30 Years Of Great Skin With Murad
A version of this story first appeared on Forbes.com
Everyone wants to know the secret to great skin. For Dr. Howard Murad, he's been perfecting the skincare secrets for 30 years with his namesake brand, Murad.
With effective products that are backed by science and supported by clinical studies, Murad is a skincare brand that is ahead of the curve. The brand's four core philosophies—Be kind to your mind, eat your water, awaken your body, and nourish your skin—tie into each product that Murad releases, with their bestsellers including the Replenishing Multi-Acid Peel, Oil and Pore Control Mattifier, and Revitalixir Recovery Serum.
To celebrate Murad's 30th anniversary, we caught up with Dr. Murad himself to get a few of his skincare secrets and see where the skincare industry is heading.
SIMPLY: What are the biggest skincare mistakes you see people making?
DR. HOWARD MURAD: The biggest mistake I would say is…well, there’s a combination. Sometimes it’s that people don’t use the appropriate product for their skin type. Hype of a product, no matter the type of product, is often times the cause for someone purchasing something that might not necessarily be the best for their skin and could ultimately lead to irritation or not produce desired results. It’s important to find what’s best for you instead of solely focusing on trends.
The next is not regularly using SPF and moisturizers. If your skin isn’t protected, you can’t keep it healthy. Skin, not matter what type, also needs hydration, so make sure to moisturizer every day!
SIMPLY: What product or products are most essential to a good skincare routine?
HM: SPF and moisturizers are the most important. I truly believe that skincare is healthcare, and when you damage you skin, you damage the rest of your body too.
Think about when you get a sunburn, often times you feel tired, lethargic, maybe nauseous or have a headache, etc. all of these symptoms are caused by the sun damage on your skin. It doesn’t remain surface level—the damage penetrates to the rest of your body. You need to protect your skin to protect your body!
SIMPLY: The Murad brand is celebrating 30 years. Congratulations! How has skincare changed in the past 30 years, and where do you see it heading in the future?
HM: 30 years ago, skincare was only cleanse, tone, moisturize. Treatments, peels, serums, etc., didn’t exist yet.
In the future, I think skincare really is understanding that there are sites and areas in and on the skin that we can target that help not only the skin, but the rest of your body. For example, identifying what parts of the skin are most susceptible to stress and how we can target that function/area and by doing so, it then allows you to sleep better. (this is just an example of where I see it going, not a fact yet!)
SIMPLY: Glowing, radiant skin is all the rage right now. What are some tips you have for getting that dewy look?
HM: SMILE! When you smile you glow. When you’re happy—and when you’re not happy—it shows on your skin. However, from an ingredient standpoint, spotlights like glycolic acid and vitamin C boost skin radiance and overall glow.