Skincare shelves keep filling up, but for many of us, or someone we care for, the confidence in what we’re actually using keeps shrinking. In this episode, dermatologist Dr Erum Ilyas, author of The No-Nonsense Skincare, joins us to explain why more products so rarely mean better skin.
Top 5 highlights from the conversation
1. The “Cinderella effect”
Some products make skin look instantly smoother or tauter through a temporary swelling reaction rather than a lasting change. Dr Ilyas describes it as a Cinderella effect: it looks real in the moment, but by the time you’re home, the effect has usually faded. The product hasn’t failed you, it just never promised what the shop-floor demo seemed to show.
2. “Fairy dusting”
A product can be marketed around one hero ingredient, hyaluronic acid, retinol, niacinamide, while only containing a trace amount of it. Dr Ilyas calls this fairy dusting, and it means a headline claim on the front of the bottle isn’t proof of what’s meaningfully inside. Checking the ingredient list itself, rather than the marketing, is often the only way to know.
3. The SERUM test
Before adding any new product to a routine, Dr Ilyas recommends asking five questions: is there real Science behind it, are your Expectations realistic, is it Redundant with something you already own, will you actually commit to Use, and what Metric will tell you it’s working. It’s her own framework for cutting through routines that have become cluttered with products bought for a single ingredient rather than a clear purpose.
4. Only three ingredients have really stood the test of time
After more than 20 years in practice, Dr Ilyas says the only over-the-counter ingredients with a genuinely sustained impact are petroleum jelly for barrier support, retinol, and sunscreen. Everything else marketed as the next hero ingredient tends to have its moment before being replaced by the next trend. She’s direct that if these newer ingredients were as transformative as claimed, they’d have permanently replaced what came before them, and they haven’t.
5. Acne is hormonal, not a lifestyle failing, and it isn’t always acne
Patients often blame their own habits, pillowcases, phones, diet, for breakouts, but Dr Ilyas says hormones are the primary driver regardless of those factors. She also flags that many people treated for acne actually have rosacea, a different condition that acne products can make worse, so getting the diagnosis right matters for avoiding long-term scarring.
About the expert
Dr. Erum Ilyas is a board-certified dermatologist, Chair of Dermatology at Drexel University College of Medicine, and author of No-Nonsense Skincare: An Expert Guide to Healthier Skin. With more than two decades of experience caring for patients across every age and stage of life, she is known for translating complex dermatologic science into practical, evidence-based guidance. Through years of clinical practice, media contributions, research, and patient education, Dr. Ilyas developed a framework to help people cut through skincare trends and marketing to better understand what skin actually needs. Her book, No-Nonsense Skincare, offers a comprehensive, science-based approach to healthier skin built on clarity over clutter.
Read the first chapter of Dr Ilyas’ book ‘No-Nonsense Skincare’. An Expert Guide to Healthier Skin
Medical disclaimer
This content is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your GP or a qualified healthcare professional if you have any concerns about your health.