Abdul El-Sayed’s Retinoid Routine, Reviewed by Three Experts

Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed named CeraVe Facial Cleanser, EltaMD AOX UV Elements SPF 50, Differin and EltaMD PM Restore Moisturizer for his skin care regimen in a May video with comedian Suzanne Lambert that resurfaced and went viral on X last week.

In the video, El-Sayed first attributed his glowing complexion to “good genetics,” then detailed the regimen behind it. The original post described the doctor-turned-politician’s complexion as near-perfect and singled out his routine for review.

Following the midterms and what the report called a blue wave, the original post said social-media discussion had shifted from policy to the perceived hotness of newly elected politicians. It said feeds were littered with photos of James Talarico, Jon Ossoff, Rob Sand and El-Sayed, and noted that Sand may have modeled for Prada in the past.

What does El-Sayed use each day?

El-Sayed starts the day with CeraVe Facial Cleanser. He follows it with EltaMD AOX UV Elements SPF 50 and reapplies that sunscreen 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, according to the video. He applies EltaMD PM Restore Moisturizer before and after the retinoid in the “sandwich method” described in the report.

What did the skin experts recommend?

Sofie Pavitt, a New York City facialist and founder of Sofie Pavitt Face, focused on one omission.

“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, challenged one part of the regimen: the naming of adapalene.

“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’re same-same but different.”

“They’re both vitamin A derivatives, approved for drug use, but adapalene is approved for acne, while tretinoin is approved for acne and antiaging. 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.”

The accompanying editor’s note also suggested the Dieux Firm Revival HydroRetinal Firming Serum.

Dhivya Srinivasa, a plastic surgeon, praised the cleanser and El-Sayed’s sunscreen reapplication, then offered one amendment to the sandwich method.

“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.”

What should readers take from the review?

All three experts praised the sunscreen element. Palermino and Srinivasa also endorsed the cleanser, while Pavitt and Srinivasa proposed refinements for exfoliation and application order. Palermino pressed the adapalene-versus-tretinoin distinction.

Anyone adapting El-Sayed’s routine should weigh three variables: Pavitt’s low and slow daily exfoliation, Srinivasa’s direct retinol application for skin that tolerates it, and Palermino’s distinction between adapalene and tretinoin; all three experts supported the SPF component.