“The most important thing you can do for your skin is help it produce collagen–this will help to prevent sagging, a loss in elasticity and wrinkles,” says Carrie Gross, cofounder of Dr Dennis Gross Skincare, the brand she created with her husband Dr Dennis Gross 24 years ago. A dermatologist’s office-inspired skincare brand, it’s famous for its cult product, the Universal Daily Peel, which has won over several celebrity fans such as Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Sydney Sweeney, Lily Aldridge and Chrissy Teigen–all of whom have used it at home.
The two-step formula promises the same glow-boosting results as Dr Gross’s in-practice acid peels, and his wife puts its “life changing” effects down to one thing in particular: it helps to stimulate collagen production. “I think it’s so popular because it gives an immediate glow but in the long term it boosts collagen formation, produces density in the skin, protects the skin barrier and balances the pH,” she explains. The couple share their skincare tips–including other ways to stimulate collagen–below.
Vitamin C is key
“It’s an active that you should use in the morning to protect your skin from free radicals in the environment and in pollution,” Gross explains, adding that free radicals break down collagen fibers. “As we age we produce less collagen, and the collagen we do produce becomes weaker. Vitamin C helps create stronger and better quality collagen–it also increases its volume, which is why you should think about starting to use it from the age of 20.” In Carrie’s view, vitamin C is as necessary to your skincare routine as SPF.
Don’t forget eye cream
“The area around the eye is normally the first to show signs of ageing,” she says. “There are many muscles around the eye and when we talk and use expression, they affect that skin. Cheeks, on the other hand, have no sebaceous glands and therefore only need to be moisturised to prevent wrinkles.” From your early twenties, she advises using a sunscreen in the morning, and a serum and an eye cream at night.
It’s in the genes
“Does your mother have a tendency to develop hyperpigmentation? If this is the case you will need to be especially careful in the sun and consider using vitamin C,” explains Gross. “During adolescence, washing your face in the morning and at night is enough, just add sunscreen.” According to Gross, it’s important to teach young people these basic habits so they learn to be consistent with their skincare, which they can add to little by little over time.
Less is more
When it comes to preserving our skin’s collagen and preventing aging, less is more, says Dr Gross. “It’s better to use gentle ingredients and actives on a daily and consistent basis than to use a strong active, such as retinol, on an ad hoc basis–you get better benefits that way,” explains Dr Gross, who goes on to say that retinol is not for everyone, as it can cause sensitivity and irritation. “One of the mistakes we make is wanting to achieve benefits with a single product–as if it were miracle product,” he says. A robust skincare routine that includes carefully considered active ingredients, and crucially, SPF, is key.