Open up my medicine cabinet and it’s immediately obvious: this girl is a skincare junkie. I’ve tested all the best moisturizers, decided which eye creams are worth the splurge, and found serums to rival any in-office treatment. But with so many brands entering the space every day, it can feel impossible to keep up—and decide where to direct your beauty budget. The brand that sits front and center on my (admittedly overcrowded) skincare shelf? Jordan Harper’s Barefaced.

Now, I’m wary of anything buzzy. As much as I love diving into trends and dissecting new-to-me beauty rituals and routines, I want the science and anecdotal evidence as proof. With celeb backing and the expertise of a nurse practitioner advising every formulation, I knew I needed to get my hands on Barefaced for myself.

Jordan Harper, Founder of Barefaced, Shares Her Glowy Skin Secrets

Barefaced first came on my radar after I caught tennis darling and lifestyle brand founder Paige Lorenze dishing about the products on Instagram stories. Her AM skincare ritual leans on the brand’s antioxidant-packed Toning Pads to exfoliate and the Overachiever to hydrate and soothe. At the end of the day, the Hydrating Lotion and Everyday Eye Hero offer some much-needed moisture before going to bed.

But because I know that so much of social media is smoke and mirrors, I went straight to the source to better understand the efficacy behind these buzzed-about products—and why our favorite celebs can’t get enough.

Paige Lorenze uses Barefaced to get her signature glow. How do the Barefaced products in her skincare routine work together to give her that coveted, lit-from-within complexion?

At Barefaced, our philosophy is “Less but Better.” We intentionally formulate all our products to work synergistically, ensuring you get the maximum benefit from each. Using the core four products, we call them the Bare Necessities, to promote long-term skin health is what really gives the lit-from-within glow.

When your skin is properly exfoliated, hydrated, and protected the glow speaks for itself!

What should everyone include in their morning and evening skincare routines?

After treating thousands of patients as a nurse practitioner, I recognized a common theme: my patients didn’t know which products they actually needed for their skin to be healthy. You can do all the face masks and hydrating serums you want but if you’re not using the core four products to prevent, protect, correct, and repair the skin, your skin lacks the essential nutrients it needs to be healthy. Remember, glowing skin is healthy skin.

The core four products include an exfoliant, vitamin C, a retinoid, and SPF. At Barefaced, we understand that the skincare industry is vast and starting a daily routine can feel overwhelming and confusing. To simplify this process, we’ve curated The Bare Necessities bundle. This collection features the core four products essential for improving skin health and strengthening the skin barrier.

Exfoliant

These treatment pads are packed with AHAs, BHAs, antioxidants, and hydrating ingredients to tackle dullness, rough texture, and breakouts.

Vitamin C

Formulated with pro-collagen ingredients, Liquid Gold brightens, defends against damaging environmental stressors, and minimizes the appearance of premature fine lines and wrinkles.

Retinoid

Our key ingredient, RetinAL, surpasses all retinols in strength by about 20 times while working about 11 times faster. Encapsulated in a time-released formulation, RetinAL Skin Therapy also includes bakuchiol and other soothing ingredients to ensure it’s well tolerated with minimal sensitivity.

Sunscreen

These broad-spectrum, oil-free SPFs are crafted for everyday wear, catering to all skin types and tones.

We always say, if you’re not wearing a daily sunscreen, investing in other skincare is a waster. Daily SPF is the ultimate anti-aging product. What sets [our sunscreens] apart is their added skin benefits. They’re more than just sunscreen, formulated with these key ingredients:

• Caffeine. Works as an antioxidant to delay the skin’s aging process and helps tighten the skin/pores.
• Niacinamide. Provides anti-aging benefits while brightening, helping control oil production and reducing redness.
• Lactic Acid. Helps reduce the appearance of dark spots, boosts natural moisture levels of the skin, and improves skin’s firmness.
• Hyaluronic Acid. Provides intense hydration and helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

How to Build on Your Basic Skincare Routine

Once you’ve established this strong foundation, you can gradually expand your routine to target specific concerns like breakouts, dark spots, or skin aging. Prioritizing healthy skin initially before tackling other concerns is vital, as healthy skin is better equipped to address your additional concerns more effectively.