Feeling overwhelmed by the constant buzz about 2025 skincare trends? At Apex Skin, we focus on what really works—simple, science-backed skincare advice to help you achieve healthier, clearer, and more radiant skin. Our dermatologists can guide you toward sustainable habits and effective treatments tailored to you—without the noise of camera filters or influencer trends. We know what your skin really needs.
To get the real deal on “skincare trends 2025”, we chatted with our Physician Assistant Sheridan Oliver, who is based at our Canton dermatology location. She shares practical advice about healthy skin habits for every age, situation, and beyond! At Apex Skin, we’re committed to making expert care approachable—whether you’re looking for guidance on new routines or need answers to skin concerns. And for those pressing skin questions, we’re proud to offer same-day appointments because we believe great care shouldn’t have to wait.
The Most Important Skincare Trend: Embrace Your Skin’s Reality
So, let’s put away social media for a moment and reflect on what skincare really means. Your skin is your body’s largest organ. It’s part of your immune system. Your skin is healthier when you are healthier. You are beautiful when you feel comfortable and confident in your skin, no matter what Instagram says. The bottom line is that skin care is about skin health.
“Focusing on improving skin health will ultimately lead to better-looking skin,” says Oliver. “Most skin imperfections are due to the lack of skin health. Providing the skin with the nutrients it needs, proper hydration, sunscreen, moisturizers, and often individualized prescription topicals will lead to smoother, clearer, and sometimes even flawless-looking skin. You can’t have “perfect skin” without addressing skin health.”
So, instead of adopting a lengthy and complicated skincare routine for the new year, or chasing unattainable social media goals that aren’t realistic anyway (because—filters!), Apex Skin recommends simple, realistic skincare routines and habits that nourish and revitalize your skin, along with help for your unique skin conditions that could benefit from personalized care and tailored dermatology treatments.
“I would start by seeing a dermatologist to evaluate your skin type and determine the optimal treatment for you and your skin goals,” says Oliver. “We offer many treatments and services here at Apex Skin that can refresh your look—from prescription topical medications to aesthetic services like facials, chemical peels, microneedling, laser treatments, filler, Botox, and more!”
Skincare Trends 2025: Skin Science Meets Real Life
Although everyone has different skincare needs, there are a few broad, general pieces of critical advice that Oliver wants everyone to take to heart, as these tips affect anyone of any age who has skin:
1. Minimalism is Key
Streamlining your skincare routine with a few truly effective products can reduce irritation, especially for folks with sensitive skin or conditions like eczema, rosacea, or psoriasis.
“The more products you use, the greater amount of ingredients you’re placing on your skin,” says Oliver. And more ingredients—especially ones not vetted by a dermatologist—can lead to irritation and undesirable results.
“If you have sensitive or reactive skin, it’s important to focus on treatments your skin needs the most then slowly add on additional treatments to address your other skin goals,” explains Oliver. “By adding products to your regimen individually, you can pinpoint which products work for you and which products cause irritation and should be avoided.”
2. Gut Health and Nutrition Matter for Skin Health
You’ve probably heard a lot about gut health and how it connects to so many different aspects of health—even mental health! The science is clear that skin health also benefits from good gut health.
“Diet plays a huge role in skin health!” says Oliver. “Focus on drinking plenty of water and eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet! If you struggle to get the right nutrients in your regular diet, you should talk with your healthcare provider about introducing supplementation for things like vitamin D, collagen, and omega-3s.”
The gut and the skin are both part of your immune system, and the gut microbiome and the nutrition your body absorbs from the food you eat directly impacts everything from wound healing and eczema to psoriasis, acne, and how the skin ages. While changing everything you eat is unrealistic as a New Year’s Resolution (we’ve all tried it), we recommend making small, sustainable changes like adding probiotic foods and fiber-rich complex carbs.
3. Reduce Your Stress Levels
Doing anything you can to reduce your stress levels will help your skin, your mental health, and your overall health. Even taking a 5-minute mindfulness break during a hectic day can help!
“Physical and emotional stress can play a significant role in conditions like acne, rosacea, and psoriasis,” explains Oliver. “Stress can trigger the release of a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol can cause an increase in the skin’s oil production, which can clog pores and cause breakouts. It can also impair the skin’s barrier, making your skin more vulnerable and prone to irritation and dryness. Prolonged exposure to cortisol can also lead to chronic inflammation within the body, which can exacerbate skin conditions like rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis.”
4. Myth-Bust Skincare Misconceptions
Make a New Year’s resolution to remove myths and misconceptions from your skincare routine this year as well so you can focus on healthy skin habits without things that might derail them. Oliver lists three problems she commonly sees with skincare misconceptions:
- Myth: If you don’t see improvement quickly, the product isn’t working. “I feel like a lot of people give up on skincare routines if they do not see improvement right away,” says Oliver. “It takes time and consistency to see optimal results. Give products a fair chance to work before tossing them aside! For example, acne can take 2–3 months of using products/medications consistently to see approximately 60-80% improvement.”
- Myth: Using more skincare products will give better results. “This isn’t true, especially for those with sensitive skin,” explains Oliver. “For skincare, the quality of the products is often more important than the quantity.”
- Myth: Sunscreen is only necessary in the summer. Many people cut back on sunscreen use in the winter, but UV rays come through the clouds and can even come from exposure to our electronic devices. Sunscreen is for 365 days of the year!
“Take it one step at a time and trust the process,” urges Oliver. If you’ve never met with a dermatologist about your needs, schedule an appointment for an individually tailored, practical, simple skincare routine that focuses on healthy skin habits for a lifetime. We can often get you into one of our locations on the same day, so give it a try, even if you have a crazy schedule.
Skin Goals by the Decade: Healthy Skin Habits for Every Age
Another common problem that we see is that people are not adapting their skincare routines to their current needs. So we have some actionable tips based on general age ranges and common skin conditions that folks might experience during those ages.
Skincare for Teens
Almost 95 percent of teens will experience acne to some degree during adolescence, but there are a lot of misconceptions about how to care for teenage, acne-prone skin without being too harsh, which can cause damage to that wonderful, young skin! Our acne clinics in Northeast Ohio can help. The best tips include:
- A simple, teen skincare routinethat focuses on using a gentle cleanser and spot treatments to target breakouts.
- Teens with more severe acne can benefit from prescription treatments like topical retinoids.
- Good nutrition, hydration, stress management, and daily sunscreen use are also critical to keeping teen skin healthy and preventing sun damage. Use a non-comedogenic sunscreen that does not clog pores.
- Visit your dermatologist for individualized care to help your skin stay clear and fresh.
Oliver insists that people of every age use sunscreen, even in their teenage years. “Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or greater daily—even in the winter! This will protect your skin from harmful UV rays and blue light exposure from devices that can prematurely age your skin or trigger skin cancer.”
Skincare in your 20s and 30s
During your early adult years, acne can still be a problem. And once you hit the later 30s, you may start seeing some fine lines and issues from previous sun damage, so:
- Make sure to manage hormonal acne with tailored dermatology treatments like chemical peels or acne facials.
- Talk with your dermatologist about adding preventative, anti-aging care like retinoids and Vitamin C serums for brighter, smoother skin.
- Keep wearing sunscreen every day and watch for early sun damage signs like dark spots. We can keep an eye on them and address them with laser treatments.
Regularly checking in with your dermatologist, even at this young age, can also help you monitor skin conditions and treatments that can prolong your youthful glow.
Skincare in your 40s and 50s
As we become more seasoned, our skin continues to change as collagen and elastin production slows and hormonal changes lead to fine lines, dryness, and elasticity loss. But all is not lost if you have a dermatologist in your corner.
“There are many options to treat fine lines, dryness, and elasticity loss,” says Oliver. “Treatment options are always tailored to individual patients based on their skin and goals. There are many treatments dermatologists can provide, like topical prescription medications and cosmetic treatments like lasers, chemical peels, microneedling, fillers, Botox, and more!”
Make sure to keep a simple skincare routine with dermatologist-recommended products and in-office treatments:
- Combat dryness and loss of elasticity with hydrating serums and in-office treatments like microneedling or dermal fillers.
- Tackle pigmentation issues or age spots with light therapy or chemical peels.
- Monitor for precancerous changes and schedule regular skin exams.
Skincare for Your 60s and Beyond
“It’s especially important for those 60 and older to schedule regular skin checks because the risk of developing skin cancer significantly increases with age, and early detection can be crucial for successful treatment,” says Oliver. One out of five Americans will develop some type of skin cancer by age 70, so this is not a time to get lax on skincare. Important skincare routines at this age include:
- Addressing thinning skin with gentle exfoliation and rich moisturizers to bolster texture and resilience.
- Managing chronic skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, etc. with advanced therapies such as biologics or topical treatments. Your dermatologist can help you manage skin conditions and treatments proactively to keep your skin healthy and comfortable.
- Keeping regular skin check appointments to detect potential skin cancers early.
Everyone should have an annual full body skin check, but if you see something concerning between those annual appointments, schedule a same-day appointment for a SPOT check. “Patients should monitor for and contact their dermatologist if they notice any new growths or areas that ulcerate, itch, bleed, or won’t heal,” says Oliver. “Patients should also do monthly self-exams to monitor moles for the ABCDEs of Melanoma,” she urges.
Whether you’re managing teenage acne or preventing age-related changes, a dermatologist can guide you toward the best treatments for your unique needs.
Skincare Trends 2025: Choose Your Challenge
Not sure where to start? Here are two quick and easy approaches to help you kick off healthier skin habits this year:
Option 1: The Micro-Resolution Plan
Take small steps for lasting change:
- Apply sunscreen daily to protect against UV rays and blue light—this is a must!
- Use hydrating lip balm nightly to combat winter dryness.
- Declutter old skincare products that might irritate your skin.
Option 2: The Skin Health Glow-Up (Week-by-Week for January)
Adopt healthy habits with this month-long plan:
- Week 1: Hydration reset—Drink more water and moisturize dry skin.
- Week 2: Sunscreen search—Find a lightweight SPF for your needs.
- Week 3: Bedtime ritual—Cleanse and moisturize nightly.
- Week 4: Declutter—Toss harsh or expired products.
Great skin isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about building sustainable habits for a radiant, healthy glow all year long!
Simple Skincare Routine: Your Skin, Your Rules
This year, take a bold step by scheduling an appointment with PA Sheridan Oliver in our Canton location, or if that location isn’t ideal, at one of our other 13 Northeast Ohio offices to get individualized care and recommendations for you! We even have same-day appointments available.
“Dermatologists are trained to evaluate different skin types and conditions to determine a skincare regimen tailored to each individual and their skin goals,” says Oliver. “Your dermatologist understands what products are shown to scientifically work to nourish, revive, and protect your skin.”
See the difference personalized care can make by checking out inspiring before-and-after transformations from Apex Skin patients who started their skincare journey with us.
Let 2025 be the year of you!
Sheridan Oliver is a Physician Assistant certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. She is an Ohio and West Virginia state licensed Physician Assistant. Sheridan attended The Ohio State University where she received a Bachelor of Science degree. She continued her education at Marietta College and earned a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies. Sheridan has experience in both medical and surgical dermatology. She diagnoses and treats acute and chronic skin conditions on patients of all ages and performs skin cancer screenings. She is passionate about providing quality, patient centered care. She enjoys educating patients on skin cancer prevention and optimal skincare practices.
