In the March 2012 edition of Allure Magazine, Brooke Le Poer Trench goes behind the label to give us the background of the most popular skin-care lines with a doctor’s name on the bottle.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare
The Backstory: For years, Dennis Gross, a New York City dermatologist and skin-cancer researcher, mixed gentle anti-aging treatments for his patients to us between visits. In 2002, he bottled the most popular ones.
The Line: Gross is known for innovation. For example, “he took the in-office glycolic peel – which is effective but so irritating – and formulated a two-step at-home peel that most people could tolerate,” says cosmetic chemist Ni’Kita Wilson.
The Standout: Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Extra Strength Alpha Beta® Peel is “still the best over-the-counter peel because it’s the strongest, yet doesn’t irritate,” says dermatologist Doris Day. This fast-acting formula speeds up cell turnover, smoothes wrinkles, and minimizes pores (the original version is mild, for sensitive skin).
In the Memphis area, you can find this product at Sephora – Wolfchase, 2760 N. Germantown Parkway.
Dr. Brandt
The Backstory: New York City and Miami dermatologist Fredric Brandt was in medical school, specializing in leukemia research, when he found that natural antioxidants could fight free-radical damage in skin.
The Line: “Now everyone formulates with antioxidants, but Brandt’s skin-care line was ahead of its time,” says Wilson. He later developed products based on in-office procedures, such as Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion. (Note: This is one of Madonna’s favorite products!)
The Standout: Dr. Brandt Pores No More® Vacuum Cleaner Blackhead Extractor is an Allure Best of Beauty-winning mask that truly reduces clogged pores. (Note: During the Dr. Brandt training at Sephora, the Brandt rep asked for a volunteer from the audience to receive a half-face application of their Time Arrest® Laser Tight® firming lotion. We watched the treated side of the volunteers face get tight right before our eyes. The volunteer turned around to see herself and screamed! The trainer immediately put more lotion on the other side of her face and we watched as that side also firmed up. I believe all of us in that training bought this product that same afternoon!)
In the Memphis area, Sephora stores are located at The Avenue Carriage Crossing Mall in Collierville; Centennial Commons store inside J.C. Penney on Winchester; and inside the Wolfchase Galleria Mall on Germantown Parkway.
DermaDoctor
The Backstory: Dermatologist Audrey G. Kunin noticed patients were researching skin conditions online – and getting misinformation. So in 1998, she set up dermadoctor.com to answer questions and distribute established products. A year later, she launched her own line. (Note: This is a great website for looking up ingredients and conditions.)
The Line: Kunin’s products address specific problems. “She helped women treat overlooked issues, like keratosis pilaris (tiny red bumps that appear on the arms) and facial hair,” says Wilson.
The Standout: DERMADoctor® KP Duty Dermatologist Moisturizing Therapy helps treat keratosis pilaris. “Urea and Dimethicone help the skin retain moisture, and glycolic acid sloughs away dead cells,” says Wilson. (Note: This line was a big seller at Sephora. DermaDoctor’s glycolic facial cleanser has 12%, 15% and 20% buffered glycolic acid; the Glycolic acid salt helps buffer cleanser pH making it less irritating than traditional AHA-based cleansers.)
In the Memphis area, this product can be found at Sephora and Ulta. In the Memphis area, Sephora stores are located at The Avenue Carriage Crossing Mall in Collierville; Centennial Commons store inside J.C. Penney on Winchester; and inside the Wolfchase Galleria Mall on Germantown Parkway. Ulta is located on Germantown Parkway in the Countrywood Crossing shopping center and in the Centennial Commons shopping center on Winchester.
Murad
The Backstory: Howard Murad, a dermatologist and pharmacist, has spent 30 years researching the connection between appearance and internal health.
The Line: Murad was one of the first to formulate products with AHAs, vitamin C, and pomegranate. “He was a real pioneer when it came to using AHAs,” says dermatologist Howard Sobel.
The Standout: Each single use packet of Murad® Pomegranate Exfoliation Mask leaves combination skin refined and refreshed with a blend of fruit enzymes and AHAs. (Note: While checking out the Murad line, check out their daily vitamins. While working for Sephora, a chemist told me that Murad’s vitamins were better than any she had ever tested!)
In the Memphis area, this product can be found at Sephora and Ulta. In the Memphis area, Sephora stores are located at The Avenue Carriage Crossing Mall in Collierville; Centennial Commons store inside J.C. Penney on Winchester; and inside the Wolfchase Galleria Mall on Germantown Parkway. Ulta is located on Germantown Parkway in the Countrywood Crossing shopping center and in the Centennial Commons shopping center on Winchester.
DDF®(Doctor’s Dermatologic Formula)
The Backstory: Dermatologist Howard Sobel was an early proponent of combining traditional dermatology with emerging cosmetic procedures, such as lipo and injectables.
The Line: Sobel didn’t agree with the traditional skin-care mantra of cleanse, tone, moisturize, so he developed how own: cleanse, protect, treat, and moisturize. His goal: to make sunscreen a daily habit and find natural extracts that deliver results. Sobel was also one of the first to blend sunscreens with antioxidants.
The Standout: The DDF Sulfur Therapeutic Mask is “an effective, soothing treatment, especially for people with rosacea and acne-prone skin,” says Day. It absorbs oil and clears blemishes with sulfur, eucalyptus oil, and kaolin clay. (Dermatologist Sobel developed and founded DDF and sold it to Procter & Gamble in 2007. This made vast research and development available that other small skin-care lines don’t have. He remains a consultant to the line.)
In the Memphis area, this product can be found at Sephora and Ulta. In the Memphis area, Sephora stores are located at The Avenue Carriage Crossing Mall in Collierville; Centennial Commons store inside J.C. Penney on Winchester; and inside the Wolfchase Galleria Mall on Germantown Parkway. Ulta is located on Germantown Parkway in the Countrywood Crossing shopping center and in the Centennial Commons shopping center on Winchester.
Patricia Wexler M.D.
The Backstory: Famous for her expertise with fat injections, Patricia Wexler is the New York City dermatologist behind many Grammy- and Oscar-winning faces.
The Line: Wexler had consulted on several big skin-care lines when Bath & Body Works asked her to create her own. She based it on a new ingredient that blocks collagen-degrading enzymes (called MMPs), becoming the first to use MMP inhibitors in an anti-aging system.
The Standout: Patricia Wexler M.D. Intensive Retinol Eye Treatment with MMPi-20. “Retinol can be irritating around the eyes, but the anti-inflammatories and moisturizer in this formula prevent redness and drying,” says Wilson.
In the Memphis area, this product can be found at Bath & Body Works. The three locations in Memphis are the Oak Court Mall, the Wolfchase Galleria Mall and the Avenue at Carriage Crossing Mall.
Super by Dr Nicholas Perricone
The Backstory: Nicholas V. Perricone first linked inflammation with aging in the ‘80s, then went on to create topical anti-inflammatories to address wrinkles, sagging, and acne.
The Line: Perricone’s first line, now called Perricone MD, launched in 1997 with three anti-inflammatory ingredients: vitamin C ester, alpha lipoic acid, and DMAE. In 2010, he introduced Super, a line that utilizes antioxidants from foods such as açai and ginger to fight free radicals and reduce inflammation.
The Standout: Super by Dr Nicholas Perricone Moisturizing Activator boosts the efficacy of other products by exfoliation with glycolic acid and hydrating with ceramides and oat proteins – increasing the penetration of the active ingredients that follow.
You can find both of the Perricone lines at Sephora. In the Memphis area, Sephora stores are located at The Avenue Carriage Crossing Mall in Collierville; Centennial Commons store inside J.C. Penney on Winchester; and inside the Wolfchase Galleria Mall on Germantown Parkway.
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