DermaMD Skincare Collection

A couple of months ago, I was given the opportunity to try out a slew of skincare products from DermaMD.

DermaMD was a brand that was new to me. Started in 2001 by aesthetician and L.P.N. Sheila Malmanis, DermaMD’s philosophy is to use the best ingredients at the most effective concentrations shown through research to address specific skincare issues. Their slogan is “The Best of the Best”, and their goal is to achieve results. Sheila is a frequent lecturer at medical conferences and courses. The product line is sold in MD’s offices as well as at spas, salons, boutiques, and on the DermaMD website. The products are made in the U.S.

They have an extensive product line of cleansers, face and body moisturizers, serums, and  a line of skincare products for men. Within the product line, there are specific products for specific issues:

• acne & oily skin
• anti-aging
• brightening/hyperpigmentation & rosacea
• moisturizing.

The products I tried were from the anti-aging and moisturizing/hydration categories to address my specific concerns.

Soy Moisturizer Intense Healing Serum

I love the Soy Moisturizer Intense Healing Serum. Although DermaMD calls it a serum because of it works so well, the consistency is that of a gel cream. It feels like a light soufflé but it is amazingly hydrating.

The moisturizer contains many natural oils, herbs, shea butter, and hyaluronic acid to help keep moisture in. I have very dry skin, and this works to keep my skin hydrated for hours with no greasiness at all. This product was developed for severely dehydrated skin, irritated skin and for psoriasis and eczema. It’s perfect for me.

It has a pleasant, very light sweet scent that it almost imperceptible.

I received the 2 ounce jar, priced at $52.95, but it’s also available in a 4 ounce pump for $79.95.

Ingredients: water, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, soybean (glycine soja)oil, trioctyldodecyl citrate, hydrogenated soy glycerides, PEG-8 beeswax, cetyl esters, cetearyl alcohol, cocoyl glucoside, shea butter (butyrospermum parkii), panthenol, phenyl trimethicone, algae (laminaria digita), mugwort (artemisia vulgaris) extract, sesame (sesamum indicum) oil, olive (olea europea) stearyl glycyrrhetinate, rose hips (rosa canina) seed oil, quercetin, phospholipids, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, tocopherol, phytosteryl isosterate, xanthan gum, sodium hyaluronate, polysorbate 20, polyisobutene, polyacrylate-13, glycerin, steareth-100, steareth-2, polysorbate 60, ethylhexyglycerin, blue 1, mannan, phenoxyethanol, tetrasodium EDTA and potassium sorbate

Peptide Eye Creme

Because I have dry eye and extremely dry skin around my eyes, I’m always nervous when I try a new eye cream. I needn’t have worried. DermaMD Peptide Eye Creme is very gentle and soothing. My skin just drinks it up, and it feels so good. It is a medium weight gel cream that is easily absorbed.

The Peptide Eye Creme was developed to combat puffiness and dark circles under the eyes. I know I’m different from most women because I use and judge eye cream  according to how it performs on my lids and under my brows since I have such dry skin. I also use it under my eyes, but I don’t have under eye puffiness. I don’t think it has significantly lightened my dark circles, but I find it to be a wonderful all-around eye cream. The Vitamin K and anti-aging peptides hydrate and tighten the skin around my eyes. When I’m wearing it, my eyes appear more lifted and firmer.

DermaMD Peptide Eye Creme contains 0.5 oz/15 ml and is priced at $62.95.

Ingredients: Water, caprylic/capric triglyceride, glyceryl stearate, mica, glycrrhiza glabra (licorice root extact), dipeptide-2, acetyl hexapeptide-8, palmitoyl oligopeptide, tripeptide-1, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, palmitoyl tripeptide-5, phytonadione (vitamin K), hesperiden, methyl chalcone, chrysin, sodium hyaluronate, glucosamine HCL, squalene, retinyl palmitate, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, camellia sinensis leaf extract, siegesbeckia orientalis extract, saccharomyces extract, uva-ursi (bearberry leaf extract), phyllanthu emblica fruit extract, pearl powder, centella asiatica extract, echninacea angustifolia extract, rosmarinum officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, pisum sativum (pea) extract, bambusa vulgaris extract, ubiquinone, copper PCA, tocopherol, tocopheryl acetate, glycine soja sterols, hydrogenated lecithin, sesamum indicum seed oil, butyrospermum parkii, prunus amygdalus dulcis oil, allantoin, titanium dioxide.

Uplifting Neck & Face Creme

The Uplifting Neck & Face Creme is the most amazing gel cream. I have had this product for a couple of months, and it looks like I’ve hardly used any of it (which is a good thing because it’s a pricey moisturizer). Surprisingly, a little goes a very, very long way. At the rate I’m using it, it will last me 6 months!

It’s not heavy or greasy at all. Instead, it’s gel-like (must be the aloe-vera gel and glycerin) and very hydrating. It leaves my skin feeling very smooth and supple.

Peptides in the moisturizer have been shown to increase collagen and elastin, and I certainly need that!

DermaMD Uplifting Neck & Face Creme contains 1.7 oz/50 ml. and is priced at $89.00.

Ingredients: aqua (water), aloe-vera gel , hydrolyzed rice protein, caprylic/capric triglycerides, vegetable glycerin, 3% alpha lipoic acid, DMAE complex, 3% syn-coll™ , sweet almond oil, avocado oil, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin E acetate, vitamin K, lecithin, japanese green tea extract, cetearyl alcohol (and) cetereth-20, shea butter, hyaluronic acid, chamomile extract, dex-panthenol (vitamin B), soy dipeptides and grape seed extract.

Face Serums

The face serums all come in stock pump bottles. Many brands use these bottles because they protect the ingredients from degrading in the air and light. But I find that the pump often stops working. I try shaking it, turning it upside down, and often I can get it to pump. Nevertheless, I wish there was an alternative to this pump that I find unreliable.

Pink Silk Face Firming Rejuvenator

I adore this product. It is loaded with “cones”, and I have no problem using skincare products with those ingredients. In fact, I seek them out. The Pink Silk Serum makes my skin so smooth that I use it as a primer.

As a serum, it contains caviar extract and astaxanthin, a red algae found in Hawaiian waters. Astaxanthin contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties which help reduce the appearance of redness and help my skin feel more vibrant and youthful. Because it smooths, It decreases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and makes skin look more luminous (those “cones”!).

Pink Silk contains 1 oz/30 ml and is priced at $138.95.

Ingredients: Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone Cross Polymer, Dimethicone, PEG 10 Rapeseed Sterol Tribehenin, Ceramide 2, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, SD Alcohol 40B, Camellia Oleifera Seed Extract, Cymbidium Gandiflorum Flower Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Carica Fruit Extract (Papaya), Ascorbyl Palmitate (vitamin c), Bisabolol, Retinyl Palmitate, Phytantriol, Caviar Extract, Astaxanthin, Copper Tripeptide 1, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Red 30 Lake, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Fragrance

Plant Stem Cell Lifting Serum and S-Cargot Lifting Serum

Having my skin look lifted is one of my key concerns, especially around the jowls. I started out using S-Cargot Lifting Serum, but a few weeks ago, I received the reformulated version of the product, now called Plant Stem Cell Lifting Serum. I was excited to get it because it contains anti-aging ingredients that I have used in the past and loved:

• apple stem cell extract
• snail filtration extract.

Apple Stem Cell Extract increases hydration and collagen levels to minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Snail Filtration Extract is a natural source of ingredients such as collagen, allantoin, elastin, and vitamins A, C, and E. The two powerhouse ingredients work together to remove dead skin, fight bacteria, and repair skin.

So far so good. I’m going to continue using this serum and look for more refreshed, younger-looking skin. DermaMD Plant Stem Cell Lifting Serum contains 1 oz/30 ml and is priced at $149.95

Ingredients: aqua (water), glycerin,caprylic/capric triglyceride, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil,trimethyl phenyl silsesquioxane, sodium acrylates copolymer, snail secretion filtrate, saccharide isomerate, lecithin, glycereth-7 trimethyl ether, xanthan gum, chondrus crispus extract, algae extract, pyrus malus (apple) fruit extract, hydrolyzed chondrus crispus extract, chlorella vulgaris extract/lupinus albus protein ferment, pectin, prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil, camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract, sodium hyaluronate, malus domestica fruit cell culture, ethylhexylglycerin, phenoxyethanol, fragrance.

Glamur Lip Plumping

I’ve been using another brand of lip plumper for about 9 months so I don’t know if my lips could get much plumper. But I am happy to report that I don’t have skinny lips like some other “mature women” can have. So I’m a believer in lip plumpers. Not only do they make my lips look better, they help keep them hydrated.

I was happy to try out DermaMD’s Lip Plumper. Their proprietary formulation contains hyaluronic acid micro-spheres, niacin and peptides to boost collagen and elastin production. Some lip plumpers have the dreaded peppermint oil to irritate the lips and make them look bigger. This one does it without irritation by increasing collagen and elastin. Much more comfortable. The Lip Plumper comes in 7 shades, I received clear which is what I prefer so I can wear it at night before bed or with any lipstick.

The product comes in a clear tube and is applied with a doe-foot applicator. It contains 8 ml and is priced at $29.95

Ingredients: Paraffinum liquidum, ethylene/propylene/styrene copolymer, butylene/ethylene/styrene copolymer, ricinum cummunis (castor) seed oil, menthol, flavor, camphor, retinyl palmitate, tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), benzyl nicotinate, phenoxyethanol, isohexodecane, dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, sodium hyaluronate (encapsulated micro-spheres), xanthan gum, tripeptide-1…may contain titanium dioxide.

Final Thoughts

DermaMD products are pricey, but they are excellent products. And DermaMD is offering 60% off your first order for signing up for their mailing list (don’t worry, you won’t be bombarded with email)! Check out the DermaMD website and sign up to get this incredible discount. Also visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DermaMDSkincare. I am almost out of Soy Moisturizer Intense Healing Serum, so I plan to take advantage of this great offer to buy the large size!

My “picks of the litter” are the Pink Silk Face Firming Rejuvenator that I use as a serum and primer (make sure you can tolerate dimethicone etc.) and the Soy Body Moisturizer. The Plant Stem Cell Serum with apple stem cells and snail filtrate serum is another winner. And I also really like the eye creme and facial moisturizer, but the products I singled out seem more unique, if you have to limit your purchases like I do.

Allison Cohen

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