One thing you should know about my mom is that beauty is practically in her blood. My grandma has been a stay-at-home hairstylist since before my mom was born (really, she has a salon built into the house and full roster of clients), which meant that my mom got actual salon treatment every morning before school. Hair was always her knack, but now, my 53-year-old mother has turned her beauty expertise toward something a bit more timely—skincare—and facialists mistake her for younger time and again because of it.
She’s always been an advocate for sunscreen (my younger siblings and I were always slathered in pasty SPF before mineral sunscreens got with the program), but my mom credits more than just sun protection for her youthful appearance. Though her skincare routine is highly effective, it’s by no means lengthy. Think of it as a skincare capsule collection, tailored and fit to her busy schedule. Her daily routine takes a mere 10 minutes, from face wash to sunscreen, and she only relies on three budget-friendly products to achieve time-machine skin.
But my mom is what you’d call a villager, so she shares the wealth with her friends, putting them on to trusted, game-changing products that have also earned spots in their daily routines. Below, see a breakdown of her ride-or-die skincare capsule collection that gets all the moms talking.
Mom’s Skincare Capsule Collection
Best Serum: Drmtlgy Needle-less Growth Factor Serum
Drmtlgy
Needle-less Growth Factor Serum
Size: 1 oz. | Key ingredients: Growth factor peptides, ceramides, sodium hyaluronate | Skin type: Normal, oily, dry, combination | Frequency: Once daily
My mom is a bona fide Drmtlgy stan because of the brand’s medical-grade skincare with real, noticeable results for a reasonable price. Her latest obsession comes in the form of this black bottle, though, as the growth factor–boosted version of the brand’s original Needle-less Serum has been a total game changer for her skin.
“It makes my skin immediately look firmer and plumper,” she tells me over the phone. “I noticed a difference within three weeks of introducing it to my routine.” After washing her face every night, my mom follows up with this absorbent serum, resulting in instantly tighter skin with heaps of hydration to boot. This happens due to a proprietary mixture of peptides that mimic human proteins, which encourage cell repair and regeneration. My mom loves the glowy, bright skin she achieves with this lightweight, fast-absorbing serum so much that she’s put her friend group on to it, and they, too, have been reveling in the glory of this elixir.
(Image credit: Lori Brascia)
Best Sunscreen: EltaMD UV Daily Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 40
EltaMD
UV Daily Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 40
Size: 1.7 oz. | Key ingredients: Zinc oxide, octinoxate, hyaluronic acid, iron oxide | Skin type: Normal, dry, combination, sensitive | Frequency: As much as needed
My mom has been using the same facial SPF for as long as I can remember, and it’s EltaMD’s classic tinted sunscreen. Beloved by editors and beauty experts alike, this tinted formula is equal parts smoothing, hydrating, protective, and priming. The mineral formula is infused with hyaluronic acid, zinc oxide, octinoxate, and iron oxide to physically block the sun’s harmful rays, and a healthy dose of color keeps the skin looking even and glowy. Oh, and did I mention that it’s so gentle that it’s safe for post-procedure skin?
This has been a staple in my mom’s collection for years for several reasons, but that’s mostly because she likes how compatible it is with her other picks. She prefers to use the tinted version as a base for her makeup (there’s also a non-tinted iteration of the SPF that she loves on no-makeup days), and she appreciates that it’s residue-free and never makes her concealer and foundation slip, slide, or pill. No matter where she’s going, this SPF is part of her morning skincare ritual.
(Image credit: Lori Brascia)
Best Cream: Drmtlgy Peptide Night Cream
Drmtlgy
Peptide Night Cream
Size: 2.1 oz. | Key ingredients: Vitamin E, peptides, ceramides | Skin type: Normal, dry | Frequency: Once daily
After washing her face and allowing the Drmtlgy serum to absorb for a minute or so, my mom locks everything in with Drmtlgy’s Peptide Night Cream. “I do this every single night,” she says, noting the rich cream’s deeply hydrating properties and nongreasy feel. “My skin always feels so soft when I wake up,” she adds. This night cream, boosted with a cocktail of five peptides and three ceramides, works hard to plump and smooth the skin overnight, resulting in a more refreshed and even appearance by morning.
If diminishing fine lines and restoring glow isn’t quite on your list of concerns yet (ahem, me, at 25, swiping dollops of this cream when I stay at my parents’ house), then you can rest easy knowing your skin will be practically drinking a huge glass of water overnight. It’s deeply nourishing, absorbent, and fast-acting. Your skin will thank you later.
(Image credit: Lori Brascia)
My mom impresses the fact upon me that these three products have become her go-tos because of their nongreasy textures, fast-absorbing formulas, and skin-smoothing and actionable results. “They just really work,” she states. While these are some of her hero products, there’s a handful of others she’s given the mom stamp of approval to in the past and will throw into her routine every once in a while when necessary. Ahead, shop 10 more products that create real results for people over the age of 50 and anyone else who wants to improve their skin.
More Mom-Approved Healthy-Skin Products
Drmtlgy
Brightening Eye Masks
These under-eye patches from Drmtlgy are one of my mom’s favorites. She’ll even share them with my dad sometimes, but don’t tell him I told you that.
EltaMD
Skin Recovery Light Moisturizer
If you want a daytime moisturizer sans SPF, my mom recommends this one from EltaMD. But don’t forget to apply sunscreen afterward—my mom would chide.
Drmtlgy
Microdermabrasion Scrub
Every once in a while, my mom will pull out this gentle physical exfoliant for “a good slough.”
Dermaflash
Luxe+ Advanced Sonic Dermaplaning + Peach Fuzz Removal
Another nonnegotiable in my mom’s skincare routine is routine facials. “I get a hydrating facial with dermaplaning every six to eight weeks,” she explains. If she needs a touch-up at home, she uses this electric dermaplaning tool that her aesthetician recommended.
She’s also a fan of Drmtlgy’s vitamin C serum, which is fortified with vitamin E and ferulic acid for smoother skin and even skin tone. Just be sure to follow up with SPF.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare
Alpha Beta Glow Pad Self-Tanner for Face
My mom isn’t a fan of self-tanning, but she keeps a few of these Dr. Dennis Gross tanning pads on hand if her complexion looks a bit too ghostly. The formula is engineered with AHAs and BHAs for a smoother glide, plus hydrating phospholipids and vitamin E for extra nourishment.
Drmtlgy
Needle-less Serum
Now presenting the original version of the Needle-less Serum that my mom loved before falling even harder for the new growth factor–enhanced version. This serum is designed to smooth fine lines and deeply hydrate the skin, but my mom vouches for the results of the new iteration more.
Dr. Diamond’s Metacine
Instafacial Plasma Bioactive Growth Factor Serum
At $200, this Dr. Diamond serum is a nice-to-have product, but my mom really does swear by it. Also a growth factor serum, this pricey elixir is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of deep wrinkles, improve elasticity, and make your skin look and feel noticeably smoother. I cannot get enough of it.
Drmtlgy
Barrier Repair Mask
If you experience dry, irritated, and congested skin due to seasonal dryness, eczema, or anything of the sort, you’ll want to have Drmtlgy’s Barrier Repair Mask on your radar. My mom sent me back to New York City with it after my barrier became inflamed during a stay at home, and this rich cream cleared it right up.
EltaMD
AM & PM Therapy Duo
It’s not easy to find a set of great day and night moisturizers for a reasonable price, but this EltaMD bundle is one my mom wants to buy for her collection.