The Morning Skincare Routine This Viral TikTok Dermatologist Swears By

What's the first thing you do when you get out of bed in the morning? A well-rounded morning routine sets the tone for the day and gets you prepped—both mentally and physically—before you dive into a packed schedule filled with emails, chores, happy hours, workouts, and more. Our series Morning Person profiles those who have mastered the art of the morning routine.

Tune in every week here and on our Instagram to learn exactly how the pros get it all done before the sun comes up, from their go-to breakfasts to their a.m. workouts.

Mamina Turegano, MD, FAAD, likely has an answer to any and all of your skincare quandaries, from tips on how to reduce hyperpigmentation to deep-dive explainers on various acne-fighting ingredients. With her expert-backed advice and interest in debunking popular skincare myths, the triple-board-certified dermatologist has become one of the leading voices on #skintok, with over 800K followers on the social platform.

Unsurprisingly, Turegano's morning skincare routine is brimming with excellent product recommendations. Keep scrolling to see how this viral TikTok dermatologist preps her skin for a busy workday. 

5:30 A.M.

I'll wake up around this time and begin my morning by washing my face with cold water to wake me up, drinking either hot tea or lemon water, or, if I’m extra motivated, making a green juice.

5:40 A.M.

Next, I’ll apply my skincare. I’ll start by rinsing my face with water or washing it with a gentle cleanser, like the Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, before applying Tatcha's The Essence.

I'll apply something with vitamin C next. Currently, I’m using Alumier’s EverActive C&E + Peptide Serum. After that, I'll apply SkinCeuticals' Discoloration Defense to help with some darker spots on my face (thanks to all the excessive sun exposure I had at the pool and beach in my teens and early 20s). Then, if I’m feeling dry, I’ll use a moisturizer like La Roche-Posay’s Double Repair Moisturizer, as it’s so hydrating and absorbs nicely. 

Next, it's time to apply my eye cream. I’ve been loving the Emepelle Eye Cream, as it has all the things I look for in an eye cream: antioxidants, peptides, niacinamide, caffeine, emollients, and humectants. Emepelle also has a very innovative ingredient called MEP Technology that addresses the signs of aging brought on by the loss of estrogen without the use of any additive hormones.

Many days, I will apply silicone eye patches by Dieux (pro tip: I keep them in my freezer for the added cooling effect) to really allow the eye cream to penetrate into the skin and to help depuff my skin. Sunscreen will come later. Don’t worry.

5:50 A.M.

Once I complete my skincare routine, I'll take some time to ground myself by reading a passage from Around the Year by Emmet Fox and Living With Joy by Sanaya Roman. I will follow that with a 10-to-15-minute meditation. What motivates me to meditate is that it really sets the tone for my day, and it helps to make it seem less chaotic.

6:10 A.M.

After that, I stretch for five to 15 minutes with a YouTube video by Mady Morrison, and on weekends and Monday mornings, I'll head to a CrossFit gym for a workout.

6:30 A.M. 

Then, it's time for breakfast. I usually eat some type of fruit with a lot of vitamin C, usually orange or kiwi, before having a bowl of oatmeal (I've been loving the Kind Protein Oatmeal) or a meal from a delivery service like Sakara Life. On weekends and Mondays, I’ll make a nice smoothie with frozen wild blueberries, spinach, bananas, oranges, cilantro, spirulina, Atlantic sea pulse, barley grass juice powder, and Vega One Protein and Greens powder.

7 A.M.

Once breakfast is complete, I'll finally apply my sunscreen. I first start with a non-tinted sunscreen to my face, neck, and ears, and I’m currently using Drmtlgy Broad Spectrum SPF 45, which also happens to be moisturizing. 

I'll follow that up with a tinted sunscreen because I’m neurotic, but it also doubles almost as a lightweight foundation. For this, I’m currently using the SkinBetter SunBetter ToneSmart SPF 75, which hydrates the skin and really does blend in nicely. I'll follow that with makeup and then dress for the day!