The Best SkinMedica Products, and How to Build a Routine With Them
Written by: Dennings Xu
The Best SkinMedica Products, and How to Build a Routine With Them
SkinMedica has been making professional-grade skincare since 1999. It's best known for growth factors, a category it helped create. If you're new to the brand, the range can feel like a code to crack: TNS, HA5, Even & Correct, Advanced+. This guide breaks down SkinMedica's best-selling products by the step they play in your routine, explains what makes each one different, and shows you how to put them together, morning and night.
What makes SkinMedica different?
SkinMedica is an Allergan Aesthetics brand co-founded by dermatologist Dr. Richard Fitzpatrick. It positions itself as "The Growth Factor Authority," and its formulas sit in the medical-grade category: products developed with clinical testing and often sold through skincare professionals.
What are growth factors?
Growth factors are proteins your body produces naturally. SkinMedica explains that they help maintain firmness and elasticity, support healthy-looking tone and texture, and play a role in skin's repair and recovery. Your body makes fewer of them as you age. In 2001, SkinMedica launched TNS Recovery Complex, which it describes as the first-ever topical growth factor product.
What is TNS?
TNS is SkinMedica's growth factor ingredient, listed on labels as Human Fibroblast Conditioned Media. SkinMedica describes it as a mixture of human growth factors, cytokines, antioxidants and matrix proteins. You'll find it in TNS Advanced+ Serum, TNS Recovery Complex, TNS Eye Repair and TNS Ceramide Treatment Cream.
What is HA5?
HA5 is SkinMedica's hydration line, built around five forms of hyaluronic acid. The current HA5 Hydra Collagen formulas add vegan collagen. The line includes a hydrator, a moisturizer, a cleanser, a facial mist and a lip system.
Quick guide: which SkinMedica product for your concern?
| If you want to… | Start with | Routine step |
|---|---|---|
| Refine texture with gentle exfoliation | AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser | Cleanse |
| Smooth the look of fine lines, wrinkles and sagging | TNS Advanced+ Serum | Growth Factor |
| Fade the look of dark spots and uneven tone | Even & Correct Advanced Brightening Treatment | Correct |
| Target lines and dark circles around the eyes | TNS Eye Repair or Instant Bright Eye Cream | Correct |
| Address the neck and décolleté | Neck Correct Neck and Décolleté Cream | Correct |
| Boost hydration and plumpness | HA5 Hydra Collagen Hydrator | Hydrate |
| Treat crepey-looking skin on the body | Firm & Tone Body Lotion | Body |
Step 1: Cleanse
AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser
The AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser removes buildup and gently exfoliates. It pairs salicylic acid with fruit and plant extracts to improve the look of skin texture, tone and smoothness. Use it morning and evening as the first step of your routine. Because it contains an alpha hydroxy acid, it can increase sun sensitivity, so wear sunscreen daily.
HA5 Hydra Collagen Hydrating Foaming Cleanser
If exfoliating acids aren't for you, the HA5 Hydra Collagen Hydrating Foaming Cleanser is sulfate-free. It uses amino acid-based cleansers alongside five forms of hyaluronic acid and vegan collagen. SkinMedica reports that 100% of participants in a small study agreed it removed makeup, sunscreen, dirt and oil (n=16, data on file). Massage 1–2 pumps onto damp skin and rinse.
Step 2: Growth Factor
TNS Advanced+ Serum
SkinMedica's flagship TNS Advanced+ Serum has two chambers. TNS-MR combines growth factors with a peptide complex, and RSC Advanced is a blend of botanicals, marine extracts and peptides. Dispense one pump from each side, blend them in your palm and apply to clean, dry skin morning and evening. The finish is colorless and fragrance-free. In SkinMedica's clinical study, patients saw visible improvement in coarse wrinkles and fine lines in as little as 2 weeks. They noticed an improved appearance of sagging skin after 8 weeks, and felt they looked up to 6 years younger after 12 weeks on a third-party psychometric scale.
TNS Recovery Complex
TNS Recovery Complex is the original growth factor treatment. SkinMedica says it contains its highest concentration of TNS (93.6%) and over 1 trillion exosomes per bottle. It has a distinctive scent that comes from those proteins. SkinMedica recommends using it for at least 90 days.
Step 3: Correct
Even & Correct Advanced Brightening Treatment
The Even & Correct Advanced Brightening Treatment is a daily serum that targets visible hyperpigmentation with 9% LTN Complex: lotus sprout extract, tranexamic acid and niacinamide. SkinMedica reports it is clinically proven to treat the appearance of melasma and other stubborn hyperpigmentation. It's free of hydroquinone, retinol and fragrance. Apply it morning and evening, and use SPF 30 or higher whenever you're in the sun. For the full line, read our Even & Correct guide.
Eye care: TNS Eye Repair vs. Instant Bright Eye Cream
- TNS Eye Repair pairs TNS with peptides and vitamins A, C and E. It reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and dark circles. Choose it if lines are your main concern.
- Instant Bright Eye Cream instantly improves the look of dark circles, sagging, puffiness and lines, then keeps working over time. Choose it if you want a visible wake-up effect.
Neck Correct Neck and Décolleté Cream
SkinMedica reports Neck Correct is clinically proven to visibly lift, firm and smooth the skin (data on file). Its paracress extract helps reduce the look of neck bands. Apply it with upward strokes, morning and evening.
Step 4: Hydrate
HA5 Hydra Collagen Hydrator
The next generation of HA5, HA5 Hydra Collagen Hydrator (formerly HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator), has 2X more hyaluronic acid than the original and provides hydration for up to 48 hours. A hydrator draws water into skin, while a moisturizer helps keep it there, so apply HA5 right before your moisturizer. Use 1–2 pumps twice daily.
HA5 Hydra Collagen Water Burst Moisturizer
The oil-free HA5 Hydra Collagen Water Burst Moisturizer locks hydration in at the surface. SkinMedica reports it boosts hydration up to 25% immediately and keeps it going for up to 24 hours. It's listed as suitable for acne-prone and sensitive skin, which makes it an easy partner for the HA5 Hydrator.
Don't forget the body: Firm & Tone Body Lotion
SkinMedica's dermatologist-tested Firm & Tone Body Lotion is, per SkinMedica, clinically proven to diminish the look of crepey skin and improve the appearance of firmness and tone (data on file). Massage it into any area daily or as needed.
Where to start
If you're buying one product, TNS Advanced+ Serum tops SkinMedica's best-seller list, and HA5 Hydra Collagen Hydrator is an easy everyday addition. To try several steps at once:
- The SkinMedica Method Collection includes travel-size versions of key Method products in a vanity case.
- The Favorites Collection pairs TNS Advanced+ Serum, HA5 Hydra Collagen Hydrator and Instant Bright Eye Cream.
SkinMedica FAQ
Which SkinMedica cleanser should I choose?
Choose the AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser if you want gentle exfoliation for smoother-looking texture and tone. Choose the HA5 Hydra Collagen Hydrating Foaming Cleanser if you prefer a sulfate-free, non-exfoliating cleanse with hyaluronic acid.
Do I need sunscreen with the AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser?
Yes. It contains an alpha hydroxy acid that may increase sun sensitivity, so use sunscreen and limit sun exposure while using it and for a week afterward.
How do I apply TNS Advanced+ Serum?
Dispense one pump from each side of the bottle, blend them in your palm and apply to clean, dry skin, morning and evening.
Can I use TNS Advanced+ Serum and TNS Recovery Complex together?
Yes. Apply TNS Recovery Complex first, then TNS Advanced+ Serum. SkinMedica recommends using TNS Recovery Complex for at least 90 days for optimal results.
Does Even & Correct Advanced Brightening Treatment contain hydroquinone?
No. SkinMedica says it is hydroquinone-free and retinol-free. Use SPF 30 or higher during sun exposure while using it.
Can I use TNS Eye Repair or Instant Bright Eye Cream on my eyelids?
No. SkinMedica advises against applying its eye products to the eyelids. Apply them beside and beneath the eye.
How do I apply Neck Correct?
After cleansing and toning, apply it to the neck and décolleté with upward strokes, morning and evening.
Is HA5 Hydra Collagen Hydrator a moisturizer?
No. SkinMedica calls it a hydrator. Apply it right before a moisturizer, such as HA5 Hydra Collagen Water Burst Moisturizer, which locks hydration in at the surface.
Where can I use Firm & Tone Body Lotion?
On any area of the body, daily or as needed, massaged in until fully absorbed. Don't apply it to broken or irritated skin.
Shop the full SkinMedica collection at Oh Beauty, an authorized retailer, with free shipping on orders over $100.
Always follow the directions and current ingredient list on the product packaging. Patch test new skincare, and consult a qualified healthcare professional for persistent skin concerns.
