When it comes to achieving your skin and wellness goals, knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. With social media trends, new treatments, and endless product brands, options have increased drastically in the last ten years. As we approach the new year, many of us will set goals centered around skincare and wellness, but without the right foundation, those goals can quickly fall apart.
We sat down with Halei Stebbins, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, Aesthetics at Apex Skin in Medina, Ohio, to get her expert guidance on how to kickstart your 2026 skincare goals the right way.
When asked about the biggest mistake she sees patients make, Stebbins didn’t hesitate: “A big mistake is following TikTok trends. That’s a big one for me. Don’t do it. Just listen to your clinical provider.”
Take the slugging trend, for example, a viral skincare hack that has people coating their faces in petroleum jelly to look like slugs.
“Why is slugging a thing? Why are we slugging? Why do we want to look like a slug?” Stebbins asked, genuinely puzzled by the trend’s popularity.
The problem with TikTok trends is that they’re not personalized to your unique skin type, concerns, or needs. Your skin deserves clinical guidance tailored specifically to you.
For evidence-based skincare guidance, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends consulting with a board-certified dermatologist rather than following viral trends.
When patients walk through the doors at Apex Skin, they typically fall into one of two categories.
“Goals and challenges that I’m usually presented with are either very specific or very vague,” Stebbins explained. “It could be: hey, I want this specific wrinkle addressed. Or: hey, I don’t know what to do, where do I start?”
For patients feeling overwhelmed, Stebbins uses the mirror test: “I’m going to hand them a mirror and say: where do your eyes go first? What is bothering you the most? We start there.”
During your consultation, Stebbins spends 45 minutes to a full hour discussing every concern and explaining all available treatment options.
“You don’t have to do it all at one time. You don’t have to do it all, ever. But at least you will know what your options are and what your tailored plan will be.”
Stebbins uses what she calls a “pyramid approach” to skincare and aesthetic treatments, starting with the foundation and building up strategically.
“I work on a pyramid, starting with the very base of everything: skincare,” she explained.
Before jumping into professional treatments, Stebbins focuses on what you’re doing at home.
“What are you doing at home to secure your investment? I’m only going to see you maybe once a month. What are you doing the rest of the 28 or 29 days at home?”
The two non-negotiables at the base:
“At very, very minimum,” Stebbins stressed, these basics protect your skin and secure the investment you’re making in professional treatments. Before starting aesthetic treatments, she recommends seeing your dermatologist to ensure optimal skin health.
Once you’ve established the basics, Stebbins creates a highly specific plan.
“I will email you exact products that I want you to use, exactly how much I want you to use, what order to put them in, and then we will do a follow-up,” she shared. “Let’s see how you’re doing and how your skin’s responding. Then we can tailor the plan: what’s our next step toward your concern?”
The pyramid approach allows her to systematically address your specific concerns whether that’s pigment control, fine lines and wrinkles, texture issues, or acne.
Once your at-home foundation is solid, Stebbins introduces professional treatments like chemical peels, facials, and microneedling.
“When you are coming to me, that tells me you are ready for a change,” Stebbins explained.
“Over-the-counter products are meant to be gentle. They don’t penetrate down to the cellular level. That’s what our professional treatments are for.”
The third level includes Botox, Dysport, and dermal fillers treatments that address specific concerns like dynamic wrinkles and volume loss.
At the top of the pyramid are advanced treatments like laser resurfacing and CO2 treatments for comprehensive skin transformation.
“I start with the very base of that pyramid and then work my way up to try to do least invasive first to most invasive,” Stebbins said.
One of the most common misconceptions Stebbins encounters involves Botox and wrinkles.
“A big misconception is: if you have a wrinkle that is there all the time whether you’re moving your face or not it might soften that wrinkle, but it’s not getting rid of that wrinkle.”
Dynamic Wrinkles:
Static Wrinkles:
Rather than relying on a single treatment, Stebbins advocates for a comprehensive approach.
“I’m a laser lover. I love laser resurfacing, I love collagen stimulation, I love triggering that inflammatory response to get you your best results. So let’s target the dynamic line with the botox, and then let’s target the static line with lasers.”
Building great skin isn’t about quick fixes, viral trends, or doing everything at once. It’s about starting with a solid foundation and progressively building from there.
The habits you build now, the consultation you book today, and the treatment plan you create this month will determine your skin health for all of 2026.
Ready to get started? Book your consultation with Halei Stebbins, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC at Apex Skin in Medina, Ohio.
Ready to get started? Book your consultation with Halei Stebbins, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC at Apex Skin in Medina, Ohio.
Check out part 1 of Your 2026 Glow Guide: Is Body Contouring Right for Your Goals? where we dive deep into body contouring, CoolSculpting, and comprehensive wellness.
Halei Stebbins is a Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner specializing in Aesthetic Medicine. Originally from Louisiana, her career took her to Houston for a year before she and her family ultimately settled in Ohio, where they’ve made their home. Halei earned her BSN from Northwestern State University in 2013 and went on to complete her MSN with a focus on Family Practice at Chamberlain University in 2020.