The best expert skincare brands to know about
With more of us becoming clued up on our complexion needs, the next step is to find the most effective products to achieve your skin goals.
Developed by dermatologists and professionals, expert skincare brands go above and beyond, offering skin-loving benefits backed by science to create real results.
Not sure how to distinguish the professional-founded brands? We've picked out a few of our favourites that are a must-try for supporting problematic skin.
What are the best professional skincare brands?
La Roche-Posay
Recognised as the number one derma-cosmetic brand in the world, La Roche-Posay is the French pharmacy brand that everyone ought to know about. Driven by science and microbiome, La Roche-Posay's formulas are designed with specific skin concerns in mind, allowing for targeted treatments. The brand’s key ingredient is thermal spring water, helps to soothe and heal dry and damaged complexions, restoring a healthy glow.
1112
RRP: £20.00Current price: £16.00
The Anthelios SPF is a real crowd-pleaser, suitable for sensitive skin types and offering high protection with extra-lightweight coverage. It absorbs quickly into the skin without leaving a white cast, and its non-greasy finish makes it perfect for wearing under makeup. Many of the Anthelios range contains baicalin, a powerful antioxidant protecting the skin from free radicals and pollution.
Perricone MD
Blending skincare and wellness, Perricone MD was founded on the principle that the secret to happier and healthier skin is a three-fold system: diet, supplements and topical skincare solutions. The founder is Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a world-renowned healthy aging expert with a visionary approach to youthful skin using standout ingredients. With a commitment to quality and effectiveness, this brand promises visible results, making skincare feel both indulgent and effective. Perfect for those who want their skin to look as vibrant as they feel!
£74.00
Perricone MD’s Cold Plasma Plus+ Daily Defense Moisturiser SPF35 offers broad-spectrum protection while nourishing the skin. This multi-tasking marvel features a potent form of vitamin C to visibly brighten, smoothen and balance your skin tone.
CeraVe
Science that goes skin deep. CeraVe is a high-performance, affordable skincare line with a mission to help protect the skin’s natural barrier. Their products contain a unique blend of three essential ceramides, which make up around 40% of your outer skin layer to retain moisture and protect the skin from external pollution and toxins. No matter your skin type, all of CeraVe’s cleansers, serums and moisturisers are developed with dermatologists so you can be confident that your skin is getting the support it needs.
914
£13.00
A bestseller for the brand, the CeraVe Blemish Control Face Cleanser contains several powerhouse ingredients including three essential ceramides, niacinamide and 2% salicylic acid. Gentle yet effective, this cleanser removes makeup, impurities, oil and dirt from the skin without leaving your base feeling stripped of its natural oils.
Dr. Loretta
Founded by dermatologist Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, Dr. Loretta uses over 40 years of experience to focus on protecting skin from environmental aggressors like pollution, light, climate and irritants. Dr. Loretta Ciraldo was among the pioneers in testing UVA effects on human skin before broad-spectrum sunscreen existed and helped develop the Fitzpatrick Skin Type Classification. The brand is passionate about simplifying skincare by offering efficacious products that provide realistic results.
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£65.00
Dr. Loretta Micro Peel Peptide Pads are your secret to glowing skin! Infused with glycolic acid, these pads gently exfoliate, revealing a smoother, brighter complexion. The added peptides boost skin's firmness and elasticity. With 60 pads in a jar, it's like giving your skin a spa-like treatment every day!
VICHY
Another French pharma favourite, Vichy’s skincare collection is powered by volcanic mineralising water (now referred to as ‘beautifying water’) containing calcium, potassium and magnesium, essential to skin health. Vichy offer a more luxurious skincare experience, with a selection of expert-formulated ranges for blemish-prone, dehydrated and mature skin. Renew your youthful glow with clinically proven, hypoallergenic skincare essentials driven by innovation and its pioneer founder, Dr. Haller.
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£28.00
Summon a healthy-looking radiance with the award-winning Vichy Minéral 89 Hyaluronic Acid Serum, approved by the British Skin Foundation. Enriched with the highest concentration of Vichy volcanic mineralising water, this lightweight gel penetrates the skin deep to deliver an immediate hydration boost and strengthen the skin’s natural barrier function.
MZ Skin
Scientific - but make it luxury. MZ Skin is the high-performance, scientifically proven skincare brand that offers aesthetically pleasing products that drive results. Founded by Dr. Maryam Zamani, an Oculoplastic Surgeon, MZ Skin creates multi-benefit formulas, blended with ovine placenta and plant stem cells along with highly potent hero ingredients including retinol and hyaluronic acid to transform the skin, supporting several concerns, from the appearance of blemishes to the visible signs of ageing.
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£110.00
A bestseller for the brand, the MZ Skin Soothe & Smooth Collagen Activating Eye Complex contains a mix of hyaluronic acid, ceramides and tripeptides that help to hydrate the sensitive under eye area and create a firmer looking appearance, helping with dark circles and puffiness as well as fine lines.
SkinCeuticals
Working with doctors and surgeons world-wide, SkinCeuticals create all their formulas in response to real skincare concerns, offering a solution for every need. Based on the knowledge that a healthy skin barrier is key to a glowing complexion; all of their targeted treatments contain powerful antioxidants that shield against environmental damage that can contribute to everything from premature ageing to dullness.
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£165.00
One of the brand's most popular products, the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum is packed with vitamins and ferulic acid that create a shield against pollution and help to boost luminosity. Also effective in tackling an uneven skin tone, the formula helps to create an all-round more even looking visage.
Medik8
Combining over 40 years of experience in the skincare business, Medik8’s team is devoted to thorough research and next-generation product formulation. The brand utilises only the best ingredients with the appropriate strength for common skin types, offering tailored ranges to suit every concern. Sold in skincare clinics and premium spas, Medik8 is known for its science-inspired, results-driven formulas.
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£49.00
Celebrated by many, the Crystal Retinal 3™ Serum is designed to gift skin a clarifying boost. It features 0.03% of a stabilised retinal, a potent derivative of vitamin A that promotes smoother, glass-like skin with added radiance. It’s even topped with a hydrating blend of hyaluronic acid, glycerin and vitamin E to resist dryness and keep moisture levels topped up.
From a young age I’ve been immersed in the beauty industry, getting my first job at a skin clinic and staying there for almost 5 years. My love for skincare was born from the constant exposure to new French pharma skincare products, award-winning supplements and revolutionary techniques to snatch your face. My go-to look is a dewy, natural base using a tinted moisturiser, enhanced by a colourful eyeliner. The Garnier SPF50+ Face Fluid and YSL Touche Éclat Blur Primer are my holy grails.
