Skincare doesn’t need to be complicated to work. In this video, I’m breaking down a simple, science-backed 4-step routine that covers 95% of what your skin actually needs without clutter, hype, or 10-step confusion.
✅ Step 1: Cleanser (remove oil, sunscreen, makeup, pollution)
✅ Step 2: Serum (pick actives based on your goal)
✅ Step 3: Moisturizer (barrier support = better results, less irritation)
✅ Step 4: Sunscreen (daily, SPF50, and broad-spectrum)
If you master these four consistently, everything else is optional.
ABOUT DR. DANNY GUO
Dr. Danny Guo is a double board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He sees patients at Rejuvenation Calgary North.
Clinic website:
Treatments at the clinic:
Evidence-based skincare (article):
🔗 WATCH NEXT / RELATED (tagged videos)
How much product you actually need to use:
How to pick a sunscreen:
My favorite vitamin C:
My favorite retinoids:
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📌 DISCLAIMER
This video is for education only and isn’t personal medical advice. If you have a new rash, a changing mole, severe acne, or a persistent lump, see a qualified clinician.
👇 QUESTION FOR YOU
What step are you most inconsistent with? Cleanser, serums, moisturizer, or sunscreen?
#skincare #dermatology #sciencebasedskincare #sunscreen #retinoids
https://youtube.com/shorts/jzPBqgvIXpQ?si=6hf2d78JOH3LuFgA man my previous comment got buried the mositurizer how to pick
Love this. It’s more or less the framework I use for consulting. There are so many great skincare brands & products that are budget friendly & can outperform high end. Finding dupes & building budget friendly routines is where I really specialize because I love going through ingredients & comparing formulations. I have over 100 unique face products.. as a consulting esty in the US, I like to try everything so I can recommend from personal experience. Treatments/serums are like a puzzle unique to each person, & I love helping others navigate the puzzle based on personal goals.
I damaged my barrier a few years ago from double cleansing too often. All direct acids stung (even ascorbic acid, which I’m highly tolerant to). I went into hibernation for 4 months & didn’t use any strong actives. THDA (Cremo brightening serum) was the only active I used during that time, which is extremely hydrating & soothing. Stripped barriers need lipids, most common in emulsion formulations. I don’t tolerate “gentle” cream cleansers or most cream moisturizers well. Burt’s Bees had me burning for a week. I can only use gel/gel-cream moisturizers, with an exception for barrier creams/balms. While they can be a bit heavy, they usually contain ceramides & panthenol, along with other essential barrier lipids & soothing, anti-inflammation agents. La Roche Posay Cicaplast b⁵ balm is pretty heavy, but that was my first barrier balm & it fkxed everything. I always order one as soon as the temp starts dropping. Recently got Anua ceramide panthenol moisture barrier cream, which is like Cicaplast, but more lightweight. Meditherapy makes a lightweight squalane barrier cream, & Illyoon makes a really nice watery cream with ceramide capsules that break open on contact with skin. Byoma is a great brand for barrier maintenance, as all of their products contain their patented tri-ceramide complex. At night, I’ll add 2-3 drops of Byoma Hydrating Recovery Oil to my Anua barrier cream for extra repair. It fixes everything, & allows me to increase active frequency.
A few essential budget favorites-
• Minimalist PHA + multi-biotic toner ($10)
• MaryenB VNC15 ($10) – 15% active vitamin C (L. Ascorbic Acid); soothing formula that’s great for sensitive skin.
• Vanicream vitamin C serum ($17) – inactive vitamin C serum that uses tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THDA)- a stable, oil soluble vitamin C derivative that works on deeper layers. Formulated with ceramides for deep lipid support. I used to use Cremo Brightening serum ($9). It was a THDA *gel,* an almost impossible way to formulate THDA, but was discontinued. 😢
• The Ordinary 0.2% retinal emulsion ($15)- strongest otc retinoid. Retinoids are converted to retinoic acid. Retinol takes 2 conversions, retinal/retinaldehyde takes 1 (retinyl palmitate takes 3). If your tolerance to retinoids is low, start with retinol, retinyl palmitate, or bakuchiol (gentle alternative). Korean formulations tend to be inexpensive, soothing, & safe + gentle introductions. If you want to build up to retinal, medicube makes a retinal booster that’s at a really low concentration. The 0.2% is the strongest, so it can take a while to get there. Naturium has a 0.15% retinal serum in a great formula for $20, one step below the 0.2%.
*if you want to aggressively target acne, dark spots, tone, texture, redness, etc, retinoids pair very well with azelaic acid.
• The Derma Co 1% hyaluronic sunscreen aqua gel ($15 for 150g if spf 50)- I’ve been using isntree for as long as i can remember. However, I’d spend $15 for spf 30 because the spf 50 was like $20., & they’re only 1.7oz. When you regularly skin cycle, use the recommended amount of sunscreen, & reapply as needed, a 1.7oz is just gonna disappear. Went through about 5 bottles over the summer, just for my face/neck (everything else gets equate; got a 32oz bottle for $12). I had to switch to something I wasnt going to burn through in 2 weeks. The Derma Co stood out due to their reformulated sunscreens. I don’t know if it’s all versions, but the 1% hyaluronic sunscreen has 6 different UV filters, doesn’t sit on top of skin/no white cast/dries down to almost nothing, & has a 4 hour reapplication time. Of course you wanna reapply more frequently if you’re sweating/wiping, but on a normal day without any major physical disruptions, it really does last 4hrs. The small bottles are still the original formula with 2hr wear. The 80g & 150g are the reformulations.
Gentle cleansers.
I make my own hyaluronic acid serum. I ordered it in powder form and add distilled water let it sit overnight then transfer it to a bottle and voila it is ready to use.
Thank you so much for sharing such valuable information, Doctor! 🙏 Would you also be able to tell us about Reedle Shot a popular Korean skincare product?