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A Guide to the Best Dermalogica Products
By Gabriella Buckner - 1 year ago | Updated
If a brand is not only loved by skincare professionals around the globe but was also founded by a skin therapist, it’s a clear sign to us lay people that it’s a brand we want in our skin routines.
The professional-grade products from California-based brand Dermalogica are part of their wider mission to ‘ensure healthy skin for all’, in tandem with the brand’s International Dermal Institute, which trains skin therapists worldwide.
Co-founder Jane Wurwand was inspired in 1986 to create a line of irritant-free products after the training estheticians in her institute pointed out the lack of such products. Now, Dermalogica is a leader in the skincare industry, with its wide variety of cleansers, treatments, moisturisers and more to improve skin health without causing irritation or breakouts.
Dermalogica’s ethics, sustainability and skin-safety
All of Dermalogica products are certified cruelty-free, recognised by PETA and Leaping Bunny, and are also gluten-free. They also don’t use artificial colours and fragrances, mineral oil, lanolin, parabens and microplastics.
All but three of their products are vegan-friendly (the Skin Perfect Primer SPF30, and MultiVitamin Power Serum), and the paper and cartons used for packaging Dermalogica products are FSC certified sustainably sourced.
Plus, they’ve got some exciting goals they’ll either meet or surpass by 2025, like having 90% of their ingredients sustainably sourced and using mostly recycled or plant-based material for their packaging.
What are the best Dermalogica products?
Discovering a new brand can be overwhelming, whether you’re a skincare guru or novice, but part of our mission is to make it easy to understand new products and incorporate them into your routine.
Here we’ve rounded up the very best Dermalogica products, broken down into the steps of a basic skincare routine (cleanser, toner, serum/treatment and moisturiser), with a few extras thrown in for the true skincare devotees.
STEP 1: CLEANSER
Our skin helps detoxify our bodies by excreting its toxins onto the surface, but this means that you need to prioritise cleansing to get rid of all those toxins before they cause breakouts and sensitivity. Not to mention all the makeup, pollution and skin oils that clings to our skin every day!
Plus, when you’ve got clean skin, it can better absorb all your lovely skincare products!
How to cleanse your skin the right way:
All of Dermalogica’s cleansers are acid balanced to your skin’s natural pH, plus they won’t strip your skin. The brand recommends using an oil-based cleanser first to get rid of all the gunk on your skin, and then using another one to target your individual concerns.
To make it super easy, they’ve even developed the Dermalogica Precleanse, an oil designed just for this first step of your double-cleanse routine!
Dermalogica Precleanse
£12.00 £15.00 (20% off)Pair this oil cleanser with one the below that best suits your skin’s needs.
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel
£11.20 £39.00 (72% off)The brand's best selling cleanser, which you can also get in a duo with the Precleanse here, is a soothing gel that contains balm mint, lavender and quillaja saponaria from the soap bark tree to gently wash away toxins, dirt and oil without stripping your skin.
Dermalogica Active Clay Cleanser
£5.99For oily and acne-prone skin, choose this kaolin clay and charcoal cleanser to absorb oil and impurities and balance out your complexion. You'll also benefit from botanical lipids, murumuru seed, aloe and broccoli extract, which purify and protect your skin.
Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser
£27.35 £37.17 (27% off)Perfect for all skin types, this cleanser conditions your skin whilst removing build-up and dead skin cells to give you a brighter, clearer complexion. Calendula extract soothes as jojoba oil nourishes.
STEP 2. EXFOLIANT
As you might’ve heard, a lot of physical exfoliants (scrubs) and the way we use them can potentially scratch your skin, so Dermalogica is all about chemical exfoliants to remove dead skin cells and give your face a fresh and healthy glow. Whereas brands like Paula's Choice now have leave-on exfoliants (they actually pioneered this category!), the ones from Dermalogica rinse off, so you'll want to incorporate them before you use any leave-on products.
Next to the Dermalogica Precleanse, the brand is probably most known for their microfoliant exfoliator, a powder-based product that foams up with water to give you totally glowing skin, but we’ve also included a few of our other favourites you might want to add to your regimen.
Just remember to ease into using new exfoliants so you don’t irritate your skin!
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
£13.99 £18.00 (23% off)Rice powder is the star of this moisturising product, working together with other natural ingredients to quickly remove dead skin cells and restore brightness to your dull skin. Suitable even for sensitive skin, this product (as the name suggests) can be used daily.
Dermalogica Daily Milkfoliant
£13.99 £18.00 (23% off)For a milkier version of the above cult favourite, try the Milkfoliant. Oat extract and coconut milk keep your skin hydrated whilst fruit-based AHAs and BHAs slough away dead skin cells for a polished complexion.
Dermalogica Rapid Reveal Peel
£76.39 £78.72 (3% off)Dermalogica's maximum-strength exfoliant is clinically proven to reduce fine lines for firmer, brighter skin, thanks to the unique blend of AHAs, plant enzymes, Australian caviar lime extract and rice bran extract. Whether you're trying to treat wrinkles, dark spots or dry patches, this serum delivers powerful results quickly.
STEP 3. TONER
A toner is the next step in your journey to fabulous skin. Here are a few of our favourite Dermalogica toners to get you started.
Dermalogica Multi Active Toner
£5.99Spritz on this light facial spray to enjoy the soothing benefits of lavender, balm mint and arnica. It'll calm red, sore or irritated skin with its fragrance-free formula, making it a great choice for anyone but especially those with sensitive skin.
Dermalogica Hyaluronic Ceramide Mist
£38.15 £49.00 (23% off)Also perfect for all skin types is this hydrating mist, enriched with hyaluronic acid and ceramides to strengthen your skin barrier, smooth fine lines and plump up your skin. There's also rose water to calm and refresh, which promises to leave you with a smooth, younger-looking complexion.
STEP 4. SERUM
Choose one of Dermalogica’s targeted treatments to personalise your routine, whether you’re trying to treat breakouts, wrinkles, dryness or any other skincare stressors.
Here are few bestsellers that (depending on your skin concerns, of course) will quickly become an indispensable part of your routine:
Dermalogica Biolumin C Serum
£75.00 £96.00 (22% off)The advanced bio-technology in this serum better delivers its vitamin C and palmitoyl tripeptide-5 into your skin, helping to minimise fine lines and brighten your skin. The serum is also enriched with lactic acid for cell turnover, salvia hispanica for hydration and sophora japonica flower for reducing oxidative stress.
Dermalogica AGE Bright Clearing Serum
£62.49 £75.00 (17% off)For age spots, breakouts and fine lines, this serum is a dream. Powered by Dermalogica's AGE Bright™ Complex, niacinamide, salicylic acid and shiitake mushrooms, the serum brightens up, plumps, hydrates and clears your complexion. We'll take two!
Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Serum
£59.99 £65.00 (8% off)Take your vitamins! This powerful anti-ageing serum replenishes your skin with a blend of vitamins A (retinol) and C, as well as vitamin E to reduce scarring. There's also protein peptides to boost collagen production in order to firm up your skin and smooth away fine lines.
STEP 5. MOISTURISER
Dermalogica offers moisturisers in all forms (oil, gel, cream) to suit different skin types and concerns, but the most popular moisturisers are their medium weight creams as they give your skin a blend of oil and water and suit many different skin types.
Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream
£13.35 £17.00 (22% off)A cult favourite you'll definitely want to try, the Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream penetrates deep into your skin to restore its moisture balance on a cellular level. You can expect plumper, firmer skin with fewer fine lines as well as protection from free radicals (which means reduced blemishes, spots and slower ageing). Perfect for all skin types but especially dry skin!
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50
£18.65 £24.00 (23% off)For the day time, you'll love this SPF 50 moisturiser that not only hydrates and plumps your skin, but delays the ageing process and reduces fine lines. Enjoy the anti-ageing benefits of antioxiant white tea, which is rich in polyphenols and polypeptides, as the cream blends smoothly over your skin.
Dermalogica Calm Water Gel
£9.99If your skin's suffering from dehydration, use this water gel formula with dual hyaluronic acid technology, apple fruit extract and glycerin. It deeply nourishes the skin and locks in moisture, whilst cactus pear extract soothes your complexion.
BONUS SKINCARE STEPS!
DERMALOGICA FACE MASKS
Both a treat for your skin and your mind as you take some time for yourself and relax, face masks are the ultimate pamper product. Like serums, they give you an extra dose of whatever your skin needs.
Use one of these Dermalogica masks a few times a week to reveal clear and radiant skin.
Dermalogica Age Smart Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque
£14.40 £18.00 (20% off)A cocktail of vitamins A, C, E and F, as well as panthenol and oat kernel, revitalise your skin's elasticity and hydration in this powerful mask. You'll also find liquorice, burdock and comfrey for decreasing skin sensitivity and algae for softening and moisturising. Get ready for youthful, supple skin!
Dermalogica Melting Moisture Masque
£56.65 £65.00 (13% off)Ideal for dry skin, this moisturising leave-on mask melts into your skin for the ultimate hydrating experience. Microalgae and vitamin E shield your skin from pollution and its drying effects whilst linoleic acid keeps you nourished.
BODY CARE
Don’t neglect your body when you’re taking such great care of your face!
Here are a few best selling Dermalogica body therapy products your skin will thank you for.
Dermalogica Thermafoliant Body Scrub
£30.40 £40.00 (24% off)Get rid of the dead skin cells that are making your skin look dull with this body exfoliator. Indian bamboo stem refines texture and tone as papain and lactic acid promote your skin's natural cell renewal process. You'll also enjoy the invigorating fragrance of grapefruit peel and tea tree extract as they refresh your skin.
Discover more great body scrubs in our roundup of our ten favourite here.
Dermalogica Body Glow To Go
£25.00 £26.75 (7% off)Just like moisturising after you cleanse your face, you'll need a lovely moisturising oil after showering and using your scrub. This body oil boasts a calming scent of bergamot, neroli and orange as well as a nourishing blend of avocado, sunflower and French plum seed oil and vitamin E.
We hope we've whet your appetite for professional-grade skincare and inspired you to incorporate some of these lovely goodies into your routine.
For more high-quality products to take your skin to the next level, we recommend checking out our Emma Hardie Skincare Guide for Beginnersas well as our Beginner's Guide to Paula's Choice.
Written by Gabriella Buckner
Gabriella is a junior content writer with a background in creative writing, content marketing and journalism. She’s passionate about all things makeup and skincare, but especially vegan and cruelty-free beauty that is effective and inexpensive.
