In this Dermalogica Review we will explain to you what is Dermalogica, how does it work, what are its ingredients, side effects, show you real customers reviews, give you prices & recommend best alternative.
The starting place for many people’s research is to read Dermalogica reviews.
Many of these reviews aren’t meaningful or truthful in my opinion, and the implication that they are specifically designed professional dermatology products can be subliminally misleading.
So what’s the truth around Dermalogica?
Is it a miracle skincare product or yet another set of baseless marketing claims?
So What Is Special About Dermalogica Skin Care?
Well when you visit their website, you see that the company states their products are “developed by the International Dermal Institute” which all sounds very impressive, and again implies specialist dermatologists.
The problem is that if you read the Wikipedia page on this organization, it quickly becomes evident that is funded by, you guessed it, Dermalogica!
You can only buy their extensive range of products through a select group of specialist online retailers, or Dermalogica online.
The company specifically has a page on their website warning against buying from unauthorized retailers, which includes Amazon and eBay.
They also try and get you to visit a Dermalogica Skin Center where you can have something called face mapping done.
Once they have done a “diagnosis”a specialist will recommend the products you need.
All sounds absolutely wonderful does on it.
The problem is that the specialists at the skin centers are trained by Dermalogica and although they ask that you are already a qualified skin specialist, is actually no evidence that it is checked for validity.
The company claim that you need to have your skin checked out in the same way you need your teeth looked at regularly.
This is blatant rubbish.
And making it worse you can’t find a list of ingredients easily, the products are restricted from general sale, they attempt to push you through a center where you can be hard sold to and panicked about the state of your skin, and there was no research I can find online which backs up any of the claims.
So what is special about products such as Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream?
After extensive inquiries I have absolutely no idea to be honest.
Dermalogica Best Selling Products
This brand specializes in virtually any kind of skin care product – no matter what condition the customer suffers from, and the brand has products that can help them treat the condition effectively and quickly.
These are some of the most popular products from the Dermalogica brand:
Special Cleansing Gel
An affordable facial cleanser that helps to purify the skin and get rid of dead skin cells, dirt, and other impurities that have collected on the skin.
This is a non-drying cleanser and will also not make the skin oily.
Intensive Moisture Balance
The perfect product to help boost both moisture and hydration of the skin.
This product is rich in humectants, phytonutrients, and skin-healthy vitamins to help improve skin health and moisturize at the same time.
Intensive Eye Repair Cream
An effective, yet affordable option for getting rid of crow’s feet, wrinkles that surround the eyes, and bags underneath the eyes.
Do Dermalogica Products Work?
I searched online for several of the key products this company sells:
- Dermalogica Barrier Repair
- Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash
- Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser
- Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant
- Dermalogica Superrich Repair
- Dermalogica Age Smart
Generally the Dermalogica facial products do receive positive reviews.
There are quite a few blogs being positive reviews so you have to take them seriously, because there doesn’t seem to be any way they can be making money from the review because of the way that this company’s products are sold.
But the bottom line here is that you don’t know if this is product specific, or if people would get the same positive results from buying products half the price.
Dermalogica Side Effects
Most individuals who have purchased products from this brand in the past only had good comments to deliver, making it relatively difficult for us to determine if new customers should be wary of any potential side-effects that may be caused by these products.
There were a few complaints that we noticed, which makes it obvious that a small number of individuals could still experience side effects.
The most common complaints were related to breakouts after applying certain products from the Dermalogica brand.
Even though some users experienced breakouts, it should be noted that the acne products from the brand were not responsible for these breakouts.
Individuals with acne prone skin are advised to carefully consider the products they use on their skin – choosing the wrong product can lead to a breakout.
Is Dermalogica A Scam?
By considering the fact that the products offered by this particular brand is not only sold on their official website, but also on Amazon and at many other retailers, as well as considering the fact that thousands of people have left positive comments on their product listings, it is quite easy to see that this is not a scam.
The brand offers real products made by highly experienced dermatologists to assist with many different skin-related ailments.
Customers can buy from this brand with the confidence of knowing that will not be falling for a scam.
Those who are wary of buying items on the internet can visit a local beauty supply store or even their local Walmart to buy this brand’s products in person.
Dermalogica Results, Reviews & Complaints
It’s really difficult to verify how genuine reviews and dermalogica before and after photos are.
The problem is that because the product sales are tightly managed and sold through centers there are not a lot of product reviews online.
This is made even worse by the fact that you can’t buy the products officially from general stores like Amazon and eBay.
And the stores you can buy them through could simply be vetting the reviews or making them up.
However, the products are actually widely available on Amazon.
I can only assume that some of the official retailers and beauty specialists out there are selling them unofficially on Amazon and eBay to make extra money.
I guess if you are selling products through your physical premises you are not going to have that high turnover, but you could have a lot of stock sitting there.
So it would make sense to some people to sell it unofficially online because how would Dermalogica find out?
What worries me is that the Amazon reviews are obviously under assault from what I would guess our people with vested interests.
On many of the products there was a large percentage of the reviews on Amazon claiming that the product they received was fake, broken or out of date.
Thereby throwing doubt on if you should buy the product from Amazon.
On top of that, a lot of the positive and negative reviews mention you get better service going to a center, or mention Dermalogica, like this review:
“My daughter prescribed this while doing her Dermlogica training. I came in to the school for her to practice on, and she recommended it.”
I mean, come on, who uses the word “prescribed” to talk about skin cream?
And what about this one, which just seems too good to be true:
“I’ve been enjoying Dermalogica products for a while now. I use their pre cleanser, cleanser and moisturizer. Having acne-prone combination oily skin, I was still slightly breaking out and my acne scars weren’t fading very well. I’ve heard about the daily microfoliant for a while now and finally decided to try it. It’s been two weeks and seriously, it’s amazing!!!”
Dermalogica Before and After Photos (Take From Google)
Where To Buy Dermalogica Products & Prices
As stated, you can unofficially by the products from eBay and Amazon.
There is some evidence that some sellers could be selling fake products, but this could just be spread by Dermalogica themselves to put people off buying them through unofficial channels.
The bottom line here is that they are tightly managing their pricing by only allowing it to be sold through certain sources.
What is happening is that people who have got it officially are selling unofficially at a lower margin to themselves, but at higher volume.
You can buy the products through the main Dermalogica website, but as I’ve said prices are higher.
To give you some idea, prices range from $20 up to a $189.
Majority of the products fall in the $40 – $60 bracket.
Money Back Guarantee & Refund Policy
The official website of the brand provides a brief overview of how their return policy works, but the information provided is quite vague.
No details are provided on criteria that may allow an order to qualify for a refund.
We are not sure whether or not the brand offers a money-back guarantee if the customer is simply not happy with the results they obtained from using the items they purchased.
All returns of products purchased at this brand need to be made within 30 days of the purchase date.
This is somewhat unpleasant and many types of skin care products, such as anti-aging solutions, may take a couple of months before the user will be able to see any significant results.
It seems like the process of returning products purchased from the brand is relatively simple. Customers should note.
However, that pre-approval needs to be provided by the brand’s customer service department, or a refund will not be authorized.
While a refund policy is available for products purchased on the brand’s online store, these terms may not apply when the customer has made a purchase from a third-party online retailer or at a local store in their town.
We advise interested individuals to request more details for a specific store to determine how their return policy work before proceeding with the purchase.
Dermalogica Review: Conclusion
I have really mixed feelings about Dermalogica facial products at the end of this review.
They obviously work otherwise skincare centers would not be able to recommend them and stop them.
If you were recommending a product and customers were coming back saying it wasn’t working, you simply would give up selling it.
So there is evidence that they do benefit the skin.
But I’m not sure they match the claims made in the advertising, and I also think that there is a pressure from being face-to-face with someone to perhaps not mention negative feelings.
In terms of pros I see:
- The products work to some degree.
- They are a little expensive but not at the top end.
- You could get some good advice if you get a genuine skincare expert at one of their centers.
But in terms of the cons of Dermalogica:
- I’m suspicious of any company who tries to manage out genuine feedback
- I cannot find evidence that the products do everything the company claims
- Finding out what the ingredients are and what they do is virtually impossible
- It’s very misleading that the skin care organization giving their products the feel of being professionally backed is actually funded by and run by them.
So for me I would steer clear of Dermalogica products.
Or at the very least go to one of the skincare centers or beauty salons that stock the products and have a face-to-face chat, but don’t commit yourself.
Ask a lot of questions about what’s in the products and how they benefit you for the money.
So, what do you think about our Dermalogica review? Would you buy this product or not? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
I met a beauty therapust in a swimming pool in Bangkok in 2006. She was en route to live in Australia so had nothing to gain from our conversation . She recommended that I try Dermalogica and I’ve been using it ever since. I find the moisturiser in particular to be very good.
I must admit.I.started using.Dermalogica products after a visit to a salon in my home town( I’ve never been to one in my life and I was 52 when I first set foot in one .As I have oily sensitive, red skin . I was advised by my therapist to try their products as they use and stock them
I have found a dramatic difference in my skin health….even thoigh no one outwardly comments on my skin.I notice the difference.
If I were to criticise this firm it would be to state they have a rediculously large number of products which makes your daily skin care routine long and complicted (which I’m sure is not necessary) and it is for this reason I’m going to find another natural skincare company to provide a much simpler routine as I’m confused about what is the best
I’ve used Dermalogica for about 10 years. I frequented a spa for a number of years that supported their product. I bought product from the spa as well as purchased from Dermalogica’s website directly. I bought from amazon once and the product was expired so that’ll never happen again. Ultimately nothing beats their skin care products for me, and you get what you pay for. Plus, they are cruelty free which is important to me as a consumer. Hope this helps. Cheers.
I’m using Dermalogica now here in Ghana and it’s working, was using tretinons, adepalene, and after sun exposure it darkened my face, just two weeks and the ultra calming range is working, I can see my skin tone showing up. It’s expensive but I’d use it if I’d get my skin back. I hear malederm works but makes u black at a point in time.
I don’t know what’s so great about dermalogica. To me its just average stuff that is expensive because of the brand. I can find better stuff in the supermarket. I used it and it gave me horrible acne all over my face. And it’s taken me over 4 months to get my skin looking somewhat decent. Its no where never how nice my skin looked before I starting using these products. I’ve tested and tried many different types of skin products and never had a bad reaction as I did with dermalogica. If anyone would ask me if they should use this brand I would tell them to run and save their money. I also am left with tiny scars all over that I’m praying end up healing.
I have also had a bad reaction! I have used pre cleanse balm, special cleansing gel and moisturiser. Started stinging and for the next few days red bumps all over my skin, it was awful!. I emailed them but they didn’t seem too worried and told me to return for a refund which I am still waiting on 2 weeks later. I have since found some YouTube videos with others stating the same reaction!
What was the moisturizer you used? Are you allergic to any botanicals. There is a possibility that your barrier was compromised and upon applying products with active ingredients, it may have been too strong for your face. The ultracalming line is amazing for those with sensitivities.
I have oily skin and it’s fairly sensitive. I started using Dermalogica’s kit that has the wash, oil control moisturizer, night clearing gel and the sebum clearing face mask. I used them for about three weeks and just had to stop! While it didn’t dry out my face and kept it pretty moisturized, my acne got 100x’s worse! I went back to my regular routine and am now going to a doctor to help with my acne.
I purchased Dermalogica pre cleanse and used it the past 2 night – have a severe allergic reaction. My eye lids are swollen and red and cannot recommend this product. I do know that the calming cleanser is really good as my sister buys it by the 500 ml.
Do you have nut allergies?? The two main ingredients are kakuwi nut oil & apricot kernel
As a professional skin care therapist, yes, we do use the word ‘prescribe’ when it comes to our recommendations. It is best to see a professional, considering we are trained in skin types & conditions, therefore knowing what would be best for your skin. That is the reason they recommend seeing a professional.
A list of ingredients can be found on every package. Of course they back the ‘International Dermal Institute’, it’s their post graduate education center & where they create their products! Like hello, are they supposed to get it made somewhere else to ease your mind??
They have an amazing botanical scientist who creates the products using the best ingredients & essential oils. If you haven’t been fully educated on the line, how can you write this article? You obviously haven’t used them or know nothing really about what they do. And yes, there are counterfeit products that are sold on amazon & eBay.
I mean, you do recall how they sell knockoff purses online, no different than selling knock off products of it’s going to bring revenue. I have ordered many from amazon to show & prove the ingredient list is 100% different than what I get from my distributor.
Their products are highly concentrated there lasting 3-4 months vs one month of water based drug store products which contain barrier destroying & comedogenic ingredients. I’ve been using Dermalogica for 10 yrs & if I could post the before & after that I posted in my Facebook a few weeks ago of myself, you might think differently.
Dermalogica is a great product line & has options for all skin types & conditions. If you find yourself breaking out bad it probably because your allergic to one of the botanicals or you’re not using what’s right.
I’m sitting here with totally flakey, dry skin and burning swollen eyes after 3 days using the cleanser, toner and moisturiser. I’m 51 so I have used many different brands in the past. My face is a total mess! I certainly won’t be using this brand again!
Okay, I’ve been pretty happy with their products, though to be honest, I have no evidence that just using cheaper similar products wouldn’t have given the same results. I refilled on one of my products today and got a gift with purchase. It was the Dermalogica Prisma Protect SPF30. Haven’t used it yet, but the promotional paper with the product stated this: “Intelligent drone technology and advanced moisture magnets deliver luminous, hydrated skin”. Seriously? Seriously?! You might as well have just said “Micronized pixies on miniature unicorns use reflective umbrellas and tiny watering cans to moisturize your skin while protecting it from the suns rays”. It’s almost as believable. Any company that would release such a ridiculous claim is obviously in the business of scamming it’s customers. In this case, you could check the ingredients… strangely enough… no drone technology listed. After I run out of my current products, I think I am done with Dermalogica, I’ll try to find someone with a bit more integrity.
I searched for an independent review of Dermologica after an evening event at a Dermologica centre. I had a face mapping done and appreciated how the person helping me confirmed that my current (non-Dermologica) face wash was good for my needs. Instead we focused on moisturiser. She explained the skin biome to me and it sounded very helpful and I appreciated understanding the logic behind how dry skin can actually lead to acne. I did leave wondering though how much to trust what had been said though – thus my search for this article. Thanks for reviewing them in such a balanced manner.
I’ve brought the products she recommended and guess I’ll see how I go with them.
The one thing I noticed in the centre was every person working there (about 8 on that night) had beautiful, glowing skin. It’s obviously not conclusive that the products work, but points in the right direction.
They also gave an educational seminar for the event and the first half focussed on he vitamins and fatty acids needed for good skin and which foods they are in. The second half spoke to the skin biome, what the science is saying (take care of good bacteria on the skin and use products pH balanced to the skin (4.5 – 5.5) – not pH neutral) and advice for winter skin care (never once mentioning specific Dermologica products). Though the list of things to look for was daunting so the temptation was clearly there to know Dermologica covered the consideraitons in their products.
So overall my experience in the centre was definitely a soft sell / educational approach. Beyond not being sure of the science being presented, I appreciated that approach and if the products I bought improve my skin I’ll be happy to pay a bit more for that level of engagement and product quality.