These days it's nearly impossible to know what women are spending on the way they look. Someone with Instagram-flawless contouring might have honed her craft using the finest from the drugstore aisles, and the utterly makeup-free type might be spending thousands on laser treatments and serums. Enter our series "What It Costs to Be Me," in which we're asking interesting women for radical transparency.
Next up? Dendy Engelman, M.D., celebrity dermatologist, 42, from New York City. Her grand total? $24,816
In today’s school of celebrity dermatology, Dr. Engelman is like the class valedictorian: a font of skin care knowledge, incredibly friendly, and with a cadre of extremely fabulous, extremely glowy patients ranging from Sofia Vergara to Beyoncé's makeup artist Sir John. What we love most about Dr. Engelman—aside from the natural, your-face-but-glowier results of her treatments—is that she’s an unabashed, across-the-board beauty enthusiast. "What a shame it would be if you went into this profession and you didn’t love it," she says. “I’ve been a beauty girl for as long as I can remember—when I was 10, my cousin and I would do 'spa days' where we'd sit in our bathing suits in my parents’ bathtub, applying masks and Seabreeze astringent for hours. It was the worst thing we could ever do for our skin, but we had the best time."
So it’s not a shocker that her self-care routine is, shall we say, a touch extra: creams, masks, at-home gadgets, high-intensity workouts, infrared saunas, and of course, dermatology treatments. (Some of that is gratis; when you go into the profession of dermatology, free treatments in your own office is a perk.) She sees all the experimentation as an important extension of the job. "I look at my own health and beauty routine as research," she says. “Plus, self-care is very important to my mental and physical health. I take care of my patients all day; prioritizing my health is key to being a present physician, wife, and mother, and having a skin care routine is one way I take care of myself. I not only see the positive effects on my skin, but the ritual is relaxing."
My morning skin care routine: $379
I have a million products. If you were in my bathroom, you’d be like, "Oh my gosh, this is absurd." It’s like a test kitchen. I have pretty normal skin—mild oiliness through the T-zone, but pretty normal overall, and I'm not particularly sensitive. I have some olive undertones and I can tan, though of course I don’t now. I grew up down South, which means I’m definitely a recovering sun worshipper.
I’m a big fan of science-based skin care and treatments. I think eye cream is important, because the area around your eyes is 40 percent thinner than the rest of your face. It can be the first to show signs of aging. I use Valmont Prime Contour Eye Cream ($125); it’s really rich, and the hyaluronic acid in it diminishes dehydration lines and increases radiance and brightness. There’s also vitamins A, C, and E, which give antioxidant protection and help to lighten undereye circles, which are the bane of my existence. I also always use an antioxidant serum—five drops of Skinceuticals CE Ferulic ($166) every morning to give my skin extra protection against the sun. Then I use Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart SPF50 ($68), which is a tinted mineral sunscreen with antioxidants like idebenone that protect your skin against both the sun and pollutants.
I also love Reserveage collagen powder ($20) as a daily supplement for collagen-building and dermal support.
Instagram content
My shower routine: $400
I tend to switch up my shampoo and conditioner brands a fair amount, but the ones always in rotation are Kérastase ($30 to $35 each), Living Proof ($13 to $29 each), and NatureLab, which is a great line at a very fair price point—they’re $14 each. Once a week I use DP Hue’s ACV rinse ($57) to thoroughly cleanse my scalp. I also like the Olaplex Bond Maintenance Conditioner ($28). It’s usually an in-salon deep-conditioning treatment that I get when I go to get my hair colored, but I also do the conditioning step at home once a week. When you have long hair, it gets really old at the ends—like, years old. With the stress of chronic heat exposure and my little babies tugging on my hair, after a while it’s inevitably going to split under pressure. I did notice my hair was more resilient after I started incorporating the Olaplex; I had been very skeptical. I also take Nutrafol ($88) supplements daily for hair health.
For my body wash, I usually use a hydrating cleanser like Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash ($6) or Cetaphil ($8) with an exfoliating mitt I have from Rituals ($8). But I also love Moroccan Oil’s rose-scented body wash ($16). I also believe it’s important to "soak and grease." When I have the time, I spend 20 minutes in the shower or bath and immediately follow with oil or lotion. There are two schools of thought in dermatology when it comes to really dry skin. One is limiting water contact as much as possible—but the way I was taught is to sit in the tub for a while and before you even have a chance for the water to evaporate, you lock the moisture in with an oil. Your skin will be more pliable then, and if you apply it before you even towel off, your skin doesn’t have time to dry out. My favorite is Bio-Oil ($15) straight after the bath. A lot of people think of oils as being heavy, but they’re a lower molecular weight and absorb deeper into your skin—kind of the same way you’d use a serum for your face. The oil really does help lock in hydration, and then I’ll often follow with Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion ($14).
My hairstyling tricks: $191
I wash my hair only a couple times a week, so dry shampoo is my best friend. I love Oribe ($44), Living Proof ($24), and Batiste ($8)—I can extend time between washes using one of them. My hair is long and I do blow-dry it, so I like heat protection in my stylers. I use Living Proof’s 5-in-1 styling treatment ($28) and Kérastase’s Ciment Thermique Blow Dry Primer ($37) for that. And then I apply Kérastase Elixir Ultime Oil ($50) from mid-hair-shaft to the ends daily as a smoothing treatment. And I’m a girl from the South, so I like volume at the roots too. It’s kind of like when you create a bespoke regimen for your face, treating the oily areas differently than the drier areas. I always want volume at the roots and smoothing at the ends.
Instagram content
My makeup essentials: $502
As a base I use La Mer foundation ($120). It’s very pretty and sheer and doesn’t look like you’re wearing makeup. For concealer I do Dermablend Quick Fix Concealer ($26) or Clé de Peau ($70). Then I use L’Oréal Lash Paradise Primer ($7), which is such a great drugstore find. It makes my lashes thicker and also helps keeps my mascara from transferring to underneath my eyes—because Lord knows I don’t need more dark circles. Then I layer Marc Jacobs mascara ($26) over the lash primer. I wear mascara only during the day—no other eye makeup.
For eyebrows I really like Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown ($21). Then I apply my Urban Decay Naked Skin Shapeshifter contour and highlighting palette in Medium Dark ($45). For blush I use Tom Ford Cheek Color in Wicked ($62)—it’s a really bright pink. A makeup artist used it on me when I was doing a shoot for a magazine, and when she pulled it out I was like, Wow. And I am not afraid of blush. But with my undertones it really works. I don’t want my makeup all monotone with contour. I also sometimes like Dollymix by MAC ($24), which is also pretty pink. I’m not one to shy away from color. Then I use MAC Soar Lip Pencil ($18) for my lip liner and fill in with MAC Brave Lipstick ($18). It’s like a mauve-rose, sort of a deeper pink. I get asked a lot about that lipstick and pencil combo whenever I wear it. For sun protection over makeup, I love Colorescience Sunforgettable ($65). It’s a powdered SPF 50 sunscreen that you can easily reapply throughout the day. Plus, it absorbs any excess oil.
My nighttime makeup upgrades: $98
For night I might add in eyeshadow. Otherwise my makeup’s the same as daytime. I’m not very good at eyeshadow, but I do like Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk Eyeshadow Palette ($53)—it’s sweet and soft—or if I’m being more aggressive, I’ve got a Huda Beauty eyeshadow palette ($27). And if it’s a really big night out, I do Huda Beauty Easy Lash Collection #17 ($18). It’s hilarious—I can do microsurgery on people’s eyeballs, but I can’t do a full-strip false eyelash. But these are amazing. They’re little clusters of lashes, so they’re so easy and pretty and wispy, like long natural lashes.
Instagram content
My evening skin rituals: $1,234
It’s so important to remove the day’s cream, makeup, dirt, and grime. I like to first start with a wipe like Cetaphil Makeup Removal Wipes ($9) because they’re gentle but effective. I follow with a gentle oil cleanser, Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Replenishing Cleansing Oil ($35), which removes any residual stubborn makeup and sebum. I like oil cleansers because they clear your skin without stripping natural oils. Last, I use Epionce Lytic Gel Cleanser ($36) on my Foreo ($199) or Clarisonic brush ($199). When double-cleansing came in, I thought it was ridiculous, but now here I am doing it! For me, that second cleanse is mostly a tactile thing—the Epionce is great for skin, it’s exfoliative, but it also has a cool, refreshing feeling that I just really like, and that’s all part of the ritual. There is some part of the beauty process that is just sensorial. That said, I do wear makeup during the day that I need to remove. I’m not a low-maintenance person who just wears a light moisturizer.
Next up is serum. Serums are light, thin skin care products with active ingredients. The main purpose is to ensure those ingredients penetrate the skin barrier so they can be as effective as possible. They tend to have smaller molecules, which allow the ingredients to go deeper. For antiaging, I use retinol, the active form of vitamin A in the body. It works to increase cell turnover, build collagen, improve discoloration, treat wrinkles, hydrate skin, and reduce acne by replenishing the body’s vitamin A. My current favorites are prescription tretinoin or Elizabeth Arden’s Retinol Ceramide Capsules ($84)—it’s very gentle and made with ceramides, which combats the dryness. I was off retinol for three years because I was pregnant or nursing, and it sucks to reintegrate that into your routine. But the Elizabeth Arden capsules are great if you’re scared of retinol; they’re so gentle I was able to go straight back to using retinol every night. For night cream afterward, I use Valmont Prime Renewing Pack ($220).
I always do eye cream at night too—either Derm Institute Youth Alchemy Eye Serum ($250) or the same Valmont I use in the morning. I sometimes use SiO eye patches ($25) on my crow’s-feet region to minimize wrinkling. My feeling is: Don’t skimp on eye products or retinols. They’re always worth the investment. And sometimes I’ll finish with Sarah Happ Lip Slip balm ($28). It’s really hydrating and occlusive, which you need overnight.
I use a silk pillowcase from Slip ($85) at night as well as their hair ties ($39) to keep my hair in a topknot when I sleep. And I use a sleep mist ($25) on my pillowcase from Rituals at night. I like that sleep’s very hot right now—everybody’s into quality sleep, and that’s such an important part of our life. We used to act like, "I’ll sleep when I’m dead," but I think now we’re really respecting sleep and how important it is, and especially from a beauty perspective. If you can make it as lovely as possible, all the better.
My favorite candles and scents: $400
I love pretty much everything (candles and fragrance) in the Ellis Brooklyn line, and not just because my daughter’s name is Ellis! I’m a big sucker for their Rrose scent ($100)—it’s really interesting and pretty. I also love Le Labo’s Santal 26 candle ($65), and I like most of Hermès, Byredo, By Killian, Tom Ford, and Chanel scents. In the cold months I wear Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille ($235); my dad used to smoke a pipe when I was little girl, and so much of scent is linked to memory. It’s a warm, nice scent for me. And Sir John, who I adore, gave me Byredo Mohave Ghost, which is so good.
Instagram content
My every-so-often glow-boosting treatments and gadgets: $1,286
I love overnight masks, and I do them about once a week. While you're sleeping, your body's hydration rebalances. Your skin’s able to recover moisture while excess water in general in the body is processed for removal. I love Derm Institute’s antioxidant gel masks. It’s a great bargain at $120 for 20 masks. It sounds expensive, but that works out to only $6 a mask. Their serums are like $600—it’s the biggest bargain in the line. I’ll put one on when I’m on a plane. It sinks in, and you will look better when you get off the plane. If I’m not using that, I’ll do Elizabeth Arden’s Ceramide Overnight Firming Mask ($88).
I chemically exfoliate using Elizabeth Arden Skin Illuminating Retexturing Pads ($56) two or three times a week. They contain 5 percent glycolic acid, which eliminates dry, flaky, and dull skin. I have to keep my glow, and these pads help to reveal healthy top layer cells.
I also like the Conture Kinetic Toning Device ($299) for at-home use. You’re supposed to do it three to four minutes a day multiple times a week, but I will be honest, I use it 20 minutes a day once a week, when I’m in the car. I apply it all over my face, focusing around my eyes and smile lines. It has a multitude of benefits with over 250,000 hours of research behind it, and it helps my serums penetrate deeper into the layers of my skin. And I use Tria’s Age Defying Eye Wrinkle Correcting Laser ($249) three to five times a week. I like it because it’s one minute per eye per session. Quick and effective! I also use Nuface’s LED device ($325 for the device, plus $149 for the LED attachment) one or two times a week. I love LEDs for their anti-inflammatory benefits and collagen stimulation. In Europe they’re way ahead of us with LEDs; they always have them as part of their facials. I did a fellowship in lasers and am really a believer in the benefit of light. It’s got a subtle calming, anti-inflammatory effect, so it’s more for prevention and maintenance.
The dermatology treatments I test out in my office: free (but it would cost roughly $11,300 a year)
I’m constantly intrigued by the visual aspects of dermatology, and I was so lucky to match into the specialty. It’s such an incredible field, and I love that I’m in the unique position to help my patients feel better about how they look. I absolutely love what I do—every day.
I don’t shy away from in-office treatments that keep me feeling my best. Luckily, my position allows me to test the best products in the industry as well as help pioneer the latest technology. I don’t pay for procedures in my office, but I’ll let you know what they cost, roughly. I do CO2 fractionated laser resurfacing (Fraxel) every year to 18 months; that’s about $1,500 to $3,500 a treatment. I think it’s the best treatment you can do for overall improvement in your skin. I do it to help with collagen and elastin production and to treat fine lines and wrinkles. Although there’s downtime, I can have most people back to work and socializing in two days, and I really do think Fraxel is the best investment you can make for your skin. On the flip side, Clear and Brilliant is a treatment that I don’t think is worth the investment, given the price ($600 to $1000 each time), the need for multiple treatments, and the underwhelming results. I know so many girls who have wasted tons on it, and they could have paid half as much for Fraxel.
I like that the pendulum has swung back to people being tolerant of a little downtime, as long as the treatment you’re getting works. It doesn’t mean you have to look like a bloody Freddy Krueger mess for a month, but you may have a day or two where you recover. But the benefits are multitudes higher.
I also do Botox about three times a year, which usually costs about $300 to $400 per area (between the brows, forehead, and crow’s-feet). I get filler in my midface once every 12 to 18 months, which usually costs $1,100 to $1,500 per syringe. I’m a huge believer in injecting at the midface for your smile lines. I also do my lips maybe once every two years. Twice a year I also get IPL for hyperpigmentation and any redness or dilated blood vessels, which is about $650 to $800 per treatment. And I got EmSculpt for my abdominals after two babies, which costs $4,000 for four treatments.
Instagram content
My haircut and color: roughly $2,400 a year
I get my hair colored and trimmed—we call it a dusting—every eight to 10 weeks at Cutler Salon in SoHo. I’m very Samson-esque about the length of my hair. I’ve always been that way since I was a tiny girl, and if someone cuts off more than an inch, I freak. My colorist is Carly Missico. She is fantastic! She has a true eye for color and always has me feeling my best. It’s roughly $400 for cut, color, and sometimes an Olaplex treatment.
My other beauty treatments: about $7,860 a year
I go to Drybar or Glam and Go in Tribeca for blowouts about every other week, which is about $45. My hair’s not that oily, so I don’t have to wash it that often. For nails, I go to either JinSoon Spa or Tenoverten. Mani-pedis at both places are usually around $60, and I’ll go maybe every two weeks. Once a month I get a skin-tightening microcurrent facial (Bio-Lift) at Rescue Spa ($200). And I don’t wax (I had laser hair removal years ago—best ever!) or get my eyebrows done. I don’t know why I don’t get my brows done, honestly. I’m definitely a high-maintenance girl, but I guess where I grew up, we just learned how to do our own eyebrows?
My essential gym classes: about $5,343 a year
I’m one of those people where if I’m going to exercise, I want to really feel it. Once or twice a week, I go to SLT ($40 a class). It stands for strengthen, lengthen, tone, and it’s like Pilates on steroids. And then once or twice a week, I’ll go to one of my three favorite yoga studios, which I rotate through: CorePower Yoga, Lyons Den Power Yoga, or Y7 Yoga. They’re about $25 to $32 a class.
My grounding wellness musts: roughly $4,723 a year
I love infrared sauna treatments with chromotherapy. I do HigherDOSE infrared sauna, which is about $65 a session. I read a book a long time ago by Dr. Junger that talked about the benefits of infrared saunas, and it seemed a little New Agey, but was like, “I’ll try it.” There was only one place back then that had an infrared sauna, and the feeling of the spa was just kind of yucky. But then two people recently told me about HigherDOSE, and I really liked it. You feel really energized afterward, and you get the various skin benefits of LED while you’re in there too.
I also get acupuncture with Abdi Assadi once a month. That’s about $325 a session. Originally I went to him for fertility, and then I kept going—I love, love, love him. He’s amazing. I would go just to talk to him.
I also love to put magnesium oil ($20) on my skin—the brand I like is from the U.K. called BetterYou. I use it once daily, as well as magnesium salts ($22) in the bath. It’s not exactly the same thing as Epsom salts, which are magnesium sulfate. This is magnesium chloride, which is important for so many biochemical reactions in our body, and so many of us are inherently depleted now. It’s good for anxiety, better sleep, muscle relaxation, GI health—it’s just a great element that does a lot for you. And as far as your skin goes, magnesium helps with eczema, psoriasis, and acne. Baths are big for me. I love them and do a lot of my hair and face treatments during that time. It’s good to be in a space that reminds you to slow down.
