I’m a dermatologist – here are the most important skincare habits I wish I knew in my 20s

A 40-year-old dermatologist reveals three things she wishes Gen Z had known in her 20s that she wants them to listen to.

The tips were shared in a new TikTok video by New York City-based, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss, founder of the eponymous Dr. Idriss skin care brand.

The doctor is a cosmetic expert in the field of ‘face, fillers and lasers’ and often shares her skincare knowledge on social media with her 961,000 followers.

This time around, Idriss spoke candidly about the skincare habits she wishes she had adopted sooner, like using sunscreen.

“First of all, the sun damage is real,” the expert admitted at the beginning of the clip.

“You may not see it today, you may not see it tomorrow, but the reason I went into dermatology is because eventually you will see it and I won’t have to convince you,” she continued.

She said sun damage comes in all forms, including wrinkles, fine lines, pigment spots and even cancer.

Fortunately, there is a simple way to prevent sun damage: wear sunscreen.

“Save yourself a lot of headaches and money on cosmetic procedures if you just wear sunscreen,” Idriss urged.

She advised applying sunscreen every day, immediately after brushing your teeth, and making it a permanent habit.

“Secondly, I don’t care how drunk you are and it’s Friday night, wash your face before you go to bed,” Idriss continued, sharing her second tip with viewers.

“Use a cleanser and remove your makeup, because if you let your skin sleep with makeup and the residue of the day at night, it will only lead to a dull complexion in the long run,” the dermatologist explains.

She said that removing your makeup every night can make the difference between aging like a plum instead of a raisin.

Idriss opened up about the skincare habits she wishes she had adopted sooner, like wearing sunscreen every day and cleansing her face.

She said that removing your makeup every night could be the single biggest difference between aging like a ‘prune’ instead of a ‘raisin’

Finally, the doctor wishes she had known when she was in her twenties: Overdoing your skin care can be just as damaging as ignoring your skin.

“If you completely panic and stress yourself out with your skin care routine by trying every product under the sun, over-exfoliating your face, over-using active ingredients, then you’re going to create an inflammatory response at a younger age,” she said.

This can lead to a “premature breakdown” of the collagen in your skin, a protein that supports skin elasticity and firmness, the dermatologist said.

“If you use too much skin care when you don’t need to, your skin will likely age faster,” Idriss says.

“Ultimately, life is about balance, and if you can’t do something in moderation, don’t do it at all,” she concluded.

In the comments of her video, she was praised by many for the simple, yet important tips she gave.

“That is the best advice ever for these younger girls/women. Things I wish I had known,” one person wrote.

Another agreed: ‘This is all so true. I’m telling my girlfriends to wear that damn sunscreen!!’

“Where were you when I was in my 20s,” someone else wailed.