Finding the right skincare routine for you is no easy task. Actress Zosia Mamet (open in new tab) knows this personally and professionally. Mamet says, "My skin is a very important part of what I do," explaining that it is inevitable that her skin will be a key factor in her self-confidence, "but it's not always easy to find the right products.

Finding the right product for her was an ongoing process of working with Melissa K. Levin, M.D., a dermatologist practicing in New York City. It required a lot of trial and error, and even more sunscreen application. She says, "What Dr. Levin and I often talk about is taking care of what you have, with realistic long-term goals." 'It's really simple, but if you take care of yourself inside and out in a conscious, proactive way, your body and skin will thank you.' It's about being consistent and finding what works for you." Here, Mamet and Dr. Levin, spokespersons for Izdin products, outline the key elements to remember when creating your own skin care routine.

Whether you spend a lot of time outdoors, as Mamet does, or simply bask in the sun from a nearby window, applying sunscreen is important. Between his busy shooting schedule (opens in new tab) and the time he spends outdoors for one of his longtime dreams, horseback riding, Mamet's skin is constantly exposed to the sun. She says, "Dr. Levin and I started using Elifotona sunscreen because we needed something we could wear under our makeup when shooting outdoor scenes." She says, "Dr. Levin and I started using Elifotona sunscreen because we needed a sunscreen that we could wear under our makeup when shooting outdoor scenes.

Mamet also uses a vitamin C skin treatment called Isdin Isdinceutics Flavo-C Ultraglican (opens in new tab). Says Dr. Levin, "Vitamin C is an effective antioxidant that helps lighten discoloration while neutralizing free radical damage." Vitamin C becomes less effective when exposed to ultraviolet light (opens in new tab). (7]

Before Mamet established her skin care routine, her general strategy was to throw everything but the kitchen sink at breakouts. She explains that after Dr. Levin helped her assemble a lineup that made sense to her, her acne treatment began to work more effectively.

According to Dr. Levin, using too many formulas at once often disrupts the skin barrier and leads to bigger problems. "I always say, 'Less is more,'" Dr. Levin says. Says Dr. Levin, "Stick to the basics when it comes to skin care, and if you do happen to get a big breakout, you don't have to do anything over the top to treat it." The logic is simple: knowing how each of the products you use most often affects your skin makes it easier to figure out how to treat the problem areas.

Mamet prefers to streamline her approach by concentrating on potent ingredients. For example, her nighttime skin care routine consists of three products: cleanser, Isdin K-Ox eye cream (opens in new tab), and Isdin Isdinceutics Melatonik (opens in new tab) serum.

Melatonik is the star of her evening routine. It contains plenty of vitamin C, bactiol, and melatonin, everything Mamet needs to offset her daytime sunburn. The melatonin in the formula acts like an antioxidant, which, according to Dr. Levin, can be applied topically to aid the skin's repair process. Bactiol, a naturally occurring retinol substitute, can support collagen production, fade pigmentation, and aid in skin cell turnover. 'It doesn't make skin flaky or sensitive, so it's especially good for people who are exposed to a lot of sun. "

Mamet applies the melatonic to his entire face, with the excess on his neck and the backs of his hands, which are always exposed when he rides.

A big part of building a skin care routine is understanding that patience is fundamental. Dr. Levin explains, "Your skin takes six weeks to go through one cycle, so as much as you want to see results in one or two weeks, you need to give your skin time for the prescription to work." 'Typically, I don't see patients for six to eight weeks after they've settled on a routine. That's because I want that period of time to be the same before I decide to change something, add a new product, or leave it the same."

"My skin is super sensitive," Mamet says. 'So if I put something on that my skin doesn't like, it just gives me the finger. It was a struggle to find something that wasn't too oily, too dry, and didn't cause breakouts, but once I found a plan and my skin got used to the routine, I stuck with it."

Remember: stress can manifest itself in physical form, so self-care is skin care. Mamet is no stranger to stress-induced breakouts, and after several attempts to fight breakouts with products, she found that a more holistic approach was most effective.

Her philosophy is simple: be proactive and give your body what it needs now to take care of itself later. Dr. Levin agrees with this philosophy, explaining that the skin responds to other aspects of health as well. He says, "People tend to think that skin care can do everything, but in Zosia's case, managing her stress levels and getting enough exercise were the main things.