August 5, 2026 · 4 min read
Skincare Routines: How the Clinic Chooses Between Alastin, ZO Skin Health, and Skinbetter Science
Dispensed skincare is matched after a skin consultation, not picked off a shelf. How the three lines the clinic carries differ in how they are built.
Why dispensed skincare is different
Dispensed skincare means products sold through a medical practice rather than a store. The formulas tend to use higher concentrations of active ingredients, and the lines are built to be used before and after in-office procedures. That is also why they are sold through clinics: someone should be matching them to your skin and your treatment plan. At Olivo Med Spa, no product is recommended before a skin consultation, and the routine is built around the fewest products that do the job.
The skin consultation
The consultation starts with what you are using now. Bring the bottles or a list. Dr. Olivo or the esthetician looks at your skin under good light, asks about sensitivity, breakouts, pigment, dryness, and sun habits, and asks what you are trying to change. They also account for any treatment you have planned, since a peel, resurfacing, or laser hair removal changes what your skin can tolerate in the weeks around it. From there they build a morning and evening routine, usually a cleanser, a treatment step, a moisturizer if needed, and sunscreen. Products are introduced one at a time so you can tell what is helping.
The three lines the clinic carries
Olivo Med Spa carries Alastin, ZO Skin Health, and Skinbetter Science. Each line has a character. Alastin is known for products designed around procedures, with formulas intended for use before and after treatments such as resurfacing and injectables. ZO Skin Health is a structured, protocol-based line developed by a dermatologist, with programs that move skin through phases and include stronger prescription-strength steps for those who need them. Skinbetter Science focuses on a small number of multitasking products, including retinoid and antioxidant formulations, with an emphasis on simplicity. None of these descriptions is a claim about what a product will do for you. They describe how each line is built, which is what guides the match.
How the match is made
Someone preparing for a CO2 treatment may be started on Alastin in the weeks before. Someone with stubborn pigment and a willingness to follow a strict program may be a ZO Skin Health candidate. Someone who wants two or three products and no fuss often lands with Skinbetter Science. Many routines mix lines. The team also says when a product you already own is fine and does not need replacing. Routines are reviewed at follow-up visits and adjusted with the seasons, since Chicago winters and summers ask different things of the skin. Candidacy and product choices are set at the consultation. Individual results vary.
Reviewed by the clinical team at Olivo Med Spa. Educational content, not medical advice. Candidacy and expectations are set at consultation.
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