Abdul El-Sayed Is a ‘Retinol King’

3 min read

Now that the midterms are over and we’ve seen a blue wave, the way people are talking about the candidates who won has shifted. Instead of policy, we’ve been able to focus on other issues: namely, how hot many of the candidates are (a welcome change). My social media feeds have been littered with photos of newly elected politicians like James Talarico, Jon Ossoff, Rob Sand, and Abdul El-Sayed. And while Sand may have modeled for Prada back in the day, El-Sayed’s complexion is near-perfect. As it turns out, the doctor-turned-politician has a killer skin care routine.

In a video from May that resurfaced and went viral on X last week, El-Sayed revealed his skin care regimen in a video with comedian Suzanne Lambert. Though at first El-Sayed tried to pass off his glowing complexion as “good genetics,” he has a full routine to help. The senator-elect begins his day with CeraVe Facial Cleanser. After that, he uses EltaMD AOX UV Elements SPF 50 sunscreen, which he reapplies halfway through the day. At night, he washes his face with the same CeraVe cleanser. Every other day, he uses Differin, a retinoid, to increase cell turnover. El-Sayed is a fan of the “sandwich method,” where you use moisturizer both before and after retinol (he opts for EltaMD PM Restore Moisturizer). It’s clear that El-Sayed has done his homework (he is a doctor, after all). Below, I asked three skin experts to give their thoughts on his skin care routine.

Sofie Pavitt, NYC Facialist and Founder of Sofie Pavitt Face

“Okay, I’m obsessed. A retinol king with a strong SPF commitment—extremely impressed. The only thing missing in my opinion is a low and slow daily exfoliation to help shift some of that cell buildup that can occur with retinol use. I’m of course going to recommend Sofie Pavitt Face Mandelic Clearing Serum. If he’s ever in New York City I’d love for him to come in for a facial with me, my treat.”

Charlotte Palermino, Founder of Dieux Skin Care

“Of course he has an evidence-backed routine. He’s using a cleanser in the morning and then a sunscreen which can double as a moisturizer (although the EltaMD one is not super moisturizing). Reapplying that around 12 P.M. or 1 P.M. is fantastic advice. The one thing that he is wrong on—and I hate that I’m using that term—is that adapalene is not tretinoin. He keeps calling adapalene retinoic acid, and they are not the same thing. They are both vitamin A derivatives, approved for drug use, but adapalene is approved for acne, while tretinoin is approved for acne and antiaging. They’re same-same but different. Adapalene is great for acne, but if you’re worried about acne and aging, you’re probably going to be using retinoic acid. Other than that, my man, he’s got it. He’s gold.” [Editor’s note: you could also try the Dieux Firm Revival HydroRetinal Firming Serum.]

Dhivya Srinivasa, Plastic Surgeon

“Starting with a CeraVe face wash? A bipartisan choice if I’ve ever seen one. It’s gentle, effective, accessible, and works for a wide range of skin types and ages. Honestly, one of the few things I think we can get both sides of the aisle to agree on. Following that up with SPF that he actually reapplies? Now that’s the kind of commitment to prevention I can get behind. A politician who understands the value of protecting against future damage? How refreshing. But where Senator Abdul really earns my attention is when he casually drops the retinol sandwich method into the conversation. It’s an excellent strategy for people whose skin doesn’t tolerate retinol directly. I have one friendly amendment to the senator’s skin care legislation: If your skin can tolerate it, consider applying retinol directly to clean, dry skin before moisturizing. That can allow for more direct delivery of the active ingredient, although the sandwich method can still be effective.”