Quarantine has changed our lives and our schedules. With more time at home and less time outdoors some of us have used the extra hours to update our skincare routines. Beauty influencers in particular have used the time to sample new products and update their regimens. We asked six beauty experts how quarantine has affected them and what new things they learned about skincare in the process.

1. Danielle Gray (pictured above)

What’s your go-to skincare routine?
Danielle Gray: My typical skincare routine depends on whether or not I’m wearing makeup.

If I’m wearing makeup:
1. Remove makeup with cleansing oil
2. Cleanse with a gentle cleanser
3. Use a cotton pad saturated with micellar water to remove any makeup or other debris along my hairline. I do this when I wear my hair straight so I’m not splashing water there and reverting the hairs along my hairline. When I wear my hair curly, I splash away.
4. Treatment serum (Vitamin C during the day, retinol at night)
5. Eye cream
6. Moisturizer
7. SPF (during the day)

If I’m not wearing makeup, I take out steps 1 and 3.

Has your skin changed since quarantine started?
I’ve had some acne breakouts — especially during the beginning of quarantine. My hands have definitely suffered the most with all the extra hand-washing.

What’s been your quarantine skincare routine? What are you doing differently compared to your regular routine?
My quarantine skincare routine is pretty much my regular routine, but quarantine boredom and sudden bursts of energy for creating content have me trying more products than I would normally. Nothing major like actives but I’ve been trying products similar to what I normally use in my routine but from different brands. I’ve been posting them on my YouTube channel.

What are your top three products on your quarantine skincare routine?
1. Olay Regenerist Whip SPF 40 (hydrates well but literally feels like nothing on, plus SPF is important even for short walks outside or working from home near a window)
2. Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash (the 2% salicylic acid in it worked wonders for my quarantine acne)
3. StriVectin Intensive Moisturizing Concentrate (this is super moisturizing. I especially loved this during the earlier part of the quarantine when it was still colder and drier out and the indoor heat was trying to zap every ounce of moisture from my skin.)

2. Shannon Bruno

What’s your go-to skincare routine?
Shannon Bruno: My go-to skincare routine is pretty simple these days. Sometimes I adjust it based on how my skin is doing or what I feel like using. In the morning, it’s cleanser (or cleansing water), serum, and moisturizer with SPF. At night, it’s: double cleanse, serum, eye cream, retinol, and facial oil.

Has your skin changed since quarantine started?
Yes, very much! I’m a registered nurse and still work full time, so I wear one medical mask all day every day at work. This has wreaked havoc on my oily acne-prone skin and I’ve been breaking out under the mask-covered areas. If I were working from home, it would be a different story. I’m definitely taking measures to try to keep my skin happy despite my circumstances.

What’s been your quarantine skincare routine? What are you doing differently compared to your regular routine?
Since we’re stuck at home with less sun exposure and people interaction, I wanted to start using retinol again. I got amazing results last time but I knew I’d have to go through purging and sensitivity again, so quarantine is the perfect time to start. It’s been one month since starting retinol and my skin is purging at the moment, alongside breakouts from wearing a mask for long periods at work. My skin isn’t pretty right now but I’m hopeful that once my skin adjusts to retinol, it will clear up. Other than that, I’ve also incorporated using a gua sha for lymphatic massage/drainage. I was recently sent one to try, and it’s been so helpful for relaxing my facial muscles and promoting circulation. Highly recommend — especially right now when we all could use a little extra TLC.

What are your top three products on your quarantine skincare routine?
That’s hard! I don’t have a “top three” but I always recommend everyone have their basics down: cleanser, moisturizer/serum, and SPF. I’m really loving the new bareMinerals Pureness Gel Cleanser, Thrive Causemetics Liquid Light Therapy All-in-One Serum, Trilogy Rosehip Oil (at night), and my favorite Paula’s Choice Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30.

3. Leah Thomas

What’s your go-to skincare routine?
Leah Thomas: I follow Activist Collective‘s four-step method most days with their cleanser, toning mist, hydrating serum, and facial oil. I go heavy on the oil at night to help it all soak in.

Has your skin changed since quarantine started?
At the start of quarantine I had a pretty bad breakout all over my face even though I don’t have acne-prone skin, so I attribute it to stress. As time went on my skin improved dramatically because I have more time to wash my face throughout the day if I need to. I’ve found my skincare routine to be really relaxing and therapeutic. It helps ease some stress.

What’s been your quarantine skincare routine? What are you doing differently compared to your regular routine?
I’m much more thoughtful about my skincare routine. Some days I just feel down in quarantine and don’t want to get out of bed, but I remind myself that washing my face and practicing a routine is a form of self-care. Afterward I feel happy I took the time to do something good for myself and feel a little lift of happiness afterward. I’m not rushing through it because we have so much time and that’s made even a simple skincare routine an act of mindfulness.

What are your top three products on your quarantine skincare routine?
1. Youth To People Facial
2. Activist Collective Toner
3. Mad Hippie Facial Oil

4. Ryan Alexandra Petit

What’s your go-to skincare routine?
Ryan Alexandra Petit: My go-to skincare routine is super simple and straight to the point. It’s the best routine I’ve found to improve my severe hyperpigmentation caused by my Hirsutism. I use around seven products daily and nine or ten throughout the week.

Has your skin changed since quarantine started?
My skin has definitely changed during quarantine, in the best way. Because I rarely go out, I’ve seen my hyperpigmentation begin to fade a little faster. But I’ve also noticed that going out for a little sun really helps my skin. I do wear sunscreen, SPF 70+ but I don’t use it regularly.

What’s been your quarantine skincare routine? What are you doing differently compared to your regular routine?
My quarantine skincare routine is super simple. It’s a four-step skincare routine. You would think that having severe hyperpigmentation, I would have a complicated ten-plus step routine but I don’t and I think that’s what I love most about mine.

Step 1: If I’m wearing makeup I’ll wash my face with Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Makeup Removing Cleanser. If I’m not wearing makeup) I’ll wash my face with Seed + Clay Tumeric & Honey Renewing Facial Cleanser. This cleanser was the gamechanger for me!

Step 2: I tone using Palmer’s Anti-Dark Spot Complexion Toner. It has beta-hydroxy and tea tree oil. This toner really cleared up any ingrown hair or pimple I had. It’s extremely affordable as well. It may be found at your local beauty supply store.

Step 3: I add my serum(s). In the morning, I apply my The Organic Pharmacy Stabilized Vitamin C Serum 15%. This helps lighten up my dark spots. I apply this once a day every day. Occasionally, at night, I apply my Farmacy Honeymoon Glow AHA Resurfacing Night Serum.

Step 4: I seal in my serum with a moisturizer. In the mornings, I use Ole Henriksen C Rush Brightening Double Cream. It smells so good, extremely light-weight, and moisturizing. At night, I use Nadinola Discoloration Fade Cream and I mix Versed Found The Light Powder with Vitamin C. The combination of the Vitamin C powder with Nadinola really took my skin to the next level. I saw results in my first week using the two together.

What are your top three products on your quarantine skincare routine?
My top three have to be Seed + Clay Tumeric & Honey Renewing Facial Cleanser, The Organic Pharmacy Stabilized Vitamin C Serum 15%, and these two products come neck-to-neck, my Nadinola Discoloration Fade Cream, and my Palmer’s Anti-Dark Spot Complexion Toner.

5. Brianna Lynn

What’s your go-to skincare routine?
Anything and everything from Beauty Bio and Rosen Skincare.

Has your skin changed since quarantine started?
My skin has slightly changed since the quarantine has started. I’m slowly developing breakouts around my chin due to wearing a face mask whenever I leave the house for groceries, mail, etc.

What’s been your quarantine skincare routine? What are you doing differently compared to your regular routine?
The only difference between my go-to skincare routine versus my quarantine skincare routine is hydration, hydration, hydration (since my skin feels very dry), and Versed’s Nix It Complexion which works amazingly on my breakouts or whenever I feel a breakout coming. Highly recommend!

What are your top 3 products on your quarantine skincare routine?
1. Versed Nix It Complexion
2. Boscia’s Chia Seed Moisturizer Cream
3. Sheet Masks from Sooae

6. Courtney Randolph

What’s your go-to skincare routine?
My routine is a little unconventional, I use things from my kitchen in combination with my favorite products. I wash my face with Juice Beauty Organic Facial Wash. I follow with Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Age-Defying Exfoliator. I use a Vanity Planet Spin Brush during my routine. I follow up with Thayer’s witch hazel all over. I go down to my kitchen and rub a lemon wedge on my face for the tingle. I may take a piece of my aloe plant and go in. After that I go in with Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Anti Wrinkle Boosting Serum. Then I go in with jojoba oil or I will go in with a rose oil moisturizer.

Has your skin changed since quarantine started?
Yes.

What’s been your quarantine skincare routine? What are you doing differently compared to your regular routine?
I find myself very oily now from putting on makeup every day for virtual workshops or meetings. Because of that I have paused a little on the jojoba oil and I have increased using a little Cetaphil face wash on my spin brush. I will also take some time in the morning and just let my Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Serum sit alone on my face with my aloe. I’m finding myself doing face masks a lot more to remedy the everyday makeup sessions.

What are your top 3 products on your quarantine skincare routine?
1. Juice Beauty Organic Facial Wash
2. Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Anti Wrinkle Serum
3. Aztec Secret Healing Indian Clay Mask