My 40th birthday is right around the corner (in December), and the more into my late 30s I’ve gotten, the more important great skincare has become to me. For months now (maybe even years), my Dallas-based friends have been raving about ZO Skin Health. A little background about ZO: ZO is named after Dr. Zein Obagi, a world-renowned dermatologist. With over 35 years of experience, Dr. Obagi has all but perfected the art of science + skincare and has the products and clinics to prove it! One of their clinics is located in Dallas, and although I’ve yet to secure an appointment when I’m in town, I decided to do an online skin consult with Bethany (@thedallasinjector). I filled out a brief questionnaire, sent in some pics and then patiently waited for her confirmation email. About two-ish weeks later, I was in! We discussed whether to go slow or fast in terms of seeing results/changes. At first I wanted fast results, but there can be much more visible "harsh" side effects. We decided it might be best to start slow and see how I liked it before doing something more extreme. She gave me a dedicated morning and evening routine based on my skincare needs/goals. Don't let the amount of products overwhelm you. I was using close to this many prior to ZO, I maybe added 1-2 more to the routine. Remember: This is self care, treating yourself and your skin to what it needs. I’ve been diligently following these routines since August and can honestly say I’ve noticed a huge difference in my overall skin thanks to ZO Skin Health products. In my opinion, these are the 11 best ZO skincare products, and using them together makes a huge difference in results. Check out Bethany's profile for some incredible results - I'll get there soon!
Let me break both routines down for you so you can read about which ZO products are the best, how much ZO skincare costs, and determine if it’s something you want to do for yourself! If you have any specific questions about my routine or any of the products I mentioned, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment on this post or DM me on Instagram!
UPDATE: After 3 months of being on the current routine, we are now ramping things up and I'm going to start a more accelerated routine. I'll be adding in a wrinkle and texture repair retinol .5%, accelerated brightalive serum, accelerated rozatrol serum, accelerated firming serum. These products should be arriving to me any day!
morning routine
Gentle Cleanser
This cleanser comes in a silky gel formula that can be used on all skin types, whether your skin is sensitive, drier, oiler, etc. It does an amazing job deeply cleaning your face and removing every and any impurity (including that little bit of dried drool after a good night’s sleep). I use it first thing every morning!
Dual Action Scrub
I then go in with the Dual Action Scrub, which reduces the surface oil on my skin and provides both physical and chemical exfoliation benefits. I use this mostly on my face, but you can use it on your body as well!
Calming Toner
Once my face is clean and scrubbed, I use the Calming Toner to soothe my skin for the day. It has just the right amount of hydration and feels amazing to apply
Complexion Renewal Pads
A great tip for these pads is that I cut them in half to make them last even longer! I’ve found that one pad is too much in one use, so I get two uses of them this way. I truly notice an instant difference in my skin’s brightness. The formula in these pads is non-drying and it also helps to clarify pores.
Daily Power Defense
I love this stuff! It’s called “Defense” because it protects the skin against free radicals in the environment that can be harmful to your overall face-health. It also provides extended hydration throughout the day and visibly reduces signs of premature aging (like those pesky fine lines).
Rozatrol
I deal with a little bit of redness in my skin, so I apply Rozatrol to help with that. It’s formulated with an advanced amino acid complex to restore skin radiance, has antioxidant protection, and provides a very mild exfoliant.
Illuminating AOX Serum
This serum provides a serious glow that I just love. On days I’m not wearing makeup, I’ll apply this after my sunscreen and tinted sunscreen for a glowier finish to last throughout the day. But if I am wearing makeup that day, I’ll use it as step number 7 as it’s intended!
Growth Factor Eye Serum
You can’t not have an eye serum, and this one is incredible. I love the applicator and how easy it is to use, plus I’ve noticed a big difference in the hydration underneath my eyes as well as making me appear way more “alive” even when I’m feeling tired. I love this stuff!
Growth Factor Serum
This stuff is literal liquid gold. I look forward to this step the most in both my morning and night routine because it just feels so incredible on my skin. This serum does it all: improves overall appearance of skin, reduces appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and restores hydration where needed. You can see on their website that “93% of patients experienced improvements in fine lines and wrinkles, firmness and elasticity + texture and smoothness, after 12 weeks of using Growth Factor Serum.”
Smart Tone Borad-Spectrum SPF 50
It goes without saying (but I’m going to say it anyway) that SPF is a non-negotiable when it comes to skincare, even if you aren’t going to be in direct sunlight. The sun is powerful and has a way of getting to your skin without you realizing it, which is why I always apply ZO’s Smart Tone Broad-Spectrum SPF 50 in the morning. In fact, I usually mix it with my very last product, which is…
Tinted Sunscreen & Primer Broad-Spectrum SP 30
This provides even more protection against the sun and also serves as a tinted primer. It’s formulated with a 12-hour, time-release ZOX12® antioxidant complex that protects your skin against photodamage, and it can be used alone or under makeup to create a long-lasting effect.
evening routine
Balancing Cleansing Emulsion
The first cleanser I use at night is this because it literally melts my makeup off. As soon as you mix it with water, the gel transforms into a milky fluid that leaves no trace of the day’s makeup — it’s amazing!
Gentle Cleanser
Same as mentioned in the morning routine. I just use this to double-cleanse at night!
Calming Toner
Once my face is double-cleansed, I use the Calming Toner to soothe my skin for the day. It has just the right amount of hydration and feels amazing to apply.
Complexion Renewal Pads
As I mentioned, I cut one pad in half so I can use half in the morning and half again in the evening!
Hydrating Crème
I use this thicker face crème at night to give my skin ample time to absorb it overnight, undisturbed. I just love going to bed with an extra-hydrated face, and this does that for me.
Growth Factor Serum
I can’t go to bed without using this liquid gold one last time. It’s like a treat that I get to apply it twice a day!
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Left: Before / Right: 3 months after. Please note this is based on a slow result method. My overall skin texture feels 100% better than before. And my fine lines are slowly fading.
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Left: Before / Right: 3 months after. Please note this is based on a slow result method. My overall skin texture feels 100% better than before. And my fine lines are slowly fading.