Dermatologist-Founded Skin Care Is The New Frontier Of Drugstore Beauty

Dr. Dennis Gross, Dr. Brandt, and Dr. Loretta are just a few names that come to mind when you think about dermatologist-founded skin care lines. These board-certified derms (as well as Dr. Obagi, Dr. Macrene Alexaides, and Dr. Zenovia... the list goes on) are among a growing class of practitioners who have taken their skin-care know-how and turned it into OTC formulas, giving consumers a chance to experience results comparable to what patients get in their offices.

The catch: These products will cost you. A pack of Dr. Gross’ famous peel pads will set you back $92 for a one-month supply, and you can’t get your hands on one of Dr. Brandt’s or Dr. Loretta’s namesake serums for less than $70.

These days, though — thanks in large part to the rise of #dermfluencers on TikTok and Instagram — their expertise has come into the spotlight. Not only are they teaching the masses about skin health and active ingredients, but they’re also giving them the tools they need to elevate their routine. Their popularity has paved the way for derm-founded brands to make their way to the drugstore aisle, to the benefit of everyone’s skin — and wallets.

The Rise Of Derm-Founded Drugstore Skin Care

Dermatologists have long had their hands in drugstore products. Most major beauty brands — like L’Oréal, Unilever (the parent company behind Dove and Vaseline), and Olay — consult with derms on the development of their formulas. Until recently, however, their work largely has been behind the scenes.

What started with luxury brands like Pillowtalk Derm (a discoloration-focused line founded by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss, M.D., who has 720,000 Instagram followers), JORI (an acne-care range started by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner, M.D., who has 64,000 Instagram followers), and Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty (from board-certified dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe, M.D., who coined the viral concept of “skin cycling” and has more than 1 million followers on TikTok), has now trickled down to the drugstore.

“While there are certainly budget-friendly, dermatologist-approved brands that you can find at the drugstore, these lines may not be formulated or developed by a dermatologist — rather, tested or approved by one,” says Dr. Ryan Turner, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and cofounder of TRNR Skin, which launched in November. “I felt strongly that there needed to be another option — one that bridges the gap between more basic, affordable skin care and highly clinical, expensive products.” And he isn’t the only one.

Expensive Doesn’t Always Mean Better

Considering that Cerave — which doesn’t sell a single product for more than $35 — has long held the title of “number one dermatologist-recommended skin care brand,” derms have known for a long time that a high price point doesn’t necessarily mean better efficacy. “There exists a point where the cost of skin care has diminishing returns,” says Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose, M.D., FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Skincare Junkie, another more accessible product line that has exfoliating peel pads that cost $38. “It’s just not necessary to spend over $300 on a face moisturizer.”

While things like fancy packaging, luxurious fragrance, and rare ingredient sourcing tend to jack up product prices, dermatologists know that these bells and whistles aren’t necessary when it comes to making a topical that works — which is why they’ve been able to craft effective formulas to tackle some of the common issues their patients face and make them available at drugstore prices. Prequel, for instance, offers skin care essentials that all cost less than $22, while TRNR’s will run you less than $55.

“It's just not necessary to spend over $300 on a face moisturizer.”

“We’ve seen brands like The Ordinary and INKEY List create highly targeted products with specific ingredients at affordable prices,” says Turner. “[Consumers] know that they shouldn’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a product to get results, and that a formula doesn’t need to contain dozens of ingredients that they can’t pronounce to be effective.”

With these driving forces, it makes sense that these derms expect to see more to come from their peers in the affordable skin care space. “The change in the industry is fueled by a recognition that accessibility and quality need not be mutually exclusive,” says Rose. “I believe this trend will continue as consumers seek value without compromising results.”

Shop Buzzy Derm-Founded Lines

1. Prequel

Prequel is a line that’s focused on barrier health — aka fortifying your skin’s protective outer layer and one of the buzziest terms in the beauty world these days — and launched in July with three products: a non-drying glycerin-based cleanser for the face and body; the Skin Utility Ointment, packed with petrolatum to seal moisture into the skin and protect against environmental stressors; and a urea repair moisturizer that combines 10% pure urea with shea butter, glycerin, and niacinamide for deep hydration from head to toe.

The brand has since introduced a calming hypochlorous acid spray and a barrier protectant cream — and all the products are $22 or less.

2. Skincare Junkie

In early October, Rose launched Skincare Junkie, a line with formulas created specifically for sensitive skin. There’s the Megadose Super Antioxidant Face Moisturizer, a vitamin C-based product that doesn’t exacerbate breakouts; a gentle gel cleanser powered by ceramides; and a set of antioxidant-rich, PHA-powered exfoliating pads.

3. TRNR

TRNR launched in early November with a glycolic gel cleanser, niacinamide serum, and prebiotic moisturizer. What sets these products apart from others on the market is the way they marry Western skin science with ingredients from Amazonian, Ayurvedic, and Traditional Chinese Medicine practices — think copaiba oil, bakuchiol, and reishi mushroom.

Experts:

Dr. Ryan Turner, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and cofounder of TRNR Skin

Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose, M.D., FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Skincare Junkie