...when is a derm not a derm? Quite a lot of the time actually, here's how to figure it out. Plus I rediscover Dermalogica, dig into why it fell off my radar & confess my misuse of its cult product...
This is FASCINATING. Brings to mind a certain skin care founder whose name rhymes with Schmarbara Schmurm. (Also Gap of skin care is a perfect descriptor)
You’re not nit picking AT ALL and thank you for raising this issue about derms and doctors generally.
It may be my neurodivergence talking but I can’t bear it when people/brands/companies are either a) vague about people’s qualifications or experiences, to allow us to think they are something they are not, or b) deliberately lie. I can’t trust anything a brand says if they are pretending the person fronting that brand is a dermatologist when they are not. A non-dermatologist doctor could know less about skin science than me, a person with higher than average interest in skincare due to being a lifelong eczema sufferer who is invested in what helps my skin and reads up a lot about it (and tries a lot of products).
The whole protected terms vs non-protected terms point is really important too. I’m a chartered accountant, which is a protected term. I have to be fully qualified, exams passed, have sufficient experience signed off by my training firm and institute, pay my annual fees, keep to a code of ethics and keep up annual training requirements. My membership number can be checked on a register. I can be ejected from the institute for criminal or ethical infringements. Accountant is not a protected term. Anyone can call themself an accountant, and indeed they do.
I’m interested in the Dermatologica resurgence too. I’ve generally avoided them as when I was in my 20s my friends raved about them, but for helping oily and spot prone skin. As my skin is broadly the opposite of that, I thought they were probably not the one for me but the gentle products you’re describing sound like they could be up my street.
Yes! I hadn't thought about that re accountants (weird aside, I once wrote a piece for the ICAEW's magazine about accountants going on stand up comedy training course in a bid to improve their confidence and boost presentation skills.) But the protected / non-protected terms thing does apply across a huge number of different areas — I know clinical psychologists / psychotherapists is a similar issue — and the general public is largely really ignorant of what / who they're getting. If you do try any Dermalogica stuff, let me know what you think. And thanks, as ever, for taking the time to read and comment x
Completely agree re: false credentials. Keep at it! (I’m a Dietitian & it’s a similar situation with nutritionists.) And I’m going to have to retry Dermalogica’s Daily Microfoliant because I too was using it wrong (I actually stopped using it because the gritty bits got into my eyes & made them red!). Many thanks for your wisdom!
I knew it wasn't just me using it wrong. If you go back to it, let me know how you get on. And yes the dietitian / nutritionist thing is a long-running problem. It must be infuriating for you. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
I’ve never really stopped using Dermalogica, the daily microfoliant (thank goodness I’ve been using it the correct way all these years!) and the skin smoothing cream. I’ve tried other things but these have just always worked for me and I’ve been loyal! Just turned 50 though and might be time for a shake up!? Though don’t really know where to start, esp as I don’t want to waste money. Will keep reading your articles, always so helpful :)
Oh well done you for getting it right! If it ain’t broke I normally say don’t fix it but I will be covering more of the skincare I rate so stay tuned if you are looking for inspiration…
I too think this is really important (calling a derm a derm). I worked for a long time for a large company who frequently enlisted 'dermatologists' for events/releases/etc. Whenever I pointed out that this camera-friendly expert was not actually a Consultant Derm, they just didn't get it. I guess they thought it didn't matter to their audience/consumer. It always mattered to me.
Thank you. Like so many aspects of the beauty industry I am hoping that consumers are getting savvier and that they will hold brands to a higher standard. *Optimistic face*
Re: Dermalogica. Funny that, I was thinking the same only this week, regarding the double cleanse. They were indeed well ahead of the crowd. Then again : remember Clinique with the soap and the varnish remover toning lotion 😕 Dermalogica Pre Cleanse is still the best cleansing oil on the market in my estimation. I always have a bottle to hand, and my flannel tends to agree with me on that. I use the micro foliant now and again but are never super impressed. Tonight I intend to use the egg white method for better results I hope. When travelling I've taken along a Dermalogica travel set a few times now and each time Ive returned with pretty nice skin. Why do I never go the whole hog? I don't really know, but it's pretty expensive for something that makes good basics without special claims, even though I know such claims are a load of baloney. I suppose I should start looking at this brand as the equivalent of a white t shirt e.g this is the Arket version 🤔.
“nail varnish remover” toning lotion - oh yes that is Clinique’s Clarifying Lotion to a T! But then I was raised on that pink Clean ‘n’ Clear stuff that had the same effect so…
And yes, price wise now it is definitely more Arket than Gap or Uniqlo and I think they’re a decent backbone to a routine. I don’t know enough about their more active products to know if they’re any good.
This is FASCINATING. Brings to mind a certain skin care founder whose name rhymes with Schmarbara Schmurm. (Also Gap of skin care is a perfect descriptor)
Ah yes, that well known orthopaedics brand...
You’re not nit picking AT ALL and thank you for raising this issue about derms and doctors generally.
It may be my neurodivergence talking but I can’t bear it when people/brands/companies are either a) vague about people’s qualifications or experiences, to allow us to think they are something they are not, or b) deliberately lie. I can’t trust anything a brand says if they are pretending the person fronting that brand is a dermatologist when they are not. A non-dermatologist doctor could know less about skin science than me, a person with higher than average interest in skincare due to being a lifelong eczema sufferer who is invested in what helps my skin and reads up a lot about it (and tries a lot of products).
The whole protected terms vs non-protected terms point is really important too. I’m a chartered accountant, which is a protected term. I have to be fully qualified, exams passed, have sufficient experience signed off by my training firm and institute, pay my annual fees, keep to a code of ethics and keep up annual training requirements. My membership number can be checked on a register. I can be ejected from the institute for criminal or ethical infringements. Accountant is not a protected term. Anyone can call themself an accountant, and indeed they do.
I’m interested in the Dermatologica resurgence too. I’ve generally avoided them as when I was in my 20s my friends raved about them, but for helping oily and spot prone skin. As my skin is broadly the opposite of that, I thought they were probably not the one for me but the gentle products you’re describing sound like they could be up my street.
Yes! I hadn't thought about that re accountants (weird aside, I once wrote a piece for the ICAEW's magazine about accountants going on stand up comedy training course in a bid to improve their confidence and boost presentation skills.) But the protected / non-protected terms thing does apply across a huge number of different areas — I know clinical psychologists / psychotherapists is a similar issue — and the general public is largely really ignorant of what / who they're getting. If you do try any Dermalogica stuff, let me know what you think. And thanks, as ever, for taking the time to read and comment x
Completely agree re: false credentials. Keep at it! (I’m a Dietitian & it’s a similar situation with nutritionists.) And I’m going to have to retry Dermalogica’s Daily Microfoliant because I too was using it wrong (I actually stopped using it because the gritty bits got into my eyes & made them red!). Many thanks for your wisdom!
I knew it wasn't just me using it wrong. If you go back to it, let me know how you get on. And yes the dietitian / nutritionist thing is a long-running problem. It must be infuriating for you. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
The intensive moisture balance is my holy grail moisturiser and I’ve not found a better exfoliant then the microfoliant
Ooh sounds like I need to investigate that moisturiser…
I’ve never really stopped using Dermalogica, the daily microfoliant (thank goodness I’ve been using it the correct way all these years!) and the skin smoothing cream. I’ve tried other things but these have just always worked for me and I’ve been loyal! Just turned 50 though and might be time for a shake up!? Though don’t really know where to start, esp as I don’t want to waste money. Will keep reading your articles, always so helpful :)
Oh well done you for getting it right! If it ain’t broke I normally say don’t fix it but I will be covering more of the skincare I rate so stay tuned if you are looking for inspiration…
I too think this is really important (calling a derm a derm). I worked for a long time for a large company who frequently enlisted 'dermatologists' for events/releases/etc. Whenever I pointed out that this camera-friendly expert was not actually a Consultant Derm, they just didn't get it. I guess they thought it didn't matter to their audience/consumer. It always mattered to me.
Thank you. Like so many aspects of the beauty industry I am hoping that consumers are getting savvier and that they will hold brands to a higher standard. *Optimistic face*
Re: Dermalogica. Funny that, I was thinking the same only this week, regarding the double cleanse. They were indeed well ahead of the crowd. Then again : remember Clinique with the soap and the varnish remover toning lotion 😕 Dermalogica Pre Cleanse is still the best cleansing oil on the market in my estimation. I always have a bottle to hand, and my flannel tends to agree with me on that. I use the micro foliant now and again but are never super impressed. Tonight I intend to use the egg white method for better results I hope. When travelling I've taken along a Dermalogica travel set a few times now and each time Ive returned with pretty nice skin. Why do I never go the whole hog? I don't really know, but it's pretty expensive for something that makes good basics without special claims, even though I know such claims are a load of baloney. I suppose I should start looking at this brand as the equivalent of a white t shirt e.g this is the Arket version 🤔.
“nail varnish remover” toning lotion - oh yes that is Clinique’s Clarifying Lotion to a T! But then I was raised on that pink Clean ‘n’ Clear stuff that had the same effect so…
And yes, price wise now it is definitely more Arket than Gap or Uniqlo and I think they’re a decent backbone to a routine. I don’t know enough about their more active products to know if they’re any good.