Dr Fayne Frey believes the skincare industry has gone mad.
She’s fed up with brands that charge you an arm and a leg just because they can. Or worse, sell you products they know are bad for your skin (harsh scrubs, anyone?).
Dr Frey believes that everything you need to have the best skin of your life is available at your local drugstore. But how to navigate through the aisles and go home with a winner?
She’s got you covered. Her website, FryFace sets the record straight on common beauty myths and what your skin really needs. Plus, she’s created a handy database to help you pick the best cleansers, moisturisers, and sunscreens at the drugstore (seriously, your skin doesn’t need much else).
But what does Dr Frey uses on her skin? In this interview, she shares her own (minimalistic) skincare routine, habits, and more:
1. When did you become interested in skincare?
I became interested in the science of skincare while I was studying chemistry in college during my premedical training. That interested blossomed during medical school and afterwards during my dermatology training. As a practicing dermatologist and an expert in skincare product ingredients and formulation (thanks to my chemistry background) I became an educator and consumer advocate.
It became clear to me, that the average consumer was confused by an overwhelming number of product choices, exacerbated by misleading information and marketing hype. I founded FryFace.com. An educational skincare website and Product Selector that separates what is truly necessary for healthy skin based on the medical literature, products offered by reputable skincare companies, from a segment of the beauty industry and self-proclaimed skincare ’experts” who tout products that not only aren’t necessary but in many instances can be harmful and cause adverse reactions.
2. What’s your skincare routine like?
First and foremost, a healthy lifestyle. I exercise 6 days a week. I eat a healthy diet, except for an occasional handful of peanut M & M’s, and I get 8 hours of sleep most nights. I laugh a lot!
Regarding the actual skin routine for the skin itself, I keep it simple. I wash my face with water only during my morning shower. I apply sunscreen to my face, neck and hands every single day, and to all exposed skin pending on the time of the year (I don’t apply sunscreen to skin covered by clothes.) I often reapply my sunscreen during the afternoon.
I wear fewer than 5 makeup items most days that takes me no more than 3 minutes to apply. (I’m a minimalist!) I wash my face with water again during my evening shower and apply a moisturizer to the surface of most of my body most days of the year. (True confession: I often get lazy with the moisturizer during the hot humid summer days.)
3. If you could only use three skincare products for the rest of your life, what would they be?
- Sunscreen.
- 100% petroleum jelly, the most versatile skincare product on the market.
- A moisturizer.
- I have to add a fourth, a soap free cleanser.
Click here for an article I wrote some time ago to explain why each is my favorite.
4. What are your fave skincare brands and why?
My favorite skincare brands are nationally and internationally recognized brands that have the resources to produce effective, safe and affordable skincare products. They are also the most available skincare products found at local pharmacies and drugstores around the world. For this reason, these types of skincare products are included in the FryFace Product Selector database.
5. What are your top 3 skincare tips to take care of your skin?
- A healthy lifestyle (sleep, exercise, a healthy diet, laughter).
- Sunscreen.
- Moisturize.
6. What skincare treatmentsdo you regularly have done?
None.
7. What lifestyle habits do you have that keep your skin in top shape?
I run 35 miles a week, I swim 2 miles a week, I spin 2 hours a week. I sleep 8 hours a day. I keep my BMI in the normal range with a healthy diet. I laugh often. I wear sunscreen daily and liberally. I moisturize regularly especially during dry winter months.
8. What’s in your makeup bag?
Sunscreen, a blush, eye shadow, mascara, a lipstick, petroleum jelly, a lip balm, and tissues.
Thank you, Dr Frey.
Don’t forget to check out FryFace to learn more about Dr Frey and the skincare products she recommends (based on science, not hype). You can also keep up with her on Instagram.
