Sean Garette is not a regular esthetician—he’s a cool esthetician. As the founder of Sean Garette Skin Spa, Garette obviously believes in a good skin care routine, but he also understands that some people may not have the time, money, or energy to give 100 percent every day and night.
“We all have very busy lives, especially during times where we have more events, more things going on,” he tells Glamour. “So I like to tell people to give themselves a little bit of leeway, to not be so obsessive and restrictive about your routine, especially when you’re having fun and enjoying life.”
Garette’s grounded approach to skin care made him a trusted skinfluencer to his 120K social media followers. His work and commitment to amplifying skin care for people of color caught the attention of Dior Beauty, who named him the brand’s official skin care expert last year. “I think what makes a good skincare brand is their commitment to healthy skin, which a lot of brands are just starting to catch on to,” he says. “When I was younger, it was all about stripping, drying, mattifying. Brands are coming back to nourishing the skin barrier and thinking about health, which has always been Dior’s message.”
Running his own business, Garette knows a thing or two about being busy. During New York Fashion Week last week, he attended a slew of parties and events, which took a toll on his skin. “I never wear makeup normal life,” he says. “But for events and photos, you want your skin look a lot better so I usually wear a little bit of concealer or powder. I do make sure I’m cleansing and doing some kind of skin care routine, but it’s usually a pared down version of what I usually do.”
Garette is also not afraid to admit that he sometimes skips his routine altogether. “I say I’m the most hypocritical esthetician ever because I’ve definitely slept in makeup,” he says. “I have those times where I don’t do anything and face plant in bed. I always pay for it after.”
Luckily, he’s mastered a skin hangover cure. Ahead, Sean Garette shares his favorite ways to revive skin after a night out, plus the products he recommends all of his clients for Glamour‘s Drop the Routine.
My cleanser
I cycle through two or three cleansers. I love the Tatcha Rice Wash Cleanser. It’s creamy, it foams up. It lathers really well, super hydrating. Exfoliates a little bit, but not a lot. I love the new Dior La Mousse Off/ON Foaming Face Cleanser too. It’s similar to the Tatcha in the foaming texture, but it has a bit more common ingredients and antioxidants. It helps remove makeup but also nourishes the skin. And then I love a cream cleanser that doesn’t lather at all, like the Dior Cleansing Milk or a cleansing balm, to either remove makeup or just do a facial massage.
My toner
Anyone who follows me knows I love the Paula’s Choice Calming Toner. It’s super calming, super hydrating. I even put my acne and oily clients on it.
My essence
I love the SK-II Pitera Essence. There’s so many I’ve tried that I love, but I always go back to SK-II.
My serums
I’m obviously obsessed with Dior Capture La Totale Serum. I feel like when I say that, people do not believe me. Anti-aging is a big thing for me, but I use Capture for a different reason. I love emollient serums—serums that have a more milky moisturizing texture, almost like a light lotion, especially during the wintertime. That’s exactly what Capture is. It has so many great peptides—growth factors in the skin that help stimulate collagen, help plump the skin—but also has vitamin C and niacinamide. It has all of those things that I love in different serums in a very moisturizing base. And it really does help plump and firm your skin. I did a month-long trial where that was the only serum that I used; I was really impressed with the results.
My eye cream
I just became obsessed with eye creams. I used to think eye creams were a scam. But when you find the right one, you never go back. I love the SkinBetter Alpha Ret Eye Cream. It’s so good. It has retinoids but also has some vitamin C. If you have dry under eyes, darkness, fine lines, you’ll love that one. It’s super expensive.
