Dermatologist Carmen Castilla’s 2-step skincare routine is a lifesaver for sensitive skin

If there’s one thing we all need in our skincare lineup, it’s a good moisturizer. 

“The Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream 0.5  is one that I recommend universally,” says Castilla. “It's a thicker cream, so it's good for sensitive skin and people with eczema.”

“It's free of a lot of irritating ingredients, and it minimizes the ingredients that it uses, so it's less likely to cause a contact allergy. I use it a lot for post-procedure care, too, because it's so bland and neutral.”

Castilla doesn’t just use it as a moisturizer: When her skin needs a little extra support, she uses it as a healing mask. 

“For myself, when I overdo my retinoids and I'm starting to feel irritated, I use it kind of like a mask because it's a thick white cream. And typically by the next day, that irritation will go away.”

“It starts off white, and then eventually it works its way into the skin. You don't need to wash it off.”

But as with a lot of skincare products, you have to be a bit selective about when you’re using it.

“It’s probably not a moisturizer that you want to use in the morning because it's very thick, and if you use it, it can look white. I don’t think it works super great under makeup. It’s a better moisturizer for night.”

“The other thing that I really like is the oil-to-foam cleanser by Cetaphil,” Castilla says. “You know, I used to not like oil cleansers because I thought some of them made people potentially more acne-prone. I don't think that's the case anymore. I think that was just kind of a mistake on my part. Now, I know these oil cleansers cleanse the skin, but they don't strip the skin of its natural oils.” 

The cleanser is great for sensitive skin at any age.

Castilla also thinks it’s one of the best cleansers for women in their 40s to 50s. “[They’re] starting to go through perimenopause, where you want to try to support the skin barrier as it's getting drier from the decrease in estrogen and decreased lipid production and decreased ceramide production that naturally happens over those years,” she says. “Oil cleansers can be a better way to cleanse your skin and maintain the skin barrier. You really don’t want to over-cleanse your skin.” 

With influencers pushing the “double-cleansing” routine on social media, Castilla says that this one is enough all on its own.

“I think that historically we use cleansers that are way too stripping,” she says. “For most people, this cleanser is a one-and-done step. 

“You shouldn't necessarily feel like you need a moisturizer right after you cleanse your skin. It shouldn't feel tight, it shouldn't feel itchy. You know, that clean feeling that people sometimes are looking for is actually a cleanser that's too stripping for their skin.”