Customized skincare is getting quite a popularity in India and The Derma Co is another emerging brand to offer it. The best thing about customized skincare is that it takes into account your skin type and concern to recommend a product. I too tried out The Derma Co products for acne and I am going to present my honest review of the products. You need to go on their website and fill out a questionnaire about your skin type and concern.
About The Brand- The Derma Co
The brand offers customized skincare and hair care products. The products are formulated by dermatologists who understand the skin and hair needs thoroughly. The products target the problem areas using potent ingredients backed up by science. Not just your skin concern but also your age, gender, your skin sensitivity to certain products, and problem intensity is asked to recommend the right product to you. You can choose to buy all the recommended products or just one that you feel is the best for you. This test is called Derma Test.
What Products Did The Derma Co Derma Test Suggest Me?
When I took the test, I was presented with 5 products. I chose acne as my main skin concern, even though I do not suffer from acne any more. The reason was simple, I wanted to check what kind of products would they recommend. Having experience with lots of acne treatments, I think I am at a place where I can judge a product by myself.
Here are the 5 products that the brand suggested me to try out:
- The Derma Co Creamy Cleanser
- Clindamycin And Adapalene Gel AC1
- Adapalene and Hydrous Benzoyl Peroxide Gel AC2
- Ceramide + HA Intense Moisturizer
- Ultra Matte Sunscreen Gel With SPF60 PA+++
The products are numbered as a sequence to be used. But at number two I was presented with 2 on spot treatment as AC1 and AC2. So this kind of confused me a lot. I am quite familiar with Clindamycin and Adapalene based gel as well as Benzoyl Peroxide. The former is quite skin-friendly while the later is not much skin-friendly in my experience. Let’s go through the products in detail:
The Derma Co Creamy Cleanser
Let me start with the best product of the regimen, The Derma Co Creamy Cleanser. The consistency and effect of this cleanser are the same as of Cetaphil Creamy Cleanser. It has almost the same fragrance, texture, and offers the same cleansing experience. Even the packaging of the cleanser resembles of Cetaphil cleanser.
In terms of the effectiveness of the cleanser, I am quite impressed. I really like massaging my skin with this cleanser at the end of the day and it takes away dirt, dullness, and the day as well. As I mentioned earlier, this the best product of the regimen. Here is why
- The Derma Co Creamy Cleanser is suitable for all skin types.
- It cleanses skin effectively and gently.
- Does not dry out the skin.
- I have used this cleanser to take off my light makeup.
- It has a mild fragrance.
- The pump packaging is convenient.
- Priced at Rs. 249 for 100ml.
Ingredients
Purified Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, Polysorbate 80.
Recommended?
The product is good. But the packaging says the product is free of SLS while the ingredient list contains SLS.
Clindamycin And Adapalene Gel AC1
This product is numbered as step 2 for The Derma Co acne regimen. Clindamycin is an antibiotic medicine that helps to stop the growth of bacteria. I have found any acne medicine containing Clindamycin, works great for acne, like Faceclin gel. The Derma Co Clindamycin & Adapalene gel contains adapalene in conjunction with Clindamycin. Adapalene is a kind of retinoid and used for mild to moderate acne treatment.
The gel doesn’t sting on my skin, even though mine is sensitive skin. This is an on the spot treatment and should be used at night before going to bed. The combo gently exfoliates the skin and relives blocked pores.
The gel is packed in an opaque tube. It is quite handy to take out the product. I feel this is a nice addition to the acne regimen. In order to heal the existing acne, you cannot omit on the spot treatment.
Ingredients
Clindamycin Phosphate, Adapalene, Aloe gel base
Recommended?
I feel The Derma Co is using quite a generic product to heal acne. In case you already have such on the spot treatment, you can omit this product. The product is priced at Rs. 299 for 30gm.
Adapalene and Hydrous Benzoyl Peroxide Gel AC2
When I read Benzoyl Peroxide I definitely was very negative about this product. Benzoyl Peroxide is infamous for making skin utterly dry and peel. I used Benzoyal PEroxide a decade ago and never returned to it.
The Derma Co Adapalene and Hydrous Benzoyl Peroxide gel is quite a strong combination to treat acne. It does not sting as such which is an improvement over the traditional benzoyl peroxide formula. But I feel AC1 is a better option than AC2 offered by The Derma Co.
Any kind of on the spot should be done post using a toner and moisturizer, so the gel should be applied after you have applied your moisturizer. In case you apply anything over this gel, it would rub off.
Ingredients
Adapalene, Hydrous Benzoyl Peroxide, Aqueous Gel Base
Recommended?
They have 3 on the spot treatments. This is confusing for the customer who does not understand whether to pick Clindamycin, Benzoyl Peroxide, or BHA/AHA. I would prefer Clindamycin or BHA/AHA than Benzoyl Peroxide any given day. So, In case you already have an acne ointment in place, you can definitely skip it.
The Derma Co Ceramide + HA Intense Moisturizer Dry Skin
The title of the moisturizer states that it is for dry skin and they still shipped a moisturizer that a thick formula meant to be used for dry skin. I wish they had sent their Squalene + Zinc based light moisturizer. The Delhi heat is really driving me crazy and they post using this heavy moisturizer my skin sweats like crazy.
I feel very uncomfortable in this moisturizer, it is literally one heavy moisturizer. I might try it again on cold days, but for now, I have stopped using it. Even if I take a pea-size amount, my skin cannot tolerate this. Glad it did not block my pores or made me break out.
- Contains Ceramide & Hyaluronic acid
- Suitable only for dry skin
- Thick and heavy consistency
- Mild fragrance
- Attractive packaging
- No breakouts
- Makes skin sweat
- Priced at Rs. 349 for 50gm
Recommended?
Only if you have dry skin, go for this moisturizer, otherwise, steer clear.
Ultra Matte Sunscreen Gel With SPF60 PA+++
The last step in the acne regimen is to protect the skin, i.e. add sunscreen. The Derma Co offers two sunscreens, one is physical and the other one is chemical. Ultra Matte Sunscreen Gel is a gel-based matte sunscreen and is a chemical-based broad-spectrum sunscreen. It offers SPF60 with PA+++. This is quite an impressive protection against the sun.
This sunscreen is thick in texture and requires some nice stroked to get absorbed into the skin. It does feel a bit of heavy on my skin, but the high SPF value that offers it is justified. It also leaves a bit of white cast, not so obvious though. The high SPF level keeps you protected for about 3-4 hours and after which you are supposed to reapply the sunscreen. That is kind of relieving.
The sunscreen retails at Rs. 699 for 50gm.
Recommended?
Skin must be protected at all times of the year. When you are on an acne regimen, you are using a lot of chemicals, and skin becomes very sensitive towards the sun. So using a high SPF value sunscreen is a good choice. You can use this sunscreen, or any sunscreen that suits your skin and protects it. This product is a nice one but not a must-have for me. I feel The La Shield Sunscreen is a good choice too.
Would I recommend Trying Out The Derma Co Acne Regimen?
I feel it’s not something revolutionary. The ingredients and the products that the website offers, are quite basic and available everywhere. So in case you already have an identical product that is working for you, you do not need to go buy from The Derma Co. But in case, you are a beginner and want to start with basic care, you can definitely try out their products.
I feel their The Derma Co’s Derma Test has some issues:
Skin Type: According to The Derma Co either you have Normal or Sensitive skin. There are no options to tell the website that I have a combination or oily skin. That’s why they recommended a moisturizer which was meant for Dry skin, while I chose Sensitive skin.
No option to choose multiple skin concerns: EIther you have to Acne as your prime skin concern or Pigmentation. But What if I wan to treat both?
Similar products recommended: I tried their test two times, for acne and for pigmentation. Only one item was changed, and I am not happy with the recommendation. I feel for acne, they should also recommend Niacinamide and Zinc serum/lotion. In recent years, this combination has emerged out to be one of the best treatments for sebum production which ultimately controls acne. Similarly, they have AHA/BHA cleanser, which should be recommended for acne.
I think their Derma Test is still a beta product and they should work more on it to make it more intensive and thorough. I am aware of the ingredients and their effect on various skin types and conditions. So, I can choose accordingly. But not everybody knows even basic skincare. The derma test should give out the best products.
Read More
- How I Got Rid Of Acne For Good?
- The Ordinary Skin Care Regimen For Acne Prone Skin
- 20’s Skin Care Mistakes That Ruined My Oily Acne Prone Skin
- Top 6 Mamaearth Skincare Products For Oily Acne Prone Skin
I hope this critical review of the products will help you choose the best products for your skin. Let me know in case you have queries or questions about the brand, regimen, or products. You can email me at HighOnGloss@gmail.com
Nisha Malik ❤
