From clinic to bathroom cabinet: the best skin brands masterminded by top cosmetic doctors
These doctor-led skincare brands distil the knowledge of the UK’s most sought-after cosmetic physicians. We bring you their USPs and most game-changing products.
Any products in this article have been selected editorially however if you buy something we mention, we may earn commission.
Found in the swankiest of clinics from Harley Street to Harrods, the nation’s most in-demand skin doctors and aestheticians spend their days tending to the complexions of those in the know. They boast decades of experience and a battery of qualifications almost as long as their waiting lists. But their expertise isn’t just reserved for those who can bag a slot in their busy schedules. They have all created performance skincare lines to help their clients – and the rest of us – keep up, or start, the good work at home.
From growth-factor-powered serums to world-first cleansers, all have poured their knowledge into take-home product collections that promise to truly deliver. Here’s who to see and what to buy.
The pigmentation and skin resurfacing pro:
Dr David Jack skincare and supplements
With a background in surgery, dermatology and internal medicine, cosmetic physician Dr David Jack has a multi-faceted insight into the workings of great-looking skin. His approach reflects this, with face and body treatments combining procedures and techniques tailored to your skin’s requirements. Easy-going Dr Jack can be found alongside a growing team of doctors and clinical facialists at five clinics in London and Edinburgh.
See him for: Expert pigmentation reduction and removal. Dr Jack has some of the most extensive experience in the country with Morpheus8, a non-surgical skin tightening treatment that combines microneedling and radio frequency technology. He was also one of the first to introduce the cutting-edge UltraClear laser, which uses a cold laser beam to resurface the skin. An expert in avoiding complications while getting dramatic results, he will combine devices, supplements and skincare depending on your skin tone and type of pigmentation.
His skincare: First launched in 2018, Jack’s products answer to the principles of scientific evidence, simplicity and aesthetic clarity. His approach is holistic, with supplements, colour-coded at-home peels, and cutting-edge ingredients introduced only after careful vetting and formulating.
What to buy: Dr David Jack Stellar Meso Renew Eye Cream, £95. Deploying the most trusted renewal agents (retinoids, vitamin C, caffeine and targeted peptides) but in a way that sidesteps inflammation, this straddles the balance between potency and skin barrier preservation for an eye-opening result.
SHOPFor a bespoke skincare prescription:
Consultant dermatologist Emma Craythorne is a skin cancer and dermatological surgery specialist, a go-to for cosmetic dermatology, including scar treatment, and star of Discovery+’s The Bad Skin Clinic and Save My Skin. She operates from central London day clinics, One Welbeck and 152 Harley Street .
See her for: Scar-free mole removal and no-nonsense skincare prescriptions.
Her skincare: Firmly of the opinion that only a small number of prescriptive ingredients will give real results, Dr Craythorne developed Klira, a digital dermatology clinic that dispenses ‘The Special’, a custom-blend prescription cream, to its patients. Following a 51-question online diagnostic test, you will be told your ‘skin size’, determined by the state of your collagen, sebum, skin barrier and melanin. A hydrating cream with prescriptive doses of tretinoin (a retinoid that speeds up cell turnover) and exfoliating azelaic acid will be blended for you. This is sent alongside regime recommendations from derm-approved brands such as CeraVe and La Roche Posay.
What to buy: A bespoke Klira Subscription is £75 for one month (£708 for twelve). If you know your skin size, you can also snap up the ultimate daily SPF, Klira The Dayscript SPF50++++, £82. Four options ensure the texture and active ingredients are tailored to your skin. It is formulated with encapsulated sun filters, a new technology where UV filters are coated with skin-boosting lipids, so that they remain stable alongside other actives — meaning longer-lasting, consistent protection throughout the day. The light potion will improve your skin’s condition and serve as a primer to boot.
SHOPGlowy solutions for sensitive skin:
Having spent years treating patients in her Harley Street base, Dr Sam Bunting today limits in-clinic appointments to a number of VIP clients so she can spend more time spreading her wisdom via educational videos on YouTube and her buzzy 18,000-strong Facebook community, Dr Sam’s Skincare Club. If you want glowing skin, Dr Sam can get you there.
See her for: The dermatology big three – acne, eczema and rosacea. If you can’t nab Dr Sam herself, she’s recruited some of the best derms in the business, including Dr Emma Wedgeworth and Dr Rakesh Patalay, to maintain the steadfast reputation of Harley Street’s Dr Sam Bunting + Associates.
Her skincare: Born in 2018, Dr Sam’s is a skincare range for face and body, and answers the specific requests from her followers with only derm-approved actives. Retinol, niacinamide, azelaic acid, vitamin C and NAD-boosting — the latest longevity buzzword in supplements — sunflower shoot extract are her stars). Products are unscented for maximum tolerability, affordable (£16-£44) and idiot-proof with detailed info on dosage and application, yet still luxe-feeling.
What to buy: Dr Sam’s Flawless Moisturiser Intense, £36 is a pioneering barrier-booster that received eight awards in the first two years of existence — including a silver award in last year’s GTG Beauty Awards. Deploying SSE (sunflower shoot extract), a new ingredient proven to restore cellular energy, it helps skin to nurse itself back to health and recover its youthful smoothness and radiance.
SHOPLuxury regimes with laser precision:
Dr Maryam Zamani features in many an A-lister’s little black book for her flawless eyelid work, alongside anything from cryotherapy to laser resurfacing. The Iranian oculoplastic and cosmetic surgeon performs her magic from a glossy King’s Road clinic that even has a selfie room for you to show off your transformation.
See her for: Her extensive collection of laser and light machines makes her something of a bespoke laser specialist. From Moxi to Halo to Aviclear to BBL, any issue can be zapped with downtime tailored to your needs (you can find out more about which laser is best for your skin concern here). Of course, Maryam is a dab hand with a scalpel and syringe as well.
Her skincare: The award-winning MZ Skin line for ageless skin has famous fans including Gwyneth Paltrow and Gisele, thanks to dressing table-worthy bottles holding cutting-edge formulations. The choice of products is extensive, with advanced ingredients like ethically sourced animal placenta for its collagen-boosting amplification of her clinic treatments.
What to buy: Her targeted skincare kits. The MZ Skin Ultimate LED 2.0 collection, £1105, is the ultimate splurge, with a powerful age and acne-busting at-home LED mask flanked by a full-size MZ Skin Reviving Bio-Placenta Stem Cell Serum, £275 and MZ Skin Radiance & Renewal Refining Mask, £138. Pricey, but the saving is about £300.
SHOPCollagen boosting without needles:
Doctor Skin Collagen by Dr Rabia Malik
You’ll find Dr Rabia Malik nestled inside the chic confines of Harrods Wellness Clinic; the perfect location for the GP and holistic aesthetician who eschews injectables in favour of other collagen-banking treatments.
See her for: Her bespoke meso-peels for pre-event rejuvenation. This treatment combines two of Dr Rabia’s secret weapons: prescriptive peels and medical-grade microneedling. Expect plump, vibrant skin with no downtime.
Her skincare: Having spent years blending her own skincare for clients to take home, Dr Rabia ended up launching her own Doctor Skin Collagen by Dr Rabia Malik capsule collection, comprising a cleanser, serum, moisturiser and eye cream. At its heart? A bio-energised copper amino acid complex, used at strengths clinically proven to firm the skin. It’s a pricey ingredient – one reason why you don’t see it used often. That hasn’t fazed Dr Rabia, though, who’s sacrificed a hefty markup to share the love.
What to buy: Doctor Skin Collagen Collagen Stimulating Serum , £125 is medical-grade and can be used alongside Rabia’s Doctor Skin Collagen The Collagen Bank ATM Roller, £75 — a 0.5mm-needle precision roller designed to fight collagen depletion even more effectively.
SHOPShortcut to plumper, smoother skin:
111Skin by Dr Yannis Alexandrides
Plastic surgeon Dr Yannis Alexandrides is renowned for innovation on Harley Street, as one of the first surgeons to advocate for non-surgical procedures. Breast enhancement, nose jobs and facelifts keep him busy, but you can also choose from an extensive tweakment menu (either at Harley Street or the 111Skin Spa/Clinic at the Bulgari Hotel).
See him for: His signature Y Facelift technique that’s popular with actors and politicians. It specifically targets the lower part of the face and neck, restoring youthful sculpted contours.
His skincare: His patented NAC Y2 formula, which combines powerful antioxidants and amino acids, forms the basis of Dr Yannis’ skincare line, 111Skin. Originally developed to speed up healing in his surgery patients, the formula had anti-ageing benefits as well, a bit like Creme de la Mer’s miracle broth. Cue reported fans like Margot Robbie and the Beckhams.
What to buy: 111Skin Y Theorem Bicellulose Facial Mask, £65 for three, with the hero NAC Y2 ingredient as well as peptides and calming tiger grass. Think soothed, smoothed and plumper skin in 20 minutes.
SHOPCutting-edge exosome skincare for rejuvenation:
Dr Ivy Harley Street London by Dr Ivy
Dr Ivona Igerc (known as Dr Ivy)’s mission is to restore perfect harmony and proportions to every face she treats, which she does with a bespoke blend of injectables and the lightest touch. As an expert and trainer in regenerative medicine and stem cells, she is a fan of science-backed exosome formulations (regenerative molecules that can calm inflammation) and has built a skincare range around them.
See her for: Undetectable ‘whisper fillers’ in the shape of her Face Design treatment. Dr Ivy gets you to stand as she moves around you while assessing and injecting, as this allows her to see how the face naturally ‘sits’ with gravity.
Her skincare: Dr Ivy Harley Street London Exosome Skincare harnesses exosomes safely but powerfully for use at home. Consisting of a luxe cleanser, serum and moisturiser, the products soothe and restore skin but also increase its regenerative potential for firmer, plumper skin.
What to buy: The whisper-light, unscented Dr Ivy Harley Street London Regenerative Exosome Serum, £315 boasts 17.5 million plant-based exosomes (sourced from centella asiatica, aka tiger grass) — and is considerably more powerful than other exosome serums on the market.
SHOPAt-home tweakment boosters to support healing:
Proving that talented medical aesthetic practitioners need not always be doctors, nurse prescriber Alice Henshaw earned her stripes with her knack for injectable facial rejuvenation and harmonisation that leaves her clients picture-perfect. She is the founder and medical director of Harley Street injectables, heading up a glam squad of eight cosmetic doctors, nurse prescribers and aestheticians.
See her for: Her signature full-face approach to Botox and dermal filler (she is a key opinion leader for pharmaceutical company Allergan Aesthetics) and her meticulous bespoke treatment planning.
Her skincare: Alice developed Skin Cycles in order to offer her clients skincare that would support healing and enhance the results of their injectable treatments. TGHA is her proprietary age-defying complex found in all Skin Cycles products: a powerful but gentle, slow-release blend of peptides and antioxidant glutathione, it keeps collagen regeneration ticking over.
What to buy: Skincycles Lumina Mist, £55. Surely the chicest re-application sunscreen mist on the market, the super-fine texture belies its serious broad-spectrum SPF50. With aloe vera to quench and vitamin C and E for synergistic antioxidant protection, it leaves a juicy glow.
SHOPSkincare solution with age-defying actives
Dr Somji Pro-Active Skincare London by Dr Munir Somji
A cosmetic surgeon as well as an aesthetic physician, Dr Munir Somji has offered both options in his Knightsbridge Dr Medispa clinic since 2014. Its five doctors and five aesthetic practitioners are each highly specialised, ensuring that any of the vast range of face and body treatments (there is an extensive choice of lasers, injectables and more) is executed to the highest standards.
See him for: Dr Somji is an internationally recognised hair restoration expert specialising in both surgical and non-surgical solutions for women and men.
His skincare: Dr Somji Pro-Active Skincare features options to treat the root causes of skin issues, repair the barrier and protect from environmental aggressors. They each deploy established age-defying actives and a proprietary blend, SOM1X, of ceramides, probiotics, MSM, cica and botanical antioxidants, that will nourish and strengthen any skin.
What to buy: The Dr Somji Pro-Active Skincare London Concentrates, £45 allow you to precision-target a primary concern (there are Anti-Wrinkle, Anti-Redness and Anti-Blemish options) and can be super-charged with the universal, moisturising Dr Somji Pro-Active Skincare London Signature Serum, £85.
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