All of that changed, though, when Olaplex came around. The brand, which launched in 2014, is known for its revolutionary reparative formulas that can restore the health of even the most damaged strands. “It was remarkable,” says Frank. “Suddenly my hair felt stronger… It felt like my virgin hair. It felt healthy so immediately, I started incorporating it into everything.”

After seeing the results that Olaplex could deliver, she joined the team as lead stylist and educator. In the latest episode of Well+Good’s Routine Rundown, she’s giving us a first-hand look at the game-changing science behind the brand and then some.

Listen to the full episode here: 

To understand what makes Olaplex Olaplex, it’s first important to understand the science behind how it works. When an external factor damages your hair, it causes a chemical reaction that breaks up the disulfide bonds that make up the structure of your hair and “eats up” all of the proteins that keep your strands healthy. “Damage doesn’t just happen from getting your hair colored or lightened,” says Frank, explaining that cumulative damage can also come from hot tools (yes, even the most hair-friendly blow dryer) and the environment.

“And you would think that the simple solution is to go ahead and fix this by putting some protein in the hair, but the truth is, it’s a chain reaction—you need to take care of the source of the problem, which is the broken disulfide bonds. The rest of it you can take care of after.”

This, she says, is where Olaplex comes in. “When you’re using Olaplex regularly… you’re mitigating that damage so that the reaction never happens, and you don’t have something eating away at your hair—you’re basically making your hair strong,” says Frank. “This is the first thing you do to make sure you’re [supporting] the structure, so then you can do all of the other things you need to do to make sure you have healthy, strong, beautiful hair.” In other words: It’s not a Band-Aid solution that will cover up damage so your hair looks healthy—it’s actually doing the work to fix it.

Because damage can come from so many different factors, Frank feels strongly that everyone could benefit from having Olaplex in their routines. “It’s this unique, patented chemistry… and I think that every single person should have this as a tool in their arsenal, because this happens to everybody,” she says.

Shop the products that she uses to keep her own platinum hair healthy below, then check out our full conversation (which spans from the link between hair and identity to the skinification of hair care) on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Olaplex, No. 3 Hair Repair Perfector—$30-$60

“Olaplex No. 3 should be in every single person’s arsenal, period,” says Frank of the brand’s original formula. Though Olaplex’s reparative tech is present in all of its products, this pre-shampoo treatment packs the biggest punch. Frank recommends adding it to your routine once or twice a week, which is exactly what she does herself.

“I’ll do this 10-15 minutes before I take a shower. Dampen my hair real fast, put in the number 3 and make sure it hits every strand, leave it in for 10 minutes and then shampoo and condition,” she says. You can leave it on for longer, but just make sure it doesn’t dry completely (otherwise, you’ll be left with crunch and grease) and always wash it out thoroughly.

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Olaplex, No. 0 Intensive Bond Building Hair Treatment — $30.00

“If you have seriously damaged hair, I definitely recommend also adding in the number zero, which kind of boosts the efficacy of [the reparative technology],” says Frank. Use it as a primer before applying Olaplex No. 3 to intensify its benefits.

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Olaplex, Daily Cleanse and Condition Duo — $30.00

“I’m a big fan of our shampoo and conditioner, which, like all of our products have the patented ingredient our chemists made,” say Frank. “They’re phenomenol, especially for people who do a lot of things that can drain out the moisture in their hair, like flat ironing or lightening their strands.”

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Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Hair Mask — $30.00

“What’s phenomenol about this is that it is so lightweight, and it absorbs into your hair… you’re getting it all into your hair, and your hair needs that,” says Frank, noting that a little bit of product goes a long way. “It says [to leave it on for] 10 minutes, which is optimal, but I’ll admit I might wash my hair when I first get into the shower, then put that on and do everything else, and I rinse it out after whatever amount of time that takes and get great results.”

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Olaplex, No. 6 Bond Smoother Reparative Styling Creme — $30.00

“We all have that skin-care product that’s the first thing we put on… that is this product. You put this on wet hair as the first product, no other product before, and you need so little—one pump should take care of your whole head,” says Frank. “It’s a serum, so of course it has our active ingredient, but it also has these antioxidants that are basically going to protect your hair from free radicals as well as help to get them out so that you won’t have continuing damage—it’s protecting your hair for up to 48 hours.”

But protection isn’t the only thing this formula offers. “It has this memory, so when you’re blowdrying your hair with it you’re creating a base hairstyle that’s going to last you for days,” says Frank. “If you have curly hair, it makes the curls more manageable and more forming, and it’s anti-tangle… and anti-static.”

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Olaplex, No. 9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum — $30.00

Before any sort of heat styling, Frank will also layer on Olaplex No. 9 for extra protection (Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Hair Oil is also a great option for those with coarser, drier textures). It’s got a triple-action formula to strengthen, protect, and smooth. It does this with the help of Olaplex’s bond-building tech, plus red algae extract with bonds to hair to defend against damage from hot tools, pollutants, and UVA and UVB rays.

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Olaplex, No.4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Purple Shampoo — $30.00

“Toners in blonde hair will oxidize over time, so really my hair has more of a yellowish undertone at this point even though I tend to be on the cool side,” says Frank. “So I do use Olaplex No. 4, which is our purple, blonde-enhancing shampoo. And that really does help give me the longevity of [my color] and doesn’t make me look like I have brassy hair.”

Because purple sits opposite of yellow on the color wheel, it will help neutralize any brassiness in your hair, which is why stylists recommend purple shampoo to keep blonde highlights looking fresh. Though there are many great purple products on the market, this one comes with Olaplex’s bond-building tech, which means it will keep your hair healthy and looking great.

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Olaplex, No. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo — $30.00

“On the day of my [color] appointment, I have to clarify my hair, so I’m definitely going to be using the Olaplex 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo because I don’t want anything to interfere with the [professional] product working the way it should.,” says Frank. “I’d recommend that to anyone getting any sort of color service, any bleaching, et cetera, because your hair sucks up everything. So you want to get all of that out so that the products [your stylist] is using on you are working in the most efficient way and the color they choose is working the way it should.”

 

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Listen to the episode here: 

Like many of us who are familiar with the term “reef-safe sunscreen,” Keating was well aware of the negative impact that chemical SPF filters like oxybenzone and octinoxate can have on marine ecosystems (so much so that Hawaii banned the sale of the ingredients in 2018 to protect its own coral reefs). But it wasn’t until she began speaking with marine biologists that she realized that everything that goes down the drain makes a difference.

“It goes to coral waters and gets stuck on the reefs and builds,” she says. “And even though the reefs are quite smart and powerful—they’re migrating at about an inch a year—we need to get out of the way.”

To give people the tools they need to do just that, she stepped in with Uni, a line of reef-safe hair and body-care products that harness the ocean’s powers while also helping to protect it.

“We decided we wanted to be the first reef-safe body-care brand, and it all stemmed from there,” says Keating. “Any of the toxic ingredients that we use, not just in skin care but also in cleaning products and all sorts of things… so our ‘no’ list is deeply regulated by the EWG [Environmental Working Group], but it also goes into anything that will harm land or waterways.”

And though what’s not in the products may be what gets you to initially add them to your cart, the formulas inside the (aluminum, refillable) bottles are what will make them a mainstay in your routine. “We found a way to sustainably source marine actives that would deliver 24-hour hydration… without using any chemicals, that was sort of the ‘Aha’ moment for us,” says Keating. “And we also have upcycled olive oil, and for the base we use organic glycerin and aloe vera, so it’s just a very high-quality, luxurious product.”

To date, the line includes six products—shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body serum, exfoliating hand wash, and regular hand wash—which were heavily influenced by Keating’s own body-care routine.

“I am very utility based,” says Keating. “And maybe it’s an Australian thing, but because we spend so much time in the sun, we take good care of our skin. So sunscreen and moisturizer are a daily thing… I’ll exfoliate or use the body wash and the serum daily.”

As we look toward the summer months (and the sun-drenched activities that come with them), any derm will tell you that this is the type of routine we should all be following. “Hydrating after showering or bathing is just as important as a moisturizer for the face,” says Margarita Lolis, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology in Hackensack, NJ. “Switch out creams for lightweight lotions that contain ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help keep moisture locked in the skin.” She also recommends regular (albeit gentle) exfoliation, as it helps slough off dullness-inducing dead skin cells, prevents body breakouts, and preps your skin to better absorb hydrating ingredients.

Ready to add some reef-safe body care into your daily regimen? Shop Keating’s go-to’s below. Then go ahead and listen to our full conversation on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts to hear us dive even deeper into the brand and find out why some “sustainable” beauty may not be so sustainable after all.

Uni, Skin Shield Body Wash — $33.00

$33 for a one-time purchase; $30 to subscribe

This “skin shield” body wash not only gently cleanses the skin, but also helps to strengthen the skin’s defenses against environmental aggressors. Packed with kakadu plum (which has 55 times more vitamin C than an orange), it’s an antioxidant gold mine that will nourish and protect your skin before you even step out of the shower.

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Uni, Exfoliating Hand Wash — $31.00

$31 for a one-time purchase, $28.20 to subscribe

Though this is technically a hand wash, Keating likes to use it all over her body—especially during the summer months, when her skin could use a little extra exfoliation after being exposed to the sun (FYI: we should all be doing the same as temps start to rise). Finely ground olive pits do the work to slough off dead skin, while neem root and orange peel offer antimicrobial benefits.

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Uni, 24-Hour Serum — $43.00

$43 for a one-time purchase; $39 to subscribe

This body serum toes the line between a traditional moisturizer and the after-sun lotions Keating has sworn by throughout her life. “I used to use a very nutrient-rich after-sun that was aloe based… and I had all of these actives that I wanted to use because of that after-sun,” she says. “I really wanted to find a face serum base that I could add nutrients to so that it would keep my skin healthy and able to hydrate.”

Along with the Uni marine complex, the serum contains caviar lime extract (a gentle exfoliant) and kakadu plum, which come together in a lightweight, fast-absorbing formula.

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“If someone is obsessed with their body or someone’s obsessed with the food part of their life, it’s because the other two cornerstones aren’t being nourished—the emotional wellbeing/mental health or the spiritual growth,” Snyder shared on the latest episode of Well+Good’s beauty podcast, Routine Rundown, hosted by Well+Good senior beauty editor Zoë Weiner. “If we wanna have great skin, if we wanna have a glow to us, if we wanna have a kindness, a softness, a magnetism—all of this is really beautiful—you build it from the inner energy.”

While Snyder’s beauty routine does include products like vitamin C serums and exfoliants, it also gives her time to focus on her emotional and spiritual well-being. Learn about three of the ways she does this below, and get all of her tips by listening to the full episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen here:

1. Establish solid routines

Snyder approaches wellness with four cornerstones in mind: food, body, emotional well-being, and spiritual growth. “When I do my morning and my evening routine, it always includes the cornerstones,” says Snyder. “There’s meditation first thing, which is spiritual, and then there’s some journaling, which is the emotional. And then for food, I’m taking in hot water with lemon first thing, which the vitamin C and the enzymes are great for your liver, great for detoxification, great for your skin. And then the Glowing Green Smoothie when I start to feel hungry…and from a skincare perspective, I keep it simple. Cleanser, vitamin C serum, moisturizer. I don’t use a ton of products, but the ones I use are potent.”

2. Take your time and be present during your routines

It’s so easy to rush through your routines, especially when you’re low on time. But Snyder encourages mindful touch as a way to stay grounded and present during our beauty routines. “It’s really important that yes, we honor the bodily temple, we honor the times that we are coming into it. And so a big part of that is touch,” she says. “And in the Ayurvedic system, they say that the most powerful anti-aging practice, if you wanna say that, is self-massage because it soothes your nervous system…So when we’re doing these practices it’s not just rushing through another to-do list. And if you find yourself hurried…you just take a couple of deep breaths and you come back to this moment and you just wanna really treat it as sacred time.”

3. Be kind to yourself—always

“True beauty is letting your uniqueness come forward and being really comfortable with yourself,” says Snyder. When “you’re not beating yourself up every day, you’re not trying to be like someone else, you’re not living in your mind of anxiety and jealousy and envy and comparison all the time. You get to this real anchor, this place where you feel great and it’s very magnetic, right?”

She says we achieve this by dialing into emotional and spiritual well-being.

“A lot of people struggle, with emotional well-being, which we could say is mental health, right? When there are circular thought patterns, we find ourselves feeling like we’re not enough, we’re over-emphasizing the looks again because we don’t feel good on the insides. We’re trying to constantly change the outside,” she says. “We can work on the outside too, but the ironic thing is when we work on this comfortability—you glow, there is literally more light in your system.”

For London, this lack of open conversation around menopause—and the stigma it’s created—is simply unacceptable. “Historically, nobody’s really been educated about menopause, because there’s so much shame associated with aging, and we conflate menopause and aging so much,” says London in the latest episode of Well+Good’s new beauty podcast, Routine Rundown. “We joke around about the term ‘knowledge is power, but it really is right. Knowledge is agency, and it’s a huge part of the work we do honing our identities.”

Listen to our conversation here:

When London launched her brand, State of Menopause, two years ago, her goal was to bring this knowledge—and the agency that comes with it—to the masses. And though the company stopped selling products in November (the silver lining is you can still find them at select retailers for majorly discounted prices), its message continues to ring clear. “If we were to actually really look at menopause, we could see it as an opportunity for reclamation, and certainly a reframe, about what the middle of life looks like,” says London. “There’s an idea that… coming into menopause is somehow an ending. And, yeah, sure—in one sense, it is. But it’s an unfinished sentence to say that it’s an ending. It’s an ending that transitions us into a new phase, and that’s a new beginning.”

Given her work in the space, it makes sense that London has crafted a perfect routine for her own menopausal skin that deals with common concerns like dryness, dullness, and hot flashes. Shop her picks below, then check out our full conversation on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If knowledge is power, consider this your menopause masterclass.

Skin care

Iris&Romeo, The Reset Luminous Hyaluronic Serum Spray — $45.00

Considering our bodies’ natural supply of hyaluronic acid drops as we get older, a hyaluronic acid serum deserves a spot in any mature skin-care routine. London loves this one from Iris&Romeo, which contains four different-sized HA molecules to allow for maximum penetration (the different sizes each sink into different layers of your skin) and 24 hours of hydration.

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Iris&Romeo, Best Skin Days SPF 30 — $48.00

“Iris&Romeo makes this kind of sunscreen-tinted-moisturizer-concealer, and I use that in the mornings,” says London. “It just gives you the perfect texture on your skin.” With SPF 30, it’s got derm’s daily recommended amount of sun protection (just be sure to reapply regularly!), and considering many of our editors also swear by this stuff, we second the fact that it really does give your skin the perfect texture.

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State Of Menopause, 2-Piece Cooling Set — $16.00

London loves State of Menopause’s cooling products, and works them into her routine in a few different ways. She uses the cooling spray in the morning and evening, which fends off hot flashes and “absorbs into the skin quite quickly and makes it very easy,” she says. Then, if her skin needs a little extra boost of hydration, she’ll use the moisturizer at night as the second-to-last step in her regimen.

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State of Menopause, Rejuvenating Facial Oil — $22.00

To finish off her evening routine, London applies this facial oil. It contains squalane, argan oil, and grapeseed oil, which work together to lock in moisture and prevent skin dehydration while you sleep.

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Makeup

Winky Lux, Uni-Brow Universal Shade Eyebrow Pencil — $18.00

Bold brows can bring even the most minimalistic makeup look to the next level, and London swears by this pencil to get the job done. Its “bronde” (aka brunette and blonde) tone is meant to blend in seamlessly with every eyebrow shade, and its precision applicator makes it pretty much goof-proof.

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Westman Atelier, Baby Cheeks — $48.00

To combat the skin dryness that often comes along with shifting hormone levels, swap your favorite powdery blush for something with a creamier texture, which will hydrate your complexion without flaking. London’s a fan of this one, from Westman Atelier, which is buttery-soft and ultra-pigmented.

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about-face, Paint-It Matte Lip Color — $16.00

London’s red lipstick has become just as much an iconic part of her look as her signature gray streak, and her go-to products all come from Halsey’s beauty line, about-face. “I think her products are absolutely incredible,” she says. For a pop of matte color that won’t smudge, opt for the brand’s Paint-It Matte liquid lippie; for something slightly glossier and more hydrating, try the Cherry Pick Lip Butter ($15).

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With that in mind, it makes sense that we’re all looking for ways to feel better in every facet of our lives—and that includes our beauty routines.

Such was the inspiration behind Selfmade, a psychodermatology brand dedicated to helping people prioritize the care part of their self-care routines. In the latest episode of Well+Good’s new beauty podcast, Routine Rundown, I sat down with founder and CEO Stephanie Lee to talk about how we can all do exactly that.

Listen to the episode here: 

“Psychodermatology is a newer study that has happened in the last 10-20 years, and it’s really about that brain-skin connection,” says Lee in the episode. “It’s really about your mind, your mental health, and your emotional well-being, and how that shows up in your skin and body functions.” In other words, psychodermatology explains why you break out when you’re stressed or blush when you’re nervous, and gives us the language to describe the idea that beauty really is more than skin deep.

Lee launched Selfmade in 2020 (as she likes to say, “It’s a pandemic baby”), and the brand’s approach to holistic skin care couldn’t have come at a better time. “With the onset of COVID, and isolating, and all the things that have happened over the last three years, we’re over stressed, out of tools, and we’re finally as a population speaking about It and embracing it,” says Lee. “[And in creating the brand], I had the question of ‘How do we take those really important lessons and turn them into a lifestyle?’ They shouldn’t live in a [therapist’s] office or in a mental health app or in conversations with your girlfriends—these reminders should live on our vanities, in our showers, and on our nightstands, because that’s how often we should be thinking about our emotional wellbeing.” 

With Selfmade, Lee is giving us ways to add those oh-so-important “reminders” into every step of our routines. “The best way I could do that was to inject as much mental health as possible into the time we’re already taking care of ourselves—which means using the times we’re already taking care of ourselves by putting on makeup or skin care for mindfulness and self-reflection,” says Lee. “We want to be a touchpoint throughout your whole day’s ritual of how you care for yourself—caring shouldn’t exist just within a doctor’s office or your vanity … it should exist throughout your whole entire day in different areas of your life.”

Below, shop the products that will help inject mindfulness into every part of your day-to-day—but know that you don’t necessarily need products to get the job done. “Self touch serves as self care,” says Lee. “Our skin hungers to be touched, so giving yourself a hug, touching yourself, or giving yourself a scalp massage are all things you can do to meet your own needs, and that’s really powerful.”

Once you’ve filled your basket, be sure to listen to Lee’s Routine Rundown episode on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your Podcasts—trust me when I say this is a conversation that you (and your stressed-out skin) won’t want to miss.

In your skin-care routine

Selfmade, The Comfort Zone Duo — $58.00

$66 value

Selfmade’s duo of skin-care products, which includes the Secure Attachment Serum Comfort+ ($36) and Corrective Experience Comfort Cream ($30), does a whole lot more than simply hydrate and nourish your skin (though they happen to do those things exceedingly well thanks to their neurocosmetic ingredients, which lower stress when applied topically).

The serum is all about developing a secure attachment to yourself via your daily skin-care routine, while “The Comfort Cream is based on creating corrective emotional experiences, which is having a new perspective on an old story and choosing to do something different to heal yourself,” says Lee. Layer them on for a dewy glow you’ll notice both inside and out. 

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In your hair-care routine

Selfmade, True Grit Resilience Scrub — $34.00

Sure, scrubbing your scalp can dislodge buildup and stimulate hair growth, but it’s also just a really good way to take a moment connecting with yourself. This jelly-textured scrub is made with adaptogens and anti-inflammatory ingredients, and is pretty much guaranteed to make you look forward to your next DIY head massage.

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In your sexual wellness routine

Selfmade, Self Discolsure Intimacy Serum — $28.00

The “self touch is self care” mantra comes into play with this intimacy serum, which is made with aphrodesiac ingredients that help soothe the nervous system and reduce stress. Before the serum hit the market, Lee asked a group of gen-Zers to take it for a test drive over the course of a month, and afterward many reported that it helped them learn to touch themselves more lovingly. Use it with a partner or on your own, and enjoy. 

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It was this idea that inspired the creation of Pharell’s skin-care line, Humanrace, which he launched three years ago in partnership with his long-time dermatologist, Elena Jones, MD. “Overcomplication has definitely become an issue [in skin care]—I’ve never been a fan of using multiple multiple steps,” Dr. Jones told me on the latest episode of Well+Good’s new beauty Podcast, Routine Rundown. “We really just wanted to create a skin-care line that was focused on skin health and daily routines that simplifies your skin-care journey.”

Listen here:

The regimen they came up with consists of three products. That’s it. There are no superfluous serums or harsh, skin-stripping ingredients—just a gentle cleanser, exfoliant, and moisturizer that come together to give skin everything that it needs and nothing that it doesn’t. “I really think it’s important to have a simple routine that you can follow…we want people to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize from their faces down to their toes,” says Dr. Jones in the episode.

Humanrace’s debut back in November 2020 couldn’t have come at a better time. During the early days of the pandemic, many people began playing at-home esthetician with their complexions—and wound up overdoing it to the point of screwing up their skin barriers (too much exfoliation and not enough moisturization will do that to you, folks). It was a collective lesson in the fact that when it comes to skin care, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. As Dr. Jones puts it, “Everything in moderation.”

Humanrace’s products are designed to work for all skin types and tones (inclusivity is at the forefront of the brand’s mission), and the gentle ingredients they hero ensure you can use them twice a day without effing up your complexion. The powder-to-foam cleanser uses rice particles, fruit AHAs, and snow mushroom to brighten the skin; the triple-acting exfoliator employs lotus enzymes and AHAs to melt away dead skin cells; and the humidifying face cream is a hyaluronic acid-packed moisture surge for your skin. Top it off with an SPF (Humanrace also offers one of those), and you’re good to go.

Because the line is simple enough for anyone to work into their routines (this is the first line of products I’ve been able to get my beauty-resistant boyfriend to commit to using every day), it allows you to stop overthinking what you’re doing to your skin so you can sit back and enjoy the process instead. “We want the Humanrace routine [to be] something you notice the benefits of both inside and out—take those moments for yourself so that you can feel the benefits of nourishing your physical and mental spirit,” says Dr. Elena. “Take time for your face, for your body, and for yourself.”

Shop Humanrace’s three-minute facial routine below, then check out the episode (on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts) to learn more about why three steps are more than enough for an effective routine.

Humanrace, Three-Minute Facial — $110.00

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It may feel odd to hear the woman who created the clean beauty world’s first biodegradable glitter and electric blue mascara touting the benefits of going out barefaced, but to Siadat, beauty is about caring for and expressing yourself—whatever that means to you.

When the two of us sat down to record the latest episode of Well+Good’s beauty podcast, Routine Rundown (new episodes every Monday and Thursday!), I expected our conversation to focus on her products and the work she was doing to make makeup feel more inclusive for all. What happened instead, though, was that she gave me a masterclass in loving yourself that felt a whole lot more like a therapy session than a professional interview.

Listen to it here:

In elementary school, Siadat was bullied for the way she looked—particularly in regard to her unibrow (a physical trait that we share, and that I was also tortured about in elementary school)—which shaped her relationship to beauty for much of her adult life.

“I really hated who I was and how I looked, and I did everything to conform to  Eurocentric forms of beauty—waxing, lasering, tweezing, highlighting, crazy diets—and I ended up allowing that need for whiteness and Eurocentricity to really control certain aspects of me,” says Siadat. “Then, my youngest daughter came out as a spitting image of me, and she was so dope, so effervescent, and so connected to herself, and I realized I didn’t feel the same way about myself…so I decided to grow my unibrow back at 37 years old and face a face that I hadn’t seen for 24 years. And that was the beginning—it wasn’t the destination of me accepting myself, but it was a door that opened.”

One of the ways Siadat embraces her spirit is through her morning routine, which starts between 4 and 6 a.m. every day. “I wake up very early, because I need to feel like I’m ahead of the world—my life is crazy and I need a second before I start hearing, ‘Mom, I want pancakes,'” she says. “And I share that, because beauty starts with a connection to self.”

Aside from using this time to meditate, chug water, and drink coffee, Siadat uses her free a.m. hours to take herself on a nature walk—which she doubles as a way to connect to herself through beauty. “Before I go on my walk, I’ll spritz myself with rose water, and there are three or four types of facial oils that I’ll mix and match so that it almost feels like a restorative skin-care treatment as I go through nature,” she says, explaining that she turns to products that stimulate her senses just as much as they nourish her skin.

Shop Siadat’s pre-walk routine below (don’t forget to top it off with SPF!), and listen to the rest of our (so-inspiring-it-made-me-cry conversation) conversation on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Supernal Cosmic Glow Oil — $108.00

This naturally-derived oil is packed with a slew of good-for-skin ingredients like vitamin C, omega fatty acids, and blue tansy, and thanks to a blend of chamomile and amla, “smells like the most amazing fairy forest,” says Siadat.

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Aesop, Damascan Rose Facial Treatment — $85.00

This rose-and-neroli facial oil is like a tall drink of vitamin-infused water for dry skin. It’s got vitamins E and A to hydrate and brighten skin, and “if you really like the smell of natural rose, it’s amazing,” says Siadat.

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RANAVAT, Radiant Rani- Saffron Brightening Dark Spot Treatment — $135.00

“This brightening saffron serum reminds me of my Persian heritage—I love the way it smells,” says Siadat of this dark-spot fading formula. It heroes saffron, turmeric, and licorice root to make skin look even and radiant.

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Shiva Rose, Rose Face Oil — $120.00

There are so many skin-loving oils in this formula (jojoba, rosehip seed, argan, and sea buckthorn, to name a few), which are mixed in what the brand calls a “high vibrational environment” to create a formula your senses (and skin) will cherish. “It’s so organic—she uses the highest gradation of essential oils, so I love putting this on too,” says Siadat.

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“In training, they taught you about three different skin types: dry, normal, and oily. But I went out into the real world and I quickly realized the skin was more complicated,” says Rouleau. “So I created a concept where I believe there are nine types of skin, and I built a skin-care line based on the nine skin types. Your skin is unique, so should your skin-care routine be, too.”

When Rouleau came up with this concept nearly three decades ago, it was understandably revolutionary. But in the years since—particularly after the advent of social media and the influx of dermatological knowledge that’s come along with it, consumers have begun to smarten up to the fact that “one size fits all” (or even “three sizes fits all”) is a problematic way to approach your skin. “I think, ultimately people are looking for solutions to problems and that has never changed,” she says. “But there’s a lot more sophistication with our products and a lot more sophistication with our home routine. We have a lot more control over things.”

Having that control, though, comes with its own set of challenges: Namely, you have to know exactly what you’re doing before you start playing at-home esthetician with your skin. And this, says Rouleau, starts with understanding your skin type. In the episode, we break down how to do exactly that, but here’s the 101 version:

1. Oily / Clogged Pores / Severe Breakouts All-Over
2. Oily / Combination / Occasional Breakouts / Anti-Aging
3. Oily / Combination / Sensitive / Consistent Breakouts
4. Oily / Combination / Sensitive / Occasional Breakouts
5. Normal / Sensitive / Red / Anti-Aging
6. Normal / Anti-Aging
7. Dry / Tired / Aging
8. Dry / Sun Damaged / Aging
9. Dry / Sensitive / Red / Aging

Rouleau herself identifies as a “type 6,” which means she’s got “normal” skin (that doesn’t skew dry or oily, and isn’t prone to sensitivity and redness) with anti-aging concerns. “This is a skin type that has some hyperpigmentation, and  I do have some sun spots that are popping up. I still can get a little combination in the summer, but get dry in the winter, and still can get occasional breakouts every once in a while,” says Rouleau. “My main concerns are keeping good skin elasticity and a glow.”

Below, shop the three treatment products she swears by in her own routine (in addition to hanging her head upside down for two minutes every night before bed), then check out the episode to learn a whole lot more—including how to craft a routine for your own skin, how far skin care has come since the days of acetone toners, and why we all need to be treating our complexions with care.

Renée Rouleau, Energy Boosting Toner — $39.00

“I’m big into toners,” says Rouleau. “When you wash your face and wipe a toner over your skin, you’re getting rid of any debris that could be dehydrating it, and when you leave your toner damp on your skin and then put on your next product, it’s like giving your skin a drink of moisture.” In her own routine, Rouleau swears by this energy-boosting toner, which is packed with skin-stimulating ingredients like vitamin B12 and ginseng, plus a slew of rich antioxidants and hydrators.

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Renée Rouleau, Pore + Wrinkle Perfecting Serum — $50.00

“I’m a huge proponent of acids, and this one’s the best for skin type six because it has a combination of lactic, salicylic, and glycolic,” says Rouleau. This trifecta of chemical exfoliants works to resurface the skin, leaving it clear, bright, and even.

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Renée Rouleau, Advanced Resurfacing Serum — $87.00

“I’ve been using retinol for many, many years—it’s definitely my holy grail,” says Rouleau. Once a week, she’ll use a prescription-grade version of the ingredient, but any other time it’s this stuff gracing her type-6 skin. It’s made with encapsulated retinol, which is slowly released into the skin to offer maximum results with minimal irritation, plus peptides for even more anti-aging benefits. Finally, the formula contains skin-soothing extracts like mugwort, algae, and licorice to balance out all that active goodness.

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Not a skin-type 6? Not to worry—we’ve got the whole complexion spectrum (and so, so much more) covered in the full episode, which you can listen to on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Like what you hear? Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with what’s happening on Routine Rundown.