Advanced Dermatology is a name you may not have heard about. We haven’t either until a few days ago… when we came across an advertisement banner, claiming in a nutshell it was one of the best ways to combat the signs of aging.
Yeah, age is a cruel mistress to those of us who care about the appearance of our skin. When we are young, our biggest worry might be the size of our pores or the occasional breakout. However, as we start to age the problems start to pick up and we see more and more problems.
Depending on your age and natural chemistry, you will likely see different problems: wrinkles, age spots, blackheads, adult acne, and discoloration – and that is just on a good day! Our skin starts to really show our age long before we feel anywhere close to that!
So, if this brand is the magic bullet, we sure wanted to know more about it. And unfortunately, we are not so thrilled by it…. let’s see why…
What is behind the Brand ?
Who
Advanced Dermatology is a franchised company that produces skin care products and services. The products worked so well for consumers that the line has moved toward commercial sales.
Other than that, there is not much information available about the team that developed the product nor many advanced dermatology reviews. their website is well designed for sure, but you can’t find much information other than the marketing speech… It was definitely a bit frustrating.
What
They claim it is a comprehensive skincare system that completely recreates your skin and gives you the chance to feel beautiful again. Many people consider it to be one of the best alternatives to cosmetic surgery because it actually changes the structure of your skin. It penetrates at the deepest level, causing the skin to lift itself – this is basically creamy Botox! Your skin will start to create more collagen, and it will slow down the rate at which your skin loses that elasticity. It sounds a little too good to be true…
Where
The products can be applied to any areas of your skin, though your focus will be on your face and neck. The main problem areas to focus on will be your crow’s feet, around the mouth, under the jaw, and across your forehead.
When
they promise your skin will look better from the first time you use this line. As you use it more and more, everything will look younger, brighter, and firmer. It will be like someone is ironing your skin from within! we obviously all need those magical products….:)
Why
Your skin will lose many signs of ages, and even those wrinkles that are deep-set and “family heirlooms” will be less visible – especially if it is used with proper make up and general skin care. Your facial contours will be back where they were fifteen years ago, and your face will have more definition. I really want to believe it but it sounds a bit too far fetched….
Most importantly is that this product works with your skin – it is just reducing the damage that living has done to it – from stress and smoking to pollution and poor cosmetics. Better yet, it will prevent that damage from happening again.
How
There are a few different products that you can try within the Advanced Dermatology brand. They are:
- Deep Wrinkle Firming Skin Quench
- Overnight Resurrection
- Super Youth Serum
- Healing Foam Cleanse
- Daily Sun Defense
I definitely like the names of each product, they sound pretty promising… But one year ago, they made some changes.
Revamping of the product range
If you tested their product a few years ago, chances you don’t know they revamped their anti-aging kit a year ago.
So the names have been changed to:
- Deep Wrinkle Firming Skin Quench : Deep Cellular Regeneration Cream
- Overnight Resurrection : Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Treatment
- Super Youth Serum : No change
- Healing Foam Cleanse : Daily Renew Cleanser
- Daily Sun Defense : Complete Age Defense Day Cream
I kinda prefer the previous names, they had more potential like overnight resurection… With that name, you sure want to know what the night cream is made of…..
What goes into it?
So there are two different ways to take the following news: there isn’t much information about just what the ingredients are to make the Advanced Dermatology products.
- You should see this as a red flag and immediately disregard the products OR
- The products work so well and are so revolutionary that the manufacturers are worried about someone replicating the formula.
well, I usually have difficulty trusting any skincare company that does not display product ingredient lists on their website. It always makes me wonder if they have something to hide…
Anyway,we tried to dig a bit deeper to understand what was their added value… and this is what we learnt from their website :
The heart of the formula includes antagonist biomimetic peptides, stem cells, and growth factors to help boost your collagen, elastin, and keratin levels.
The antioxidants and vitamins combine to fight free radicals and protect your skin from the environment.
Improvement similar to that with Botox in your fine lines and wrinkles due to refreshed cellular metabolism.
Natural ingredients that smooth and hydrate your skin so that it feels and looks healthier
Oligosaccharides, Phospholipids Lipids and Polysaccharides also work together to deeply hydrate, nourish, and protect the face.
Oligosaccharides, Phospholipids Lipids and Polysaccharides also work together to nourish the layers of your skin, which is, as a result, much more hydrated. The cherry on the cake? Your face has more protection.
Encapsulated Retinaldehyde and other brightening ingredients reverse color related signs of aging.
Plus, 20 cutting edge ingredients to help your skin fight disease and aging for years to come.
How to use the products
The website also breaks down how to apply the product, but it is a lot of hoopla for what is really an easy process (If you want to skip this part, you can go directly to our reviews below) :
Step 1: Daily Renew Cleanser
Start your skincare routine by cleaning your skin without stripping away any of the moisture. This cleanser will heal the sensitivities that come from the toxins you encounter each and every day. This foaming action will trigger your cell’s regeneration, making it easier for your skin to keep elasticity.
Step 2: Super Youth Serum
This serum is like a super hero for your skin! It has all of the energy that you used to have, and puts it into making your skin beautiful and ageless. Use only a few drops and you will be moisturizing your skin and promoting deep tissue repair. You won’t see any more environmental damage and aging, all while repairing your skin to make it plumper and firmer. Your skin will be left beautiful and soft to the touch.
Step 3: Anti-Wrinkle Firming Night Treatment
This product will literally bring your skin back from the dead: it will boost skin renewal to reduce deep creases and skin imperfections. Your wrinkles and discoloration will be reduced due to retinalehyde and your skin will luminous and noticeably younger.
Step 4: Deep Cellular Regeneration Cream
Use this kind of drink of water for your skin to repair and rebuild your collagen, elastin, and proteins naturally to bring back your skin’s youthful luster. Moisturize with this once a day, to see your radiant skin reemerge.
Step 5: Complete Age Defense Day Cream
This day cream is a daily reminder that you need to protect your skin from uv, oxidation and glycation, which in a nutshell lead to premature aging. This select blend of ingredients will give you the maximum protection against skin damage – and reduce the risk of wrinkles and dry skin.
You can also use an optional Youthful Boost Eye cream that will tighten that skin around your eyes. The tissues regenerate and smooth out the fine lines you already have, eliminate the dark circles, and the lines won’t come back!
Ok enough with the marketing pitch, let’s get serious and review these products.
Our brutally honest Advanced Dermatology Reviews
First, we will here again repeat that advanced dermatology website really lacks information, it is definitely difficult to get a clear idea of this skincare line from their website alone.
There was not the slightest list of ingredients for each product, which is always a bit suspicious as we consumers need more information to make sure we know what we put on our precious skin.
Of course, and we said it previously, there may be valid reasons for keeping the lists secret, for example: to avoid competitors to replicate their formulas but if some people want to copy their formula, they can simply purchase the products and get the lists and some samples to replicate….
Anyway, here at myawesomebeauty.com with the help of our friends, we managed to get the ingredient lists and some samples ( big hugs to them), so here they are :
Daily renew cleanser
Ingredients : Aqua, sodium olivate, Glycerin, Rosa Rubiginosa seed oil, eriobotrya japonica extract, chondrus crispus extract, asplathus linearis extract, organic camellia sinensis extract, organic aphanizomenon floas aquae extract, organic urtica dioica extract, organic stellaria media extract, organic ulmus rubras extract, organic silybum marianum extract, organic althaea officialis extract, avena sativa extract, chamomilla recutita flower extract, helianthus annuus seel oil, citrus paradisi seed oil, citrus medica limonum peel oil, sodium PCA, Urea, trehalose, Hexylene glycol, polyquaternium-51, triacetin, Caprylyl glycol, sodium hyaluronate
This daily renew cleanser is a very gentle creamy cleanser with lots of plant extracts, and a nice combination of oils ( we are fans of rosa rubiginosa seed oil: rose hip seed oil), we also like the combo of emulsifiers with sodium olivate ( emulsifier based on olive oil) which is very gentle for the skin. No parabens here. Instead a nice combination of grapefruit seed oil and Caprylyl glycol as preservatives.
It is one of the gentlest cleansers we have ever encountered. It has a very creamy texture and you are sure your skin will really be soft afterwards. It has so many plant extracts and actives, we almost think it is a bit of a waste, because in our opinion, cleansers don’t stay on our skin, you litterally wash it away, so it is hands down a very impressive cleanser but somehow they could have have saved some actives for the other products… as you will find out that some of the products below seriously lack some good actives.
Super youth serum
Ingredients : Aqua, glycerin, Dimethicone /vinyl Dimethicone crosspolymer, Cyclomethicone, tetra decyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric urea trifluoroacetate, palmitoyl tripeptide-5, palmitoyl dipeptide-5 diaminobutyroyl hydroxythreonine, Hyaluronic acid, Sodium PCA, Urea, Trehalose, Hexylene glycol, polyquaternium-51, Triacetin, Caprylyl Glycol, sodium polyacrylate, xanthan Gum, Rhododendron ferrugineum leaf cell culture extract, isomalt, lecithin, sodium benzoate, lactic acid, phenoxyethanol, ethyhexylglycerin
This serum has a really lightweight texture that is very easy to apply on your face after the cleanser. Here again, we are impressed by the quantity of actives.
Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate is a synthetic tripeptide whose trade name is Syn-hycan. Our friend, a cosmetic formulator, told us it is a pretty expensive ingredient that can boost the production of hyaluronic acid. Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 is a small peptide, which boosts the production of collagen. Palmitoyl dipeptide-5 diaminobutyroyl hydroxythreonine is another peptide which is said to stimulate the production of proteins ( laminin, integrin) that maintain the structure of the dermis.
We also like the high-tech plant stem cells (rhododendron ferrugineum leaf cell), these are stem cells from alpine rose leaves, that improve skin regeneration.
Like the cleaner, they did not use any parabens, but instead sodium benzoate, phenoxyethanol and ethylhexylglycerin, which is considered a safe alternative to many other preservatives. Yet, they could certainly use better preservatives. This serum would also be better if it was not silicone based, because we find that it tends to build up on skin, and tends to lead to some annoying breakouts.
Complete Age Defense Day Cream
Ingredients : aqua, simmondsia chinensis seed oil, Prunus Armeniaca kernel Oil, Squalane, Hyaluronic acid, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Palmaria palmata extract, Ascophyllum nodosum Extract, Sorbitol, Laureth-7, C13-14 isoparraffin, Polyacrylamide, Argan oil, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Resveratrol, Phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin
This cream is pretty good in terms of texture, we usually find day creams that are greasy and hard to penetrate, this one is quite light with 3 vegetable oils (jojoba, apricot and argan oils), it is also hydrating enough to keep your skin supple for the day for normal skin but might not be enough for dry skin.
We also like the choice of actives like the algae extracts that are said to protect the skin against environmental pollutants, and the antioxydant properties from the edelweiss flower extract and resveratrol, a powerful antioxydant from grapes.
No parabens here. the preservative is a combo that is very used in most natural cosmetics, it could be better though. The emulsifier ( Laureth-7, C13-14 isoparraffin, Polyacrylamide) is pretty cheap, and could be more natural based…. but is known to give very light creams though.
This cream could have been enriched with some vitamins C and some mineral sunscreen to give more protection. The formulators could also have replaced the water part by some aloe vera to increase the soothing and hydrating power.
Deep Cellular Regeneration Cream
Ingredients : Aqua, Cetearyl alcohol, cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylic Capric triglyceride, glycerin, Citrus Aurautium dulcis callus culture extract, xanthan gum, sodium benzoate, gluconolactone, calcium gluconolactone, calcium gluconate, squalane, hyaluronic acid, polysorbate 60, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin
We found this cream heavier than the day cream, it is easy to apply though. We are disappointed by the lack of high quality oils, they used instead very cheap alternatives such as isopropyl myristate, caprylic capric triglyceride…. Don’t get us wrong, there is nothing wrong with using these « oils » especially to increase the spreadibility of the product but they could have combined them with more quality oils. ( like jojoba and apricot oil)
We like the high-tech plant stem cells (Citrus Aurautium dulcis callus culture extract), these are stem cells obtained from orange with an anti-aging effect. They help to organize the inner structure of the skin for a younger looking appearance.
No parabens here, instead a combination of 4 preservatives: sodium benzoate, gluconolactone, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin.
Geoguard ultra (sodium benzoate and gluconolactone) is a naturally-derived, broad spectrum preservative and one of our favorite “gentle” preservative in terms of efficacy.
This cream actually is a bit of a let down and could definitely have had more actives and real vegetable oils as the main components of the oily phase for a real “regeneration” effect.
Yep, this cream is a very simple cream that is far from deserving its name of deep cellular regeneration cream. Here, we have an example of a marketing oriented product that is not really backed up by its formulation.
Anti Wrinkle Firming Night Treatment
Ingredients : Chondrus Crispus Extract, aqua, hyaluronic acid, acetyl tetrapeptide-2, glycerin, sodium PCA, Urea, trehalose, Hexylene glycol, polyquaternium -51, triacetin, caprylyl glycol, phenoxyethanol, ethylglycerin
It is a gel that uses carragenan gum to give that gel base, with some hyaluronic acid to hydrate your skin. We found the gel a bit sticky and were a pit disappointed by the lack of actives compared to the cleanser or the serum. Here again, we don’ t think the name they choose is really suited, it is more a hydrating gel with some nice hydrating actives… not convinced by the anti wrinkle effect. Same comment regarding the preservatives (no parabens, which is good)
This treatment is not effective enough and really lacks more active ingredients, we would have like for instance to have some vitamin C, some powerful peptides in it. Night time is the best time for antiaging actives to work….
Youthful Boost Eye cream
Ingredients : Aqua, simmondsia chinensis seed oil, Prunus armeniaca kernel oil, squalane, hyaluronic acid, phytonadione, arnica Montana extract, oxido reductases, glycine soja protein, hydrolyzed rice bran protein, laureth-7, C13- 14 Isoparaffin, polyacrylamide, glycerin, sodium PCA, Urea, trehalose, Hexylene glycol, polyquaternium-51, triacetin, Caprylyl Glycol, Eriobotrya Japonica extract, steareth-20, hydroxysuccinimide, chrysin, Palmitoyl oligopetide, Palmitoyl tetrapeptide 7, Phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin
We did not have a sample of this product, so we can only assess it from their INCI list which only gives a partial idea of the final product. This is a cream with the same emulsifier than the day cream. We do appreciate the jojoba and the apricot oil with some squalane that will nourish deeply your skin without making it too greasy. It has really interesting actives such as arnica montana, which has soothing and anti-inflammatory effects, (ideal for treating under eye puffiness, or eye bags). Hydrosuccinimide is known to fight dark circles but can be slightly irritant to the eyes.
We are also thrilled by the presence of Matrixyl 3000 which is is a synergistic combination of two skin powerful active peptides (palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl-tetrapeptide-7) that has really promising anti wrinkle effects.
Overall, we find this eye cream pretty interesting but remember you cannot buy each product individually, you either buy the whole package or nothing, which would not be an issue if all the products were worth it….
Is it the revolutionary skin care regimen they claim to be?
well, I definitely think it was probably the case 5-10 years ago but today, so many good brands have been launched and stepped up their game with awesome and really well formulated products… Frankly, I would prefer to buy a great at home microdermabrasion machine instead.
So yeah this skincare line is interesting with most of their products but many other brands are equally good and some of them better…. at least for the time being… Because they might improve their products in the future hopefully. But I guess the biggest issue with this brand is the price. Check below.
Is it expensive?
Ok let’s be clear, we don’t like the price tag.
They initially send out a 30-day Trial kit for you to test if you like the skin regimen.
For this trial, you can choose between 2 primary kits : the 5-piece kit without the Youthful Boost Eye Cream for $59.95 and the 6-piece kit with the Youthful Boost Eye Cream for $79.95.
After the 30-day Trial, if you wish to continue with what they call a Replenishment Program, (which is an auto shipment program) they will be sending you a 90-day Kit instead and you will either keep paying $59.95 or $79.95 per month depending on the option you choose.
With only these elements, I would have told you: “yeah go ahead, the products are good for most of them , some not on the same level but it is better than some brands out there and it sounds well priced… because I thought the 90 day supply was 3 times the 30 day kit… In fact, it is not…..
For the 30-day trial kit you pay $59.95 or $79.95. The sizes for the Trial kit are: 50ml for the cleanser and 15ml for the rest of the regimen except for the Eye Cream which is 7.5ml.
Then if you keep going, you get the 90-day kit and sizes would then have to be 120ml for the cleanser and 30ml for the rest of the regimen except for the Eye Cream, which is 15ml.
Keep in mind you will pay for this 90 day kit 3 X $59.95 or $79.95 so $179,85 or $239,85 in total. I find this price a bit too high for what it is compared to other brands out there, that also fill their product with high proportion of actives but sell them at much better rates…. Sorry.
Overall
Let’s be clear, we think it is an interesting comprehensive skincare system that has its pros but is way too expensive for what it is…..
They truly have used more active ingredients than some famous brands out there which are even more expensive for no clear reasons other than brand power. We could feel the efforts and the will to propose better products. However, all the products in this line are not equal and some are clearly better than others.
And you can’t buy the products individually. Their 2 different kits are designed to be used as a regimen as they claim each product works synergistically and relies on various active ingredients that build on each other.
So it is everything or nothing….
Moreover the price tag and the way they sell their products can be confusing and can lead to you feeling frustrated as their 90 day supply is far from being the equivalent of the 30 day supply kit times by 3…
That is a bit borderline and not very ethical.
If they improve their products by adding more actives in some products, and if they increase the quantity for their 90 day supply (without increasing the price), we would then gladly recommend them but for the time being there are better alternatives and better brands out there that also make great cosmetics with great results with a large amount of active ingredients ( stable vitamin C, retinol, powerful peptides, etc….) and for better prices in the long run.
Update:
Since we published this review, many readers have asked us what brand we would recommend. In fact, we are still testing a lot of them and want to have solid results before recommending them but so far, we can tell you that we already have great results after 7 days of use of some serums and creams from this brand. The formulations are really great and they offer a sweet 60 day money back guarantee. Check this brand on their official website if you want in the meantime. We also wrote a review about them for their acne skincare line here.
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Check what we consider a must have machine for younger and fresher skin : our reviews of the best at home microdermabrasion machines
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