What can skin care at home actually do?

Maintain, protect, and keep it simple enough that you actually do it.

Answered by

Dr. Simon Ourian, M.D.

Published

December 7, 2026

Reviewed

December 7, 2026

Non-prescription creams cannot change the shape of a face. They maintain skin and improve it a little, which Dr. Ourian puts at two to ten percent rather than fifty. What matters at home is staying out of the sun, using SPF down to the neck, choosing proven ingredients, and keeping the routine simple enough to do every day.

What creams can and cannot do

“And creams by nature, if they are not by prescription, cannot change your face. They just all they can do is to maintain and maybe enhance the result of your your appearance a little bit and and maybe make you 20 2 to 10% better, not not 50% better.”

The one thing to do

Stay out of the sun, and use SPF all the way down the neck.

“I think the number one thing I would say would be to just stay away from the sun, use your SPF.” “And I always tell my patients to bring their skin care all the way down to your neck, especially with your SPF, because prevention really goes a long way”

Ingredients worth using

Ones that have been tested for years. Not the newest discovery.

“There are products that have been true and tested like retinol, like kojic acid, like hydroquinone, uh like vitamin C.” “And you don't have to come up with a new ingredient from uh from the jungles of Amazon.”

Why simple wins

A routine only works if it is done every day. Most fail because they are too complicated to keep.

“Consistency is the key and in order to be consistent, you need to simplify it to the stupidest version possible so that you could remember how to do it.” “So, they buy like 20 different creams, they line them up and that really tells me that that tells you they're not going to do anything at all.”

Changing products constantly makes it impossible to know what is working.

“but don't change all the ingredients every 6 months because that's kind of You don't know what's working for you.”

Habits that age skin

Habit	Why it matters
Sun exposure	In his words, the number one reason people age
Short sleep	He says five to eight hours a night are needed
Smoking	Named by him as a second factor after sun

“Sun damage is the number one reason why people age.”

What to skip

“I'm not a big fan of micro needling at home because the needles could get dirty or they could actually cause more irritation.”

Home care and the office

Home care maintains and protects. Office treatment corrects. Both work better when patients understand their own skin.

“So, number one, which is what what I want my patients to be be they become their own advocates”

Back to Ask Dr. Ourian for more answers from Dr. Simon Ourian.

The figures in this answer reflect Dr. Ourian's observations in his own practice
and are not drawn from published research. This content is for information only
and is not a treatment recommendation. Book a consultation to discuss your own case.

Dr. Simon Ourian is founder and medical director of Epione Beverly Hills, with close to 30 years of practice.

Frequently asked questions

Can skin care change your face?

Non-prescription creams cannot change a face. Dr. Ourian says they maintain and improve skin a little, around two to ten percent.

What is the most important thing to do at home?

Stay out of the sun and use SPF, all the way down to the neck.

Which skin care ingredients actually work?

Ingredients with a long track record, such as retinol, kojic acid, hydroquinone, and vitamin C. Dr. Ourian advises against chasing new ingredients.

How many skin care products should I use?

As few as you will use every day. Dr. Ourian says consistency matters more than the number of products.

Is at-home microneedling a good idea?

Dr. Ourian does not recommend it. The needles can get dirty or irritate the skin.