Category of Skincare Brands

There are so many skincare brands in market， almost every year we are approached by new brands, new products advertised at magazines, tv and internet.

In fact, skincare, basically, could be divided into three types.

1) Counter, Open Shelf

Widely available in market, shopping malls and internet, these skincare brands may contain active ingredients (highlighted key ingredients) to protect skin, maintain skin health, offer least side effects/complications, but may not effective for skin problems. Choose wisely according to skin types and lifestyle.

Brands: Lancome, SK II, Shiseido, Kose, Neutrogena, Loreal, H2O+, Origins, The Body Shop, tns

2) Salon, Pharmaceutical

High efficiency, usually expensive, skincare products loaded with high amount of small molecules active ingredients target on different skin problems to give quick effects, corporated with equipments and massages of skillful beauticians, salon brands offer an amazing effectiveness. However, salon brands cause certain sensitivity to those fragile skin, especially if not suitable, will experience such crisis.

Brands: Sothys, Decleor, Dermalogica, Darphin, Thalgo, Cellnique, Guinot

3) Prescription

These ranges are only available in skin clinics and required a prescription by dermatologists or skin specialists. Many of the prescription products contain the same ingredients as those available over-the-counter, but are in higher dosage/concentration strengths, such as retinol (vitamin A for acne treatment), AHA, vitamin C, hydroquinone, steroid and etc. These skincare brands are impressively effective for serious skin problems, but also have certain risks of adverse complications.

Brand: Obagi ( Nu Derm® System and the Blue Peel® System), La Roche, Neostrata



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