Your skin isn’t just what you can see in the mirror
It’s structure. Function. A full ecosystem. And as we age, that system starts to shift—beneath the surface—long before texture or wrinkles show up.
What you’re seeing as dullness, sagging, or uneven tone is often the result of what’s breaking down underneath:
Fat pads descending
Ligaments weakening
Collagen thinning
Cellular repair slowing
Barrier function breaking down
Microcirculation fading
Most skincare regimens treat the surface. At Core, we treat the structure.
What happens to skin as you age (and why we take our time to build strategy around it)
Aging isn’t just lines. It’s the slow collapse of the skin’s internal support system:
Fibroblasts slow down, so your skin stops producing collagen and elastin like it used to
Fat pads atrophy and shift downward, creating volume loss/sag
Ligaments and fascia loosen, making skin appear tired or deflated
Inflammation lingers longer, leading to redness, pigment, and poor healing
Skin barrier weakens, causing sensitivity, dryness, and reactivity
(And the products you’re using? If they’re not supporting that internal structure, they’re just sitting on top).
So where does skincare fit into all of this?
We don’t believe skincare replaces treatment. And we don’t believe treatment works without supportive skincare.
We use skincare as a tool—to prepare, protect, and prolong.
Pre-treatment, it helps strengthen the skin barrier, reduce inflammation, and get your skin into a “ready” state
Post-treatment, it helps calm, repair, and speed healing
Long-term, it helps maintain the collagen stimulation and structural changes you’ve invested in
You won’t find 10-step routines here. We build skincare regimens based on what your skin is about to go through—or what it just came out of.
How we use skincare in our treatment protocols
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Before your treatment: Prep phase
Strengthen the barrier so your skin can handle treatment
Reduce acne that could interfere with healing
Create a clean, balanced base so we’re not working against irritated skin
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After your treatment: Recovery phase
Soothe the skin without suppressing collagen response
Support skin through cell turnover and barrier repair
Minimize risk of PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) or prolonged sensitivity
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Maintenance: You skin longevity phase
Regulate any potential pigmentation and melanin activity
Reinforce collagen stimulation from your treatments like Morpheus8 or lasers
Protect the structure we just rebuilt
Our approach to skin health
We don’t believe in handing you a list of products and walking away. We build skincare into your treatment roadmap—because skin doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
We’re not trying to sell you serums. We’re trying to protect your results.
If you’re not sure where to start…
That’s exactly what we’re here for.
Skincare isn’t a guessing game. It’s a strategy. And it only works when it’s built around what your skin actually needs—and what your face is going through.
Whether you’re prepping for Morpheus8, recovering from Tetra, or managing changes from weight loss and GLP-1s, we’ll help you build a skin plan that supports your face from the inside out.
Contact us to ask about treatment prep or post-care support—we’ll walk you through it.
Understanding your skin type: The Fitzpatrick Scale
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Type I
Tone: Pale to porcelain with pink undertones
Common Ethnicities: Northern European, Celtic
Sun Sensitivity: Always burns, never tans
Treatment Focus: Strengthen barrier, reduce redness, avoid harsh actives
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Type II
Tone: Light beige, may have freckles
Common Ethnicities: Scandinavian, Irish, German
Sun Sensitivity: Burns easily, tans minimally
Treatment Focus: Hydration, early aging prevention, collagen support
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Type III
Tone: Cream to olive
Common Ethnicities: Mediterranean, Latin American, Persian
Sun Sensitivity: Burns with prolonged sun, tans moderately
Treatment Focus: Brightening, pigment control, preventative care
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Type IV
Tone: Warm beige to light brown
Common Ethnicities: Middle Eastern, South Asian, Hispanic/Latinx
Sun Sensitivity: Rarely burns, tans easily
Treatment Focus: Gentle exfoliation, PIH prevention, barrier balance
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Type V
Tone: Deep olive to medium brown
Common Ethnicities: Afro-Caribbean, South Asian, Latinx
Sun Sensitivity: Almost never burns, always tans
Treatment Focus: Pigment stability, anti-inflammatory support, safe collagen stimulation
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Type VI
Tone: Deep brown to rich black
Common Ethnicities: Sub-Saharan African, Afro-Latinx, Afro-Caribbean
Sun Sensitivity: Rarely ever burns, very melanin-rich
Treatment Focus: Avoid triggers for PIH, build barrier-first protocols, collagen-safe modalities only
The science of skin response: why your type matters
When it comes to skincare and treatment planning, melanin matters. Not just for how your skin looks—but for how it reacts, heals, and responds beneath the surface.
The Fitzpatrick Scale is a clinical tool we use to categorize skin types based on:
Tone and pigmentation
Ethnic background and genetic traits
How easily your skin burns or tans in the sun
This isn’t just about color. It’s about how your skin will respond to treatments like lasers, microneedling, RF, and active ingredients.
Knowing your Fitzpatrick type helps us:
Avoid post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
Choose treatment depths that are safe and effective
Build prep and recovery plans that protect your barrier and long-term results
We assess this in every consult—because skin type determines more than just product choice. It shapes your entire protocol.
SkinBetter Science
Current staff favorites from Skinbetter Science: EyeMax AlphaRet Overnight Cream and Sunbetter sunscreens, award-winning powerhouses known for brightening, protecting, and rejuvenating skin with clinically proven results—essentials we can’t stop raving about!