Kim Kardashian and Hailey Bieber’s Esthetician Shares Her Surprisingly Simple Skin Care Regimen
If anyone knows skin care like the back of their hand, it’s Joanna Czech. With nearly 40 years of experience in the beauty industry, the master esthetician has built an illustrious following—think A-listers like Jennifer Aniston, Kim Kardashian, and Hailey Bieber—thanks to her cutting-edge facial treatments and holistic approach to achieving a healthy, radiant complexion.
In addition to launching her eponymous skin care line in 2021, Czech has opened spas in New York, Dallas, and L.A., and collaborated with several luxury brands over the years, such as Chanel, Biologique Recherche, and, most recently, Swiss Perfection.
I caught up with Czech to uncover her top summer skin care hacks—including her daily routine, after-sun solutions, and travel essentials for maintaining a balanced glow. Below, she shares with us her expert tips and favorite products, including, naturally, a few from her own collection.
Summer A.M. RoutineStep 1: ExfoliateConsider some mild exfoliation before and after your morning rinse. Start with dry brushing, then follow with a scrub in the shower to help minimize sensitivity. My favorite is from Reflekt—it’s technically an exfoliating face wash, but since it’s not very abrasive, I also like to use it on my body when I’ve gotten a little too much sun. It comes in a substantial tube, and the formula softly melts when mixed with water. You can use it on your complexion up to twice a week—it’s that gentle.
While nighttime is for treating the skin, daytime is typically about protection. Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow your skin’s enzymes to become non-reactive to UVA and UVB rays. I personally prefer mild chemical sunscreens over mineral alternatives, which can leave behind a white cast. (My all-time favorite is Chuda’s SPF 30.) And, of course, prep your skin with a pH-controlling toner and a day cream or essence if you prefer something lighter.
Don’t forget your neck, hands, and ears. These areas have a reduced lipidic layer and are more reactive—especially with sun exposure. The upper chest and tip of the forehead are also often overlooked, so make sure to apply sunscreen there as well.
No matter what level of SPF you use, hyperpigmentation will still resurface—often deeper and more patchy—if you’re prone to it and are spending a lot of time outdoors. I recommend my own cream, which contains a tetrapeptide defense complex to help protect the skin from heat-induced hyperpigmentation.
You’ll want to start with something that really breaks through all the SPF we’re wearing this time of year. I love Swiss Perfection’s Cleansing Oil, followed by their Purifying Gel to remove residue and refresh. It helps clear pores without leaving skin feeling tight or uncomfortable. Plus, it smells like a sexy Swiss man—though the scent doesn’t linger once applied.
Next, you’ll want to balance your skin’s pH to a level between 5.5 and 5.9. No product will work properly if your lipidic layer is disrupted, which often leads to transepidermal water loss and inflammation. My two favorite products for restoring pH are my toner and Swiss Perfection’s Balancing Water, both of which have a pH of 5.5. You can also use either throughout the day to soothe and rehydrate the skin.
We’re often scared of vitamin A in the summer because of stronger forms like tretinoin and retinol, but using retinyl during this time can actually strengthen your skin. I love Environ’s line from Cape Town, South Africa. (Cape Town is the closest city to the equator and gets some of the strongest sunlight in the world, so I really trust the brand’s products.) They offer five different levels, depending on your skin’s tolerance. Retinyl converts on the skin to retinal and then to retinoic acid, which speeds up cell turnover. Whatever retinoic acid isn’t used converts back into retinyl. That reserve stays in the skin and creates the equivalent of SPF 20. In my opinion, you can—and should—use retinyl day or night, in any season, to help keep skin looking youthful.
We typically lose about 20 to 30 percent of our skin’s hydration while we sleep, so I recommend finishing with a rich cream to lock in moisture. For the body, after your nighttime shower—because don’t bring the streets to the sheets—I love Biologique’s MSRH cream and the Cream Extraordinary by MBR. I also love using Environ’s Derma-Lac Lotion followed by its Vitamin A, C, E Body Oil Forte to gently exfoliate and nourish.
If you’re going in the water, bring face wipes to remove chlorine and salt. Mine contain rosemary extract, which can help drain fluid from the tissue if you get sunburned, and they come in packs of 10 so they never dry out. (Pro tip: Keep them in the fridge the night before to maximize the de-puffing benefits.) Next, I like to spritz on balancing water and reapply moisturizer and sunscreen every two hours.
I also advise using cooling sheet masks, like Bioeffect’s Hydrogel Masks, or my own soothing serum after sun exposure. It features vaso-constrictive pepper berry extract to help reduce swelling, alongside calming, nourishing allantoin. Herbitual’s Atopic Skin Defense Cream—designed for eczema by Chinese doctor Pete White—is also great for soothing sunburns and even mosquito bites.
For travel, make sure you have your face wipes and balancing toner, plus a vitamin C serum to protect against pollution and a rich cream to seal it all in. (I personally suggest my own Vitamin C+ Serum, which is a super antioxidant, and Swiss Perfection’s Vitamin Cream.) If you have to head to an important meeting right after you land, prep with vitamin C and a thin layer of cream—they work beautifully as makeup primer.
When I was creating my line, we studied how much moisture skin loses in-flight. That’s why I always recommend products—like my soothing serum—that use acetylated hyaluronic acid, which penetrates deeply and helps maintain optimal hydration.
Nobody should skip their regular treatments, but it’s best to avoid dramatic or aggressive ones in the summer, since we tend to spend more time outdoors. I know people often book them because kids are out of school, but healing in high temperatures isn’t ideal—your body’s using energy to cool down, which slows recovery.
And don’t get me started on trends. No matter the season, less is more. If your routine exceeds five steps, chances are the rest aren’t working—you’re layering too much. If you want variety because your skin is dehydrated or hyper-pigmented, alternate your serums—but don’t pack everything on at once.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
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