Dior Beauty
I would take skincare advice from Sean Garrette, no matter his qualifications. He has some of the best skin Ive ever seen, its somehow at once both luminous and velvet-like, free of texture and full of glow. But he also just so happens to have the chops to back it up: Hes a licensed esthetician, posts some of the most aesthetically pleasing and educational skincare content on the internet, and hot off a role at a little brand called Fenty Skin, hes currently Dior Beautys US Skincare Expert—no big deal.
While Garrettes resume may be intimidating, his skincare philosophy is very much grounded in reality. Hes all about simple skincare you can actually stick to, with an emphasis on hydration, barrier repair, and hydration. While we may not be blessed with his genetics, it makes you feel like achieving skin like his is actually within your grasp—it helps that hes always down to offer up a product recommendation.
So when I had the chance to chat with him, I knew I would come away with a new tip or two, and I was not disappointed. Below, read eight beauty lessons I learned from Sean Garrette.
of 07
Yes, You Can Reapply SPF Over Makeup
Dior Beauty
"I mean, its kind of complicated. I love a sunscreen mist, Supergoop does one, I really liked that one, I even use it on my body. If youre not wearing like, heavy, heavy makeup, you can do... my friend Hanna showed me this trick where she uses a Beauty Blender and sunscreen. I think when you apply over makeup, youre definitely not going to get the same amount of protection as you would reapplying without makeup. But its better to do something, especially if youre someone whos sensitive to sun and youre trying to combat things like hyperpigmentation."
(Re) Setting Refreshing Mist SPF 40
$32.00
Shop
of 07
Adjust You Routine to the Weather
"For me, and I think for most people, moisturizers are pretty much the biggest thing that we swap out. I have dry skin, so I love a thick, rich, creamy moisturizer. And I still use them in the summer at night. But during the day, I definitely look for moisturizers that have lighter textures, and have more hydrating properties that are still gonna give me that hydrating and moisturizing effects, but arent going to be as heavy on the skin—especially since Im going to be outside, Im going to be sweating, Im going to be applying and reapplying my sunscreen.
"Specifically, I love the Dior Hydra Life Intense Sorbet Crème ($75). We have a normal one which is the fresh light, and then we have the intense version. I love the intense because its perfect if you have like dry skin, but it will give you that lightweight texture, and it has that hyaluronic acid, so it gives you hydration but isnt super, super heavy."
Hydra Life Intense Sorbet Crème Moisturizer
$75.00
Shop
of 07
TikTok With Caution
Dior Beauty
"To be honest, I love TikTok, but I dont really pay attention to a lot of TikTok trends when it comes to beauty. Because for me, as an esthetician and a skincare professional, skincare really is not a trend. I think its more important for you to find a sustainable skincare routine that works for your concerns and your needs than to follow all of these trends because they really can throw you off, and have you doing things that arent typically right for your skin.
"When it comes to jello skin and glazed skin, I definitely have seen those trends. My friend Ava talks about jello skin all the time, I think she started that trend. And I like Avas approach to it because she talks about inside wellness, as well as outside. And I really do like the jello skin and glazed skin, because usually those are just focusing on hydration and nourishing your skin barrier. So those I love, but when it kind of comes to more intense things, I want to stick away from it.
"You really just want to find products that you can afford, and you can have access to consistently, and things that are really targeting your skincare concerns, so you can have a sustainable and consistent skincare routine, because I think the trends kind of have us using this product from this, and that it really confuses what you should be doing for your skin and it kind of creates more issues."
of 07
Hydration Is Key—Even In the Summer
"Everyone at this point knows Im a stickler for SPF, especially during the summer season. But I would say even past SPF, I would focus even further on hydration and skin barrier protection. Again when were outside, the sun is very drying and dehydrating. And so we dont only want to focus on the hydration internally like intaking water, we also want to focus that topically on our skin.
"So looking for a lighter-weight hydrating serum that has like hyaluronic acid, beta-glucan, niacinamide, all of those good hydrating, skin barrier-strengthening ingredients. I will really focus on those, because then when you find a serum that kind of has like antioxidants, hydration, skin barrier ingredients, you can use that one serum in the morning, use a moisturizer, and your SPF, so youre cutting down the amount of products youre applying, but also getting that hydration and protecting your skin throughout the day."
of 07
Dont Stress About Your Cleanser
Dior Beauty
"When it comes to cleansers, my best advice is really to keep it simple. I think people really overthink their cleansing process—do they need to double cleanse, single cleanse, a gel cleanser, an oil cleanser? But you really need to just keep it simple. Cleansing is a process that already disrupts your skin barrier, its something that disrupts your pH, and changes the function of the skin to cleanse all those impurities out. So you want to make sure that youre using something gentle and not stripping to the skin.
"No matter if you have oily skin, combination, or dry, a gentle gel cleanser works for everyone. Even something thats like a little foamy, but you want to make sure that it has skincare ingredients, which is why I love the Dior La Mousse Off/On Foaming Cleanser ($47) so much. I have dry skin, I can use it, and my oily skin clients love it. It has soothing ingredients like corn flour, water, and then nymphaea, which is the water lily extract that we use. So its very calming, its gentle, its antioxidant-packed, and its going to cleanse all of those impurities but keep your skin barrier intact, which is a big thing for Dior. Were all about the skin barrier, all about antioxidants, and all about nourishing those moisture cells in the skin. So I think when youre looking for a cleanser, just look for something thats gentle, non-stripping, and it doesnt have to exfoliate. It doesnt need to be a brightening cleanser. Look for something simple, soothing, and gentle."
La Mousse OFF/ON Foaming Face Cleanser
$47.00
Shop
of 07
When in Doubt, Keep it Simple
Dior Beauty
"I think with TikTok and Instagram, and like me, who creates beauty content and talks about a lot of products, it can be very overwhelming figuring out what you should be using in your routine. The thing I always tell my clients is, keep it simple. If youre starting from ground zero, get a great gentle cleanser, a great hydrating product, whether it be a serum or a toner, and a great moisturizer and SPF. Start with those basic products. Then, as you kind of get into the routine of that, and you kind of know how to use those and how theyre working for you, then we can start addressing your individual concerns. So if you have acne, we can add in maybe some peels, or a salicylic acid exfoliant. If you have hyperpigmentation, well add in a hyperpigmentation serum that has maybe Kojic acid, niacinamide tranexamic acid, and things like that. So start with a basic routine, and then address your concerns."
of 07
The Products Hes Loving Right Now
Dior Beauty
"I would definitely say the Dior Mousse Off/On Cleanser. Thats been my go-to cleanser for the last maybe three-four months. Sachi Skin Ursolic Acid & Retinal Overnight Reform ($85), I love that. Its kind of like a small, more indie brand, its a woman in the UK. They have amazing retinol.
Ursolic Acid & Retinal Overnight Reform
$85.00
Shop
"Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen ($36). So good. Its been the first mineral SPF Ive ever been able to use, which Im obsessed with. It doesnt feel chalky, it glides onto the skin. The texture is insane. I saw Marianna [Hewitt, the brands founder] a couple of weeks ago. and I was like, I dont know how you did this, but you deserve a pat on the back.
ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen
$36.00
Shop
"I would say a serum that Im loving is definitely the Dieux Skin Deliverance Serum ($69). It has CBD and cannabinoids, it has water lily extract, it has peptides, its a good calming but plumping serum, its a really, really good one. And then the new moisturizer from Ole Henrikson. Ive tried so many things from them that didnt really vibe with me, but this moisturizer is really, really good. If I want a simple routine, Ill use that with the Dior Super Potent Serum. Its like the perfect night routine for me."
Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturizer
$48.00
Shop
Deliverance Serum
$69.00
Shop