What Dermatologist Kiran Mian Buys at the Drugstore

I absolutely love it. It has lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid, which is great for exfoliating skin, but it’s also a humectant, so it help keep skin hydrated as well. I recommend it for keratosis pilaris (KP), those chicken skin bumps we get on the thighs and backs of the arms. It also prevents razor bumps by clearing away the dead skin that forms around the hair follicle. And it can help fade post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation —those dark spots you get from bug bites or scrapes. I recommend it all the time.

Vaseline is an all-time favorite. There are a million and one uses for it. It’s an occlusive, which means it’s going to help lock in hydration. If you have a cut, it’s great for healing. They’ve actually done studies to show that plain Vaseline prevents infection at a similar rate to topical antibiotic. I also use it on the lips, dry elbows, even in the corner of the eyes that get irritated if you have watery eyes.

I like this for my body on beach days or when I go out for a run. It’s a mineral sunscreen, so it’s going to be physically protective but it’s lightweight. It doesn’t feel greasy. It’s water resistant, so it’s going to last if you’re swimming and sweating.

I’ve been using this mascara since eighth grade. The curved brush fits my eye shape well and gives my lashes a lift. It thickens and elongates my lashes and the curl lasts all day. It doesn’t get flaky and my lashes don’t get clumpy. I think it’s comparable to Diorshow. I used to work at Sephora, so I’ve tried all the brands.

This has been a game changer in my makeup routine when I’m doing a full-face glam for an event. The lash clusters have adhesive on them, so you just stick them on your water line under your lashes. I’ll just do the outer corners and it makes such a big difference. They’re so easy. You don’t have to deal with the messy glue.

It’s a root plumper, so I apply it to my roots before I blow dry. It gives you that really nice lift at the roots, but keeps your hair soft and malleable all day.

I also use this texture powder on my roots for more volume. You apply it to dry hair and it gives hair some oomph. I pump it directly onto my roots. Unlike dry shampoo that absorbs oils but still leaves hair soft, this will make hair a little gritty — in a good way. It’s great when I’m doing a curly style.

I stopped getting gel manicures when I had my baby. Now I keep my nails bare and this cuticle oil makes them look healthy and hydrated — and prevents hangnails and dry cuticles. My nails look clean and well-manicured without needing to get a manicure.

It just works. The setting spray helps to mattify, so you don’t get oily in your T-zone, but you’re still able to add highlighter or whatever products to your cheeks. I find it helps my makeup look smoother and last all day.

I like using this under my eyes for brightening or around the mouth. South Asians and Hispanics can have darker skin on the lower areas of the face while our cheeks tend to be lighter. So this peach color corrector helps to even out the skin tone.

If you’re flaking from retinol or you’re trying to build tolerance to active ingredients, applying Cicaplast on top of your moisturizer at night can help. It’s like laying a blanket on top of everything. It’s going to help your other products absorb better, including your moisturizer. So you wake up in the morning with smooth skin.