Rough or flaky patches on the neck, itchy legs, elbows that could double as sandpaper—however uncomfortable skin might feel, the best body lotion for dry skin can come to the rescue. And it couldn’t be better timing, seeing as the colder months are prime time for skin dryness from head to toe. If you’re looking for something to blame, says New York City dermatologist David Kim, M.D., “our skin barrier is compromised in the wintertime.”

That compromised skin barrier can inadvertently trap you into a cycle of dryness, allowing what moisture does come in to slip out at faster rate (via a process called trans-epidermal water loss) and, as a result, remaining compromised. That’s the bad news. The good news? A dedicated formula can put your skin back on track. “Body lotions are essential to help replenish moisture, keep the skin feeling soft and smooth, and support the skin barrier, working to keep moisture in and external irritants out,” says Marisa Garshick, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City.

However, not all are created equal. The best body lotion for dry skin will deliver a strategic combo of ingredients to best moisturize skin—and, even better, keep it that way. “When it comes to body lotions, it’s important to look for products containing different types of moisturizers,” says Dr. Garshick. “These include humectants, such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid, which work to draw moisture in; emollients to help soften and smooth the skin, such as squalane, jojoba oil, and colloidal oatmeal; and occlusives, such as petrolatum and shea butter.”

Since the integrity of skin barrier is at the heart of dryness—basically, if the skin barrier isn’t happy, then no one is happy—ingredients designed for barrier repair, such as ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol, can also go a long way. In doing so, they can even help address skin barrier-related skin conditions, such as eczema.

Skin-care ingredients typically found in your average face moisturizer have also been popping up in body lotions; for instance, Dr. Garshick recommends formulas with retinol to address signs of aging, or niacinamide for dealing with discoloration. And, as in formulas designed for your face, some ingredients can make an appearance to address particular skin concerns. “Exfoliating acids, like glycolic or lactic acid, may help to eliminate dead skin to leave the skin feeling soft and smooth,” says Dr. Garshick. “Salicylic acid is also an exfoliating acid as well as a keratolytic, so it can be helpful for areas of thick, dead skin build-up, such as elbows and knees.” (Psst: That’s what makes salicylic acid a winner for those with keratosis pilaris.)

“Many people wait until the skin starts to feel dry to apply lotion, but it’s actually best to apply it before the dryness begins,” says Dr. Garshick. Also, aim to moisturize with a body lotion as soon as you towel off. “Apply it right out of the shower when your skin is still slightly wet to lock in all the moisture,” Dr. Kim says. Pro tip: Slather it everywhere—the backs of your legs and your upper arms don’t get a free pass from winter’s impact, so it’s worth making sure that, as with sunscreen, you don’t miss a spot.

Most importantly, just stick with it. “It’s all about finding the product you like and actually using it consistently,” says Dr. Kim. With that, consider these 19 formulas that will keep your skin soft and healthy straight through summer.

Rebecca Minkoff knows what works. After all, the designer’s eponymous clothing and accessories brand has remained relevant for 13 years, from the iconic Morning After Bag that put her on the map to merging fashion with technology in the past few years—a testament to the innate sense that she just “gets it.” 

That knowledge extends to her skin-care routine, for which she’s curated products, mostly from clean brands and female founders that she connects with. “When I’m shopping for skin, it’s really about lots of moisture,” she tells Glamour. “I want a dewy, bouncy look to my skin—which, sure, every woman wants, but I’m 40, so anything that’s super wrinkle-preventative is what’s on my list. It’s pretty simple.” 

But it hasn’t always been that way. Minkoff battled adult acne on and off from the ages of 20 to 28, and again when she turned 35. “As soon as I fixed my gut health, it really drastically changed my skin,” she says. “Healing the inside for me really took care of the outside.” She swears by two supplements, one that was recommended by her doctor and another that was recommended to clear up a  “red patch” on her daughter’s back as a baby. “I was like, ‘Well, what would happen if I took it?’  Within 24 hours, the redness on her back went away. And so once I took it, I was like, ‘Oh, damn, I’m never giving this up.’  And then from there, my skin-care routine became almost like a wash, then my moisturizer and that’s it.”

Below, Minkoff spills on the non-ingestible skin care she can’t live without. Read on for the latest installment of Drop the Routine. 

My supplements

I swear by a mineral supplement drink called Restore. Basically, with all the pesticides we eat, it destroys the insides of our intestinal lining and then toxins seep through. Obviously your skin is your largest organ, so this helps heal your gut lining. And then the one I discovered through my daughter is a probiotic called Ortho Biotic. I’m not sponsored by them or anything, but within 24 hours of me taking Ortho Biotic, the permanent redness I had always had was gone. As long as I’m consistent about that product, my skin is even-toned for the most part. I’m not wearing foundation right now.

My cleanser

At night I’ll use the In Your Face enzyme wash. It’s organic, vegan, pretty natural.

My mist 

I don’t usually use a toner. I feel like it’s too drying for me, but sometimes I’ll do a little bit of Rosewater from Mario Badescu. 

My serums

At night I tend to pile on as much moisture as I can. I’ll do Tata Harper’s serum followed by her Elixir Vitae, which I’m obsessed with. People are like, “You’re glowing,” and I’m like, “No, I’m not glowing; it’s Tata.” Whatever magic she has in those plants, whatever spells she’s casting in Vermont, it’s working for me. 

My oils 

The other brand I alternate with is Linnè, which has a Repairing Oil or a Balancing Oil. I love her products. She’s a smaller, lesser-known brand, but her stuff is incredible. At night, if I know I’m going right to bed and I’m not going out, I’ll use Vintner’s Daughter oil. I love that it feels luxurious. It smells amazing. I feel like it’s really moisturizing, and especially in the wintertime, I tend to use more oils than creams. I like having that barrier on my face. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but a derm told me that if you use moisturizer and it has water in it and you’re going outside and the cold is hitting your face, it actually freezes it, so oils are better.  If I want to do a moisturizer, Joanna Vargas has a great hydrating skin cream; the smell is unbelievable.

My eye creams

For my eye cream I’ll use Tata, or if it’s the morning I’ll use the Wander Beauty eye patches because I noticed in the last couple months when I wake up in the morning, I’m just puffy— doesn’t matter what I do. I think that’s probably due to age.

My exfoliator 

If I feel like my skin’s in need of a general resurfacing, the Dr. Dennis Gross pads are unbelievable. Those are more when I need it—like if I know I have a photo shoot, I’ll do it the night before, or in the wintertime I’ll do it more because I’m not in the sun.

My masks 

Honest has a great face mask; it’s that berry smoothing one. I don’t do a ton of face masks, but if I do, I think I prefer scrubs, and Linné makes a good face scrub. 

My acne treatments 

I got this prescribed to me by a dermatologist a long time ago: topical clindamycin. I’ll put it on whatever is brewing, whatever has been picked, and that’s my spot treatment. If I feel things are getting really bad, then I just go old-school and I have Clean & Clear face wash. That did it for me back when I had adult acne, and so I don’t really know anything else. But that’s happening less and less these days. That is not usually a problem, but if I feel it’s coming on, then I’ll do that.

My sunscreen

For sunscreen, I tend to gravitate towards mineral sunscreen, so Coola makes a great one. 

My lip balm 

I don’t really use lip balm, but this brand Laneige, the Lip Sleeping Mask, I actually just use this as a balm. Or I’ll just go old-school and do ChapStick. I haven’t found anything to combat ChapStick. I know it has chemicals and I’m anti chemicals, but sometimes I just throw one in my purse and it saves the day. 

My treatments 

I do regular Botox. I’m due for treatment. I’ve gotten out of the habit a little bit during COVID because so much was closed, but I used to try to do a facial maybe every six weeks. And for that, I’d go to Joanna Vargas.

My tools 

I want to be that person who uses the gua sha. I have a face roller. I look at it every morning and I’m like, “I don’t have time for you.” When I see people on Instagram using it, that’s where my routine falls apart. I love it when women do that and they have the time for it, but I haven’t figured that out in my routine yet. 

So you’re here to learn how to hide a cold sore. And just in time: You can usually sense a cold sore before you see it. Tingling, burning, or itching sensations precede the little buggers, which are actually small, painful blisters caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Unlike other forms of HSV, cold sores cluster around the mouth, meaning their arrival could be obvious to anyone who sees you. Because of that, when you feel an outbreak coming on, you might be inclined to cancel your events for the next few days. We get it: It’s hard to feel cute when you’re anxious about your skin.

They’re not a total plan killer, though! For one, you’re not alone in this. According to Johns Hopkins, 50% to 80% of adults have oral herpes. So you don’t have to go into self-imposed isolation here. For many people, cold sores are just a fact of life. And if you are still unsure about your cold sores, you can cover them up. Obscuring them is just one more thing on your list of pre-event beauty prep.

But before we tell you how to cover up a cold sore, here’s what you need to know.

“Cold sores are also known as herpes labialis,” says Adebola Dele-Michael, M.D., FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Radiant Skin Dermatology & Laser in New York City. “They’re caused by the herpes simplex virus and can be very contagious, especially during an outbreak.” 

Given that they’re so contagious, experts including the doctors at Mayo Clinic say you should avoid sharing lip balm, utensils, or anything else that comes into contact with your face. And yes, also kissing. Dr. Dele-Michael also advises using topical prescription medication at the first sign of an impending outbreak. Prescription medications will help relieve the symptoms and should be applied as soon as you feel burning or itching, if possible. “In some cases, one might even be prescribed a daily suppressive dose to prevent a cold sore outbreak altogether,” she adds.

There is an over-the-counter solution too. Docosanol, often sold as Abreva, is a cold sore cream you can apply and pick up right now at your local pharmacy.

Your first cold sore outbreak is likely to be your worst one, per Johns Hopkins, and you may never have another one after that, but prepare for pain, swelling, and redness around the area. Also know that you might get a fever or sore throat. The blisters will probably pop at some point, so you can expect a little oozing, then scabbing. All told, this could last about five to six days.

Whether you’re in the early stages or the oozing or scabbing portion of your journey will determine how to cover a cold sore with makeup.

How to hide a cold sore

Yes, you can use makeup to cover a cold sore, confirms Dr. Dele-Michael. Note, though, that before you cover the cluster of blisters (or, in later stages, the scabs), you’ll want to treat the area to the best of your ability, whether that means using a prescription topical cream or a cold, wet compress to decrease swelling.

I’ll do my hands with it too. I recently saw Harriet Westmorland, the manicurist, was doing some hand massages with Summer Fridays R+R mask. The oils of the mask left the hands looking so glowy and the cuticles looking so good. It’s a really indulgent manicure process. Any of those face masks that you have, if you have any excess, use it on your hands. Scrub your hands with them too. I love that little tip from her.

After I got a PRP facial from Dr. Diamond, they gave me these sheet collagen masks, because your skin gets a little bit dry afterward. It’s the PuriGenex Ionized Collagen Mask. They’re sheet masks you keep in the fridge and they feel so nice on the skin. I’m not really usually a sheet-mask person, but this one was really, really nice, especially after that treatment. I would use this very occasionally, like if you had a treatment or your skin is extra, extra dry. I just went to Iceland with my dad on a trip, and they have clay masks there from the natural hot springs. It was really unique. I hadn’t used a clay mask in so long. That was just a fun experiential beauty treatment to do together.

My spot treatment 

I like the COSRX acne dots. Those are great. I literally had been wearing one for the last few days. I just put it on in the morning, take it off, and put another one on at night. Where my mask rubs against my skin is usually where I’ve been getting breakouts, so wearing the pimple patch throughout the day acts like a barrier between my skin and the mask. Then the blemishes don’t get more irritated by a fabric rubbing on them.

My retinol

I’ve been using Shani Darden’s Retinol Reform forever. It’s amazing. 

My face oil 

We have a brand-new face oil called Heavenly Sixteen, because it feels like heaven on your skin. “Sixteen” comes from 16 noncomedogenic vegan oils that we used in our formula. I think a lot of people get nervous to try face oils; they’re nervous it might potentially clog your pores or irritate the skin. Using all noncomedogenic oils was important for us, so you could be a little more comfortable if you are using a face oil, especially for the first time. Like all of our products, everything is vegan.

It’s obviously really moisturizing, which I love because I have dry skin. It’s also going to help plump any fine lines, and it’s good for barrier support as well. In the a.m. I use it as a last step in my skin-care routine before applying SPF. At night it’s the last step in my skin-care routine. Think of it like a topcoat for your nails, sealing everything in. 

My face mist 

I love the Item Beauty face mist. I love the spray pattern that comes out of the packaging.

My SPF

I wear both chemical and mineral sunscreens. I like chemical on the days that I’m wearing makeup, because I feel like then I don’t have any flashback. It also doubles as a primer, depending on the consistency of the SPF that I use. For chemical, I really like Supergoop!’s Unseen Sunscreen. It’s a beautiful one. 

For mineral there are so many different brands that I like. Lately I’ve been using the new Dr. Dennis Gross one. I’ll reapply it during the day too. I’ll use a little powder puff, or Coola’s Water Mist.

Lip balm 

I love Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm. I’m definitely biased, but it is the best lip balm ever. I love it so much. I feel like a lip balm connoisseur; I’ve tried so many things. For us, the struggle of formulating this was to make it vegan. With so many lip balms, they either have beeswax or lanolin in them to give you that moisture, hydration, and slip. To make it the texture that we wanted but still be vegan was pretty difficult. But we’re so happy, and people love it because it’s so nourishing on the lips but gives you a little bit of shine.

My tools 

I use the Celluma light panel, and I love it. You can use it on an acne setting or a wrinkle setting. It also has a pain setting. I use it not only on my face, neck, and chest, but if you have pain in your shoulder or knee, you can wrap it in different areas on your body. It’s definitely expensive, but when I use it consistently, I notice a huge difference. The first time I got a facial and used a LED light, I was like, “Is this doing anything?” And then the next day I was like, “Oh my gosh, my skin looks amazing.” I found that a lot of the other smaller at-home light devices weren’t giving me the oomph that I needed, but this one does. It also forces you to get off your phone and just relax and enjoy the process. 

My treatments 

I like lymphatic drainage massages. There’s a girl in L.A.—her name is Rebecca—she’s amazing. There’s days that you feel a little bit puffy, or maybe it’s that time of the month and you’re retaining a lot of water, or you just traveled, or you’re stressed and you’re just holding on to more in your body. It’s not a miracle; it’s not a weight-loss thing. It’s just for water and getting everything moving in the right direction. It feels really good afterward, so I’ll do that maybe once a month. 

In addition to Shani, I love Melanie Grant for facials. It’s such a relaxing experience too. They do so much massaging, and they love oils and body treatments. Another treatment that I got recently was with Dr. Diamond in L.A. I did a PRP facial. I’d never got one before, and it was amazing. The microneedling didn’t really hurt, and I thought it was such an interesting process. I noticed that within a few weeks after doing it, my skin felt and looked so youthful. 

Bella Cacciatore is the beauty writer at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram.

Looking at Brittany O’Grady, star of Little Voice and HBO’s upcoming The White Lotus, you would never guess that her skin is a source of anxiety. The 25-year-old radiates star power out of every pore, and—at least from the looks of her Instagram—there’s not a blemish in sight. But, as she tells it, it hasn’t always been this way.  

“Acne has been a journey for years,” she tells me over the phone, noting that she’s finally started to figure out her skin. “I think it has a lot to do with maintenance and using the right products for my skin. Also, being really good with diet, because I feel like acne comes from the inside out.” In addition to a stable routine, she’s found that shifting her perspective has been hugely helpful. “I’m trying to reframe my mindset, and just having a positive mindset has been really important,” she says. ”And not fixating on having acne—I think that’s actually helped me a lot.”

 “I really care about my health,” she continues. “That and skincare kind of go hand-in-hand. I’ve always loved being healthy and caring about what’s good for my body, but it was actually struggling with acne in my late teens and getting into my early 20s that started me on this journey.” 

One thing that’s been helping lately has been taking a more holistic approach to her skincare, eschewing the usual more-is-more strategy to acne. “[I use] what feels refreshing and gentle on my skin,” she says. “I used to be really harsh with my skin when I was working out and putting so much on it.”  

This gentler routine came in particularly clutch when she was filming The White Lotus, which focuses on the interactions between guests and staff at a luxury resort, in Maui last year. “The salt water was good to me—negative ions fix all your problems—as was this rose oil my makeup artist introduced me to,” she says. “I used it every single day and I felt like my skin was just thriving.”

So, what else has she been relying on? Below, O’Grady shares the gentle yet effective products she swears by for Glamour’s Drop The Routine. 

My cleanser

I’ve been using the Tula Purifying Cleanser. It uses probiotics to help you with your skin—I try to incorporate probiotics in my diet, but it’s also nice to have them in a skin-care brand. They’re gentle, it’s easy to keep a routine with the products, and they’re also vegan and cruelty free. 

My toner

I don’t always use a toner, but when I do it’s from The Ordinary. I just feel like it’s solid. 

My serum

I use Tula’s vitamin C serum to lighten my dark marks from acne scarring and hyperpigmentation. 

My moisturizers

For moisturizer, I use either Cerave, Cetaphil, or the Tula moisturizer, those are my top three. I just like them to feel lightweight, although my skin is dry. 

My eye cream

I just started using this eye balm from Tula—it kind of feels like a highlighter for under your eyes. I used to never really worry about under eye bags or things like that, but it just feels really sweet to put on your face.

My SPF

I just started incorporating SPF more in my skin care routine. I realized, “Okay, I’m 25, I need to start being responsible every day.” I used to just put on sunscreen when I would go to the beach, but I’ve started using Tula’s SPF every day because it doesn’t feel too heavy or break me out. And then, if I need something more intense, I’ll use a higher SPF from another brand.

My retinol

I have a retinol that I was prescribed, but I had to take a little bit of a break from it because it was a bit drying on my skin. But I’ll try to put it on occasionally. 

My face oil

I use a CBD-infused rose oil from Vie En Rose. My makeup artist introduced it to me when I was doing this one job for HBO; it’s her friend’s makeup line. And I loved it. I used it every day when I was when I was filming and it felt amazing.

My mists

I love the mist from Vie En Rose as well—it’s amazing. I also like the Mario Badescu rosewater; it just feels refreshing and it smells great. 

My masks

Sometimes I’ll use the salicylic acid face mask from The Ordinary. And I’ll use the more intense red one occasionally, but it can be really harsh. I also like to just buy sheet masks off Amazon, which feel really nice on my skin. 

My spot treatment

I use Mario Badescu. It’s the best! 

My tools

When I’m working and I have to wake up super-early in the morning, I’ll use an eye mask that I put in the freezer before I get picked up for work. Or I’ll just use a rose quartz roller.

Bella Cacciatore is the beauty writer at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @bellacacciatore_.

When you have adult acne, it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one getting breakouts past the age of 18. However, anywhere between 12% and 22% of women are are ages 26 through 44 experience acne, and that number is increasing by the day (on the other hand, only around 3% of adult men experience the condition). In our new series Acne Diaries, we’re asking influential women who happen to have acne about their relationship to their skin, and the products they rely on to keep it happy. Next up: Starface co-founder Julie Schott.

Acne can be a burden no matter what, but when you work in the beauty industry, there’s added pressure to have perfect skin—or least very good skin. This is something Julie Schott, former Elle beauty director and co-founder of acne-positive skin-care brand Starface, knows intimately. 

Schott says her skin was perfectly clear during high school and college, but once she started her career as a beauty editor she found herself dealing with constant breakouts. “When you’re that young in your career, you just want to seem credible,” she tells me. “Having acne, for me, felt like [people were thinking] ‘You must not understand how to take care of your skin, you’re doing it wrong’.” She recalls relying on headwear—”like, not a cute hat that was part of my outfit”—to a dinner event in an effort to hide a particularly bad forehead breakout. 

Schott tried everything to clear up her skin, both for her confidence and for the sake of journalism. “I would try anything, from all the direct-to-consumer brands, to going to dermatologists and trying prescriptions,” she says. “And I would say it all exacerbated the situation. It was just too much, too many treatments.” 

But it wasn’t all bad. Over the course of her year working at the now-defunct lifestyle site XOJane, she was able to write in detail about her experience with her skin and create a community. “This was pre-Instagram, so I would share pictures on the site,” she says. “It was cool because people did really connect with it. There’s so much community around that experience.”

Despite finding some camaraderie, Schott continued experimenting with treatments into her 20s—including a medical facial that left her with “no clear skin on my face” and an oral medication that made her faint, twice. She finally settled on a less-is-more approach when it comes to skin care, and ditched face makeup altogether, experimenting with fun eye looks instead. “I started to feel comfortable with the fact that this is just what my skin is right now,” she says. “[But] that was definitely difficult as a young person.” 

One thing that helped her get through it—aside from her hormones starting to settle—was starting Starface in 2019. The acne-positive brand launched with bright yellow star-shaped pimple patches, but now offers a full line of skin-care products.  “I just decided to go in a different direction—I’m obsessed with acne, I’ve been focused on it for 10 years,” she says. “I’m not a doctor, but what I do know is, if you can change the way people feel about their skin, then you can really make things better. I know for myself, when I could just look in the mirror and say ‘No, I’m not going to put foundation over this, this is okay, 95% of people are also experiencing this with me,’ I don’t feel bad about it.”

She says that when she first started pitching the brand, people didn’t fully grasp why the patches would be so eye-catching. “People just sort of said ‘Why would anyone ever want to draw attention to their acne? People are ashamed of their acne are never going to want to do that,’” she says. “And I just was certain that it would be one successful way of accepting and owning a thing for myself. I’ve felt so ashamed. Schott says when she puts on one of the brand’s a Hydro-Star patches, not only is she not picking at her pimple, but she also immediately feels better thanks to its cute factor. “That was kind of the whole goal with Starface. I’ve tried everything with varying results and none of these things improved my mood and none increased my self esteem. So what can we do there?” 

Psoriasis is one of those conditions that can be easy to shrug off if you’ve never experienced it. Even though we write about skin issues all the time, we’ve even had fleeting thoughts along the lines of “Kim Kardashian has it, and we’d never have been able to tell.” 

Of course, the truth is that having psoriasis is more than getting occasional itchy red patches of skin. It’s an autoimmune disease with symptoms that can be quite serious. And for more than five years, Los Angeles–based actress Ciena Rae Nelson has reminded the world of that on Instagram. 

Nelson started sharing her journey with psoriasis in 2016, posting a selfie in which her skin is red and inflamed after a psoriasis flare-up. “This is me 2 years ago just before I went to the hospital for severe dehydration and a fever,” she wrote. “Skin conditions are not cosmetic issues.”

The same day, she shared a side-by-side selfie that showed her made up and nearly flawless in the left image, and red and blotchy in the right, thanks to photo editing that allowed her to increase the saturation of that picture. “Most people looked at the left in person and didn’t notice much but dry spots here and there, not noticing what was really underneath,” she wrote. “#psoriaticarthritis is an #invisibleillness and sometimes so is psoriasis (chronic itchiness and chronic fatigue). Not everything is as bad as it looks and sometimes things are … much worse.”

But while the posts were new, Nelson’s psoriasis was anything but: she’s been living with psoriasis for “nearly my entire life,” she wrote in an Instagram post for the National Psoriasis Foundation, “which means that I don’t really know what life is like without it.” As a child with psoriasis, she often felt isolated. “I didn’t know anyone who understood what I was going through,” she wrote. And while her family supportive,  “I always felt that unless they had it, they’d never really get it.” 

After her first posts about it in 2016, “there was an influx of support from people from all around the world who were going through something similar,” she wrote. “I started meeting up with people who reached out just to connect about psoriasis which was something I had never done before. In fact, many of the people I met had never … spoken to someone with psoriasis before.”

Since then, Nelson has been a vocal social advocate for psoriasis awareness. She wants people to know they’re not alone. “For people who suffer with chronic illness, it is so important to be able to connect with other people who have experienced what we have, in order to feel validated and understood,” she wrote. “Society tells us that we have to show up in the world, at work, at school, with our friends, just like everyone else does. But we are not like everyone else. And so if we are not careful, we can easily end up overexerting ourselves at the expense of our quality of life.” 

We all have those Instagram accounts we check daily and refer to in conversation as if they’re our actual friends. If you’ve ever scrolled onto one of these photos and wondered, How does she do it? you’re in luck. Welcome to our series Insta Stalking, in which we talk to the women behind the accounts we’re obsessing over about their beauty secrets. Below, seven women with great skin share their clean skin-care routines.

Thanks in part to the internet, we now have more information than ever about what we are actually putting on (and into) our bodies. As women gain awareness and interest in what’s in their products, the clean-beauty movement has rapidly grown. While there’s nothing wrong with pushing for products that are better for us and the planet, there are so many buzzwords—clean, green, natural, organic—floating around that it’s hard to sort through the noise. Add to the fact that every retailer and brand has their own definition of the word clean, and things can get a little murky.

Generally speaking, clean beauty refers to products free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and artificial fragrance (again, this varies depending on whom you ask) but has grown to include products with all-natural or organic ingredients. Some also take sustainability into account. There’s also a lot of misinformed stereotypes associated with clean beauty—that it’s crunchy (think more Whole Foods than Sephora), ineffective, or expensive—which can make going green intimidating. To make it easier, we asked seven women who are passionate about clean beauty to define what it means to them, and to share their clean skin-care routines. Read on for the products they can’t live without.

Vic Styles, 35, content creator in Brooklyn

Our skin is the largest organ in our body. What we put on it not only affects the appearance of it but can impact our overall well-being. I think healthy skin starts within. A good skin-care routine ends with what you actually put on your face and begins with what you put into your body. It’s hard to separate the two, since many skin “issues” are just our body’s way of letting us know that something isn’t balanced on the inside.

When it comes to my skin, my major concerns are antiaging and hyperpigmentation. In the morning I keep it simple, since I do so much at night. I start with Burt’s Bees Micellar Cleansing Water on a reusable cotton round. It’s like a quick and easy pick-me-up for my skin. I use the Activist Manuka Honey as a mask for 15 minutes every day—it’s my go-to product. It helps reduce inflammation and acne, and adds moisture into my skin. After I rinse the honey off, I swipe on Purpl & Prosper Crystal Healing Toner, which doesn’t strip my skin at all, and then I use Farmacy Very Cherry Bright 15% Clean Vitamin C Serum. This serum has been a saving grace for my hyperpigmentation, and I love how lightweight it is. I add the Caudalie Vinopure Skin Perfecting Serum, which instantly makes my face brighter, and the Farmacy Daily Greens Gel Moisturizer, which feels like I’m adding a layer of water to my skin. For even more glow, I add Plant People Revive Serum, and finish with SuperGoop! Unseen Sunscreen. SPF is a must, and I love how sheer this one is. Plus, it doubles as a makeup primer.

We’re obviously not going to say it’s the worst part of having psoriasis, but regularly fielding other people’s awkward questions about your skin condition can get more than a little old. (“Is psoriasis contagious?” Grrrr. Also, no.) Sure, those inquiries usually come from a good place—or at least a genuinely curious one—but sometimes they’re just plain superfluous, or downright silly. In the spirit of being prepared, here are seven questions you might someday be asked about your psoriasis (if you haven’t already), along with smart answers to arm yourself with. Next time your boyfriend’s mom delves into a skin-terrogation right at the dinner table, you’ll be ready.

Is psoriasis contagious?

Definitely not! You can’t “catch” psoriasis like you would something like scabies—it’s an autoimmune condition, not an infection. “Psoriasis is rooted in an immune response to environmental triggers, and your genes can make you predisposed to developing it,” explains Francisca Kartono, a dermatologist in Brighton, MI. Common environmental triggers that cause psoriasis to flare-up include bacterial infections (most notably strep), respiratory viruses, stress, medications, or repeated friction on the skin.

That’s the same thing Kim Kardashian has, right?

Not necessarily. While Kim K. did famously reveal that she has psoriasis on a 2011 episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and has shared relatable photos of her flare-ups ever since, not all psoriasis is the same. In fact, there are five different types of psoriasis, each with its own symptoms, causes, and treatments. The most common (80 to 90 percent of cases) is plaque psoriasis, which involves red patches with silvery white scales, often on the elbows, knees, and scalp. Guttate psoriasis is a variant commonly triggered by an infection like strep or the flu; it often appears as spots sprinkled down the torso and extremities. A third type is pustular psoriasis, which involves painful white blisters, often localized on the palms and soles. The fourth: inverse psoriasis, dark or discolored patches that lack the typical scales of psoriasis and appear in folds prone to sweat, like the armpits or under the breasts. The last variant is rare: In erythrodermic psoriasis, inflammation is so severe that 80 percent or more of the body is covered and a person may feel sick and dehydrated and require urgent care.

Isn’t psoriasis basically the same as eczema?

Although they’re both inflammatory skin diseases and that can involve itchy red patchiness, “eczema and psoriasis are totally different diagnoses,” says Angela Weatherall, a dermatologist in Boca Raton, FL. Eczema is much more common, affecting about 30 million Americans vs. 8 million for psoriasis. It usually starts when you’re very young and involves extremely itchy rashes that tend to crop up in bendy nooks, like the crooks of elbows and knees. It may involve having a compromised skin barrier, which allows external triggers like detergents and fabrics to penetrate. Psoriasis tends to develop a bit later (most commonly between ages 15 and 25) and involves thicker, larger red patches that often burn, or just mildly itch. These are more likely to be located on the outside of knees and elbows, as well as other parts of the body, including the face and scalp. One telltale sign: Psoriasis patches often involve silvery scaling and cracking that you won’t see with eczema.

Have you tried cutting out gluten and dairy?

The most annoying part of this question is that it assumes that cutting out potential food culprits is an idea that didn’t already cross your mind (while of course anyone with a chronic condition has obviously heard of the concept before). While proponents of elimination diets loooove to recommend them, only a small number of people see major improvements in their psoriasis by cutting out major categories of food (often because it turns out they also have celiac disease, which doctors can test for). That said, of course eating clean can benefit your skin’s health and reduce overall inflammation. “I tell my patients there is definitely a skin-gut connection,” Dr. Kartono says, who recommends a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats and low in dairy, sugar, and processed foods. “A healthier microbiome in your gut helps when you have too much inflammation in your body and skin, as is the case with psoriasis.”

At least it’s nothing serious, right?

While psoriasis might come off as “just a skin condition,” it’s much more than skin deep. “Psoriasis is a systemic disease, not just a skin disease,” says Mary Ruth Buchness, a dermatologist in NYC. “It’s associated with an increase in inflammation in the body, which is a risk factor for heart disease. It’s also associated with metabolic syndrome, which includes high blood pressure, obesity, high blood lipids, and insulin resistance.” It also has links to other conditions that can be quite serious. “About 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, which can lead to pain, stiffness, and deformities of their joints,” Dr. Weatherall says. People with psoriasis are also twice as likely to become depressed than those without, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation, because of the way flare-ups can affect self-esteem, relationships, ability to sleep, and quality of life.

Have you tried XXX moisturizer?

Your friend is so passionate when asking if you’ve tried her favorite, life-changing potion—if only it were as easy as cracking open that jar. Many people assume psoriasis is a dry-skin issue that can be treated with moisture, thanks to its scaliness, but while the right lotion can play an important role in treatment, hydration alone is not enough. “It’s not dryness that leads to the scaling, it’s the retention of too many layers of skin,” Dr. Kartono says. “In psoriasis, skin cells turn over too quickly, and instead of being shed, remain on the skin surface.” What you want to do is move those cells along—so rather than slather on extra-rich creams, she recommends using an exfoliating moisturizer like AmLactin or CeraVe SA, along with a prescription steroid cream as a one-two punch: “The acids help de-scale the skin so the steroid can penetrate better.”

Isn’t there a prescription that cures it?

Oh sure, there’s a miraculous cure that you (not to mention Kim Kardashian!) just haven’t bothered to try! Sigh. “We do not currently have a cure for psoriasis,” Dr. Weatherall confirms. There are, however, treatments that can be very effective when you and your doctor find the right combination, which may include topicals, phototherapy, oral medications and systemic “biologic” treatments, as well as integrative medicine (which focuses on factors like diet and stress reduction). “In recent years, the biologic therapies have proved to be very effective for moderate to severe psoriasis patients and have been a real breakthrough in treatment,” she adds. “Many people can reach long-lasting remission and stay clear on the therapies we do currently have and have an excellent quality of life while living with this disease.”

Visit The National Psoriasis Foundation at psoriasis.org for more information on managing your psoriasis. 

There are meds that can help treat psoriasis—but lifestyle changes, a good skin-care routine, and mind-body techniques (stress is a proven psoriasis trigger) can make a difference, too. Psoriasis, if you’re not familiar, is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes thick, scaly patches of skin. Flare-ups most commonly appear on the knees, elbows, and scalp, but they can happen anywhere you have skin—so, from head to toe.

Here, eight women who’ve been diagnosed with the condition share the psoriasis skin-care (and self-care) tips that keep their flare-ups in check.

Turn down the shower temp

“I love hot showers, but they can be very harsh on my skin. So, I take lukewarm showers, which don’t dry out my skin as much. I also love moringa oil for my face and scalp psoriasis. It’s lightweight, doesn’t have a strong odor, partners well with my makeup, and virtually vanishes on my skin. If I consistently use it twice a day for a month, the flaky, itchy patches on my face become nonexistent.” —Alisha Bridges, diagnosed in 1994

Minimize stress

“To manage my psoriasis, I try to keep my stress level low. This includes daily prayer, meditation using the Headspace app, and owning two Boston Terriers. I prefer to meditate at bedtime. I have no idea how long I do it for because always I fall asleep before it’s over.” —Lori-Ann Holbrook, diagnosed in 2012

Try an unfussy hairstyle

“I have psoriasis on my scalp, mostly, and when it’s really bad, I use olive oil. I’ll keep my hair in a bun during the day—I like to think I’m pulling off the “wet look”—and at night, I’ll wash it and then brush it till all the flakes are gone.” —Pleun Brevet, diagnosed in 2011

Keep an eye on your diet

“Everybody has different triggers for their psoriasis. An easy way to start to unlock triggers that might be causing your flare-ups is to track what you eat. That way you can begin to identify food groups that cause your condition to flare up. I’ve found that a diet free of dairy, eggs, soy, corn, red meat, and refined sugar helps me thrive.” —Julie Cerrone Croner, diagnosed in 2012

Protect sensitive skin

“I have psoriasis on my feet and hands, which are tender and peel often. So, I use gloves when I bathe, wash dishes, and clean. And at night I put on a hydrating full-spectrum hemp cream and white gloves before bed to keep my skin from drying out too badly.” —Tamie White, diagnosed in 2019

Retire your hairdryer

“I use a sulfate-free shampoo for my scalp psoriasis. Sulfates and other chemicals typically found in shampoo can cause irritation and redness. The sulfate-free shampoo keeps those side effects to a minimum. When I get out of the shower, I try to minimize the use of a hair-dryer on my scalp, which is already severely dry, by air-drying my hair as much as possible.” —Sabrina Skiles, diagnosed in 1999

Baby your flare-ups

“I recommend using a diaper cream with zinc to fully cover your spots. They’ll be white, but it will calm them way, way down. You can rub it in after 10 minutes, or cover each one with a square of plastic wrap.” —Sandi Chaykin Teller, diagnosed in 2017

Wear non-irritating fabrics

“I firmly believe that clothes have the ability to change the way we feel about ourselves. Cashmere and merino knits will keep you cozy and warm without irritating your skin. A white blazer brings instant style to any outfit, and it disguises scalp flaking. A lined sequin top means you’re always party-ready, and those annoying scalp flakes will simply slide off. And a chic Fedora, huge cocktail ring, or fabulous pair of leopard-print boots draw the eye to your style and not your condition.” —Helen Hanrahan, diagnosed in the early ’90s

Visit The National Psoriasis Foundation at psoriasis.org for more information on managing your psoriasis.