple Popper), it’s all about the ingredients. Here are her must-have basics that keep skin healthy and balanced, year-round.
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Essential skincare for face
No matter your skin type, every complexion benefits from a few vital skincare steps that incorporate proven ingredients, says Dr. Lee. Her simple philosophy — Cleanse, Treat, Moisturize, works for everyone. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:
- Cleanse: Dr. Lee’s ultimate go-to here is salicylic acid, because it’s gentle enough for all skin types and it’s great for both acne-prone and aging skin. Find this superstar exfoliant (which clears out pores and combats dullness) in SLMD Salicylic Acid Cleanser.
- Treat: This is where you can tailor your basic routine to meet your specific needs. For example, retinol works well for managing acne and preventing the signs of premature aging, says Dr. Lee. A potent antioxidant like vitamin C can promote brightness, if that’s your goal. Try SLMD Retinol Serum, or Bright Future Vitamin C Serum.
- Moisturize: No matter what, don’t skip this step. Even oily skin needs moisturizer, especially during the winter months. Look for lightweight, non-occlusive formulas that won’t clog pores. SLMD Facial Moisturizer also contains vitamin C, so it both balances and brightens.

Dr. Lee is a big fan of bundling her best skincare products into easy-to-use systems that address a variety of skin concerns. Here are a few of her SLMD favorites:
- Acne System: designed to treat and prevent acne at every stage, this 3-step regimen includes Salicylic Acid Cleanser, BP Lotion, Retinol Serum, and Facial Moisturizer.
- Plump, Prevent, Protect Essentials: based on the idea that it’s never too soon to start preventing premature aging, this trio combines Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Retinol Serum, and Dual Defender SPF 30.
Essential skincare for body
We tend to get hyper-focused on our face, but Dr. Lee has made it a personal mission to encourage people to pay more attention to body skin health. The same 3-step philosophy holds true here as well:
- Cleanse: If you’re prone to body acne, changing up your body cleanser is one of the best ways to reduce those inflammatory breakouts. SLMD BP Body Wash is gentle enough to use everyday, but powerful enough to banish breakouts and soothe redness.
- Treat: One of Dr. Lee’s favorite body care ingredients is glycolic acid — an AHA that sloughs off dead skin cells like a boss. Find it in SLMD Glycolic Acid Body Scrub, which contains both physical and chemical exfoliants to address rough, bumpy skin, plus wards off ingrown hairs.
- Moisturize: For super dry, bumpy body skin (including keratosis pilaris), Dr. Lee recommends a two-pronged approach. SLMD Glycolic Acid Body Lotion contains both alpha hydroxy acid and shea butter, to smooth skin and seal in moisture.
If you’re searching for an easy way to keep body skin healthy and smooth, Dr. Lee suggests one of her SLMD body systems:
- Body Acne System: this 2-step approach combines BP Body Wash and viral social media sensation Salicylic Acid Body Spray, to combat body breakouts by managing both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne.
- Body Smoothing System: this pair of body smoothing basics combines two glycolic acid all-stars, including Glycolic Acid Body Scrub and Body Lotion.

Dr. Lee's Last Word
I like to keep my skincare as simple as possible — and I think my patients appreciate that. Combining potent dermatological ingredients in effective ways is the core of my philosophy behind SLMD Skincare. Like I always say, good skincare isn’t magic, it’s science. Use the essentials on a consistent basis, and you’re going to see healthier skin.