If you’re on SkinTok, chances are you know about Dr. Shereene Idriss. Dubbed the #PillowtalkDerm, this NYC-based board-certified dermatologist started generating buzz online when she took to Instagram stories to discuss the efficacy of jade rollers after a string of patients came to her office asking about them (spoiler alert: they don’t do much.)

Since then, Idriss has built a community of over 3 million “Skin Nerds”—including celebs like Jennifer Aniston, Mindy Kaling and Ashley Graham—who follow her every word on on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, thanks to her unfiltered delivery and no-nonsense take on skincare.

“The misinformation on social media is what drove [me] to get on Instagram stories back in 2018. I was fed up with all the bullshit and misleading fears in skincare,” she says. “And that’s always been my goal, for you to know how to help yourself, whether that’s with skincare, the tools you have at home, or in office and that’s what I think is so relatable in this community. An educated nerd becomes an empowered nerd.”

Now, her eponymous skincare line Dr. Idriss Skincare—which launched back in fall 2022—is finally available to shop in Canada. We got the opportunity to chat with Dr.Idriss and get the scoop on her current skincare routine, why she thinks “medical-grade skincare” is BS and the ingredients and techniques she’s loving right now.

First off, your skin is amazing! Drop your routine, please!

“Thank you so much! In the morning, the first thing I do before even rolling out of bed, is apply The Depuffer. I wake up super puffy and have the worst allergies so it’s like Spanx for my eyes in the morning. By the time I’m out of the shower, the difference is like night and day. I typically skip the AM cleanser and just wash my face with water. Then I go in with my Major Fade Hyper Serum and Active Seal because my biggest skin issue is hyperpigmentation. And lastly for sunscreen – I’m usually testing a few different ones and currently using the Ultra Violette Queen Screen SPF 50. At night I wash my face with my newest baby, the Soft Wash which gets all my makeup and sunscreen off in one go. Then I use the Major Fade Hyper Serum and Active Seal. A few nights a week I use my Major Fade Flash Mask to exfoliate. A hack I love is leaving it on overnight as a 1 step routine and I wake up with baby soft skin the next morning. Some nights I use a diaper rash cream for Face Basting over the Active Seal as the last step of my routine. This has been an absolute gem for the cold weather and dry air.”

Is there anything outside of skincare that you do to keep your skin looking as good as it does?

“When it comes to hyperpigmentation 80% of the work is done at home with skincare. My biggest skin issue is discolouration and I’ve personally struggled with melasma ever since I had my babies, but I haven’t done a laser treatment since 2021 and that’s because I’ve been consistently using my Major Fade Solution System on a daily basis to keep my pigmentation under control. Aside from laser treatments, I do Botox, filler, and PRP 1-2 times a year for maintenance. As well as Ulthera, a tightening treatment every 1-2 years.”

Dr. Idriss Skincare

With all the products that already exist, why did you decide to create your own line?

“I personally had a 12-step skincare routine trying to incorporate all of the ingredients I needed to target my pigmentation, which was insane. At the same time the biggest skin issue I saw in my practice from patients coming in was discolouration. I thought no one has time for this and there has to be a better way. That was the catalyst for creating my Major Fade line. The goal behind my brand is access to education as not everyone has access to a dermatologist and creating simplified targeted skincare solutions for your skin problems, while having fun with it, because it’s about time clinical skincare is fun

What’s the most overrated piece of skincare advice you’ve ever received/heard of? What about underrated?

“Overrated: ‘Medical-grade skincare is better than the rest’ – ‘Medical grade’ is purely a marketing term and does not make it a superior product or brand. It just means that a company wants to be sold at either a doctor’s office or a spa and have a prestige factor associated with it, but it is just as good as drugstore skincare or other brands sold at retailers. Don’t fall for the hype!

Underrated: Adapting your skincare routine to your environment! A lot of people think it’s all about your skin type, but you need to think of your skin type in the environment that you’re in because dry skin in New York City is not the same as dry skin in Utah.”

Dr. Idriss Skincare

From your perspective, what types of skincare products and ingredients are rising in popularity?

“The single ingredient stories are finally beginning to die down and multi-ingredient products are gaining in popularity as people are realizing they can get this biggest bang for their buck this way.”

What skin issues have you noticed your clients are interested in tackling the most? Have the concerns changed/evolved in the last year or so? If so, why do you think that is?

“Majority of patients come in focused on a tiny wrinkle or fine line and think their biggest skin issue is fine lines and wrinkles. When this happens, I usually hold a mirror across the room and ask them what they see. Nine out of ten times they agree it’s their colour that’s aging them and not the fine line. When it comes to colour it’s either two things, brown discolouration or red. Evening out your skin tone will give you the biggest bang for your buck in terms of looking more refreshed.”

What’s your favourite ingredient to talk about right now and why?

“Zinc Oxide, but not in the same way you’re thinking about it, which is probably sunscreen. I’m talking about butt paste for Face Basting. Zinc Oxide has amazing anti-inflammatory properties to help repair a dry inflamed skin barrier.”

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