There's so much clutter in the skin care space that it can be tough to know which brands to trust. An easy cheat? Beeline straight for dermatologist-created skin care brands. After all, there's no replacing medical school. And while the country's most in-demand doctors might be out of reach for most of us, we can all get our hands on their expertly-researched skin care products.
One important caveat: Not all skin care brands that have the word "doctor" in their name are actually created by dermatologists... You might, for example, assume that Dr. Barbara Sturm, founder of the eponymous skincare line, is a dermatologist. While she bills herself as an "internationally renowned specialist in aesthetic medicine," she wrote her doctorate in the field of orthopedics — meaning she's not a dermatologist in the slightest. (That's not to say that her line isn't great; it's just somewhat deceivingly marketed.)
Click through our slideshow for a look at the best doctor-driven skin care brands... all of whom have their MD in the field of dermatology, by the way.
Image via Imaxtree
Dr. Dennis Gross
Dr. Dennis Gross products are the gold standard in skin care. His revolutionary product (not an overstatement), the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel, $88, are a true gamechanger — and one of the few products that gives results after a single use. To this day, they remain the only at-home peel that truly mimics an in-office peel with a two-step system.
But that's not all: Dr. Gross, who spent years doing extensive skin cancer research, is constantly coming out with new products, all of which are backed by research. You can count on his line to do everything from the basics like hydrate your skin to the more complex like help fight dark spots and acne.
Lancer Skincare
Founded by Dr. Harold Lancer, Lancer Skincare is beloved by a long list of celebrities ranging from Ellen DeGeneres to Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé, and Victoria Beckham. For years, his products were only available in-office to his clients, but they're now available at a long list of retailers, including Sephora and Nordstrom. He is best known for his anti-aging products, such as the popular Lancer Skincare Advanced Retinol Treatment, $95.
Murad
Founder Dr. Howard Murad is not only a dermatologist, but a trained pharmacist and an expert in nutrition. To that end he has written a number of books. Despite decades in the business, he is still actively involved in his growing skin care brand, which has seen a major boom with its online sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to staple moisturizers and cleansers, Dr. Murad is known for innovation, like the brand's cult-fave Murad Clarifying Body Spray, $44.
MDSolarSciences
As a dermatologic oncologist and a clinical professor at the NYU School of Medicine, Dr. Robert J. Friedman has long known firsthand the importance of wearing sunscreen daily and year-round. He was constantly hearing complaints about SPF products on the market being too heavy, pore clogging, and filled with irritants, and he knew there had to be a better way — so he set out to create it with MDSolarSciences, which makes a growing number of fast-absorbing, non-sticky, non-chalky sun protecting products.
Image via @mdsolarsciences
