Who are the top people to see for aesthetic treatments and what to buy from their game-changing skincare ranges? We open our little black book
Found in the swankiest of clinics from Harley Street to Harrods, these in-demand skin doctors spend their days tending to the complexions of those in-the-know. They boast decades of experience and a list 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 the good work at home.
From growth-factor-powered serums to world-first cleansers, all have poured their knowledge into their own skincare line of at-home products that promise to truly deliver. Here's who to see and what to buy.
The tweakment stacker Dr David Jack
With a background in surgery, dermatology and internal medicine, you might say that cosmetic physician Dr David Jack has a multi-faceted insight into the workings of great-looking skin, and his approach reflects this. A proponent of bespoke face and body treatments that combine procedures and techniques tailored to your skin’s requirements, Dr Jack’s expertise stretches from injectables and lasers via peels and skincare to tightening devices such as Morpheus8 and fat loss technologies. His manner is easy-going and unpretentious despite managing a steady stream of demanding regulars at his Harley Street clinic.
See him for: Expert pigmentation reduction and removal. Dr Jack will combine skincare, lasers (including the state-of-the-art Lumecca IPL device) and other options depending on your skin tone and type of pigmentation, so any lesions are treated safely and without risk of aggravating the discolouration.
His skincare: When devising his skincare range, which was first launched in 2018, it was important for Dr Jack that the products answered to the principles of scientific evidence, simplicity and aesthetic clarity. True to his holistic approach, there are supplements for better skin from the inside out, problem-solving at-home peels, and a new three-step skincare routine that promises to make any skin look better and healthier, without fuss.
What to buy: Dr David Jack Daily Skin Trio, £218. An antioxidant day serum, SPF moisturiser and retinoid and polyhydroxy acids-based night treatment, this triptych contains all the most advanced versions of the skincare ingredients everyone needs (UV filters, acids, retinoids, etc) for great skin. It’s ski-minimalist simplicity that holds great power.
The celebrity doc Dr Leah Totton
Apprentice winner Dr Leah impressed ‘Siralan’ (now Lord Sugar) back in 2014 with her business plan for becoming a cosmetic treatments mogul. She now runs three successful, award-winning cosmetic clinics in London and Essex, heading up a team of cosmetic doctors. Offering a huge portfolio of dermal fillers, laser treatments and facials, there is also room for the serious work of mole checks alongside acne scarring and PCOS treatment.
See her for: Silhouette Soft thread lifts: Dr Leah and her clinics have been singled out for excellence in this procedure.
Her skincare: inspired by her clients, who complained of a lack of effective skincare with ‘clean’ ingredients, the Dr Leah Skincare initial lineup consists of a fragrance-free foaming cleanser and nourishing moisturiser, both vegan, in recyclable packaging, and ‘containing natural ingredients’ (an INCI list can’t be found online). They’re suitable for all skin types, reflecting “the thousands of patients we see in our clinics each year,” says Dr Leah.
What to buy: Dr Leah Facial Moisturiser, £55. Rich but not too heavy, this has no ingredients that will upset skin and is nourishing enough to take you through the harsh winter months.
For bespoke skin solutions Dr Emma Craythorne
Consultant dermatologist Emma Craythorne is a skin cancer specialist with a special interest in pioneering skin cancer removal techniques, serving on the executive board of the British society of dermatological surgery. She is also your woman for general and cosmetic dermatology and the treatment and reduction of scars, and if she looks familiar to you, it’s because you’ve seen her in action on You might know her from The Bad Skin Clinic on Discovery Plus. She operates from central London day clinics One Welbeck and 152 Harley Street
See her for: scar-free mole removal. Dr Craythorne specialises in Mohs surgery, a procedure that minimises the amount of tissue that needs to be removed to get rid of basal and squamous cell carcinomas, which are two types of skin cancer.
Her skincare: not a fan of skincare hype and firmly of the opinion that only a small number of prescriptive ingredients will give real results, Dr Craythorne has developed Klira, the ‘digital dermatology clinic of the future’ that dispenses ‘The Special’, a custom-blend prescription cream, to its patients. Following a detailed (expect 51 questions!) online diagnostic test to determine your genetic characteristics and environmental exposure, you will be told your ‘skin size’. This is of twelve ‘skin categories’ that aim to do away with the outdated and not very accurate practice of ‘skin typing’. Each ‘type’ is determined by the state of your individual collagen, sebum, skin barrier and melanin. Based on that, you will receive a cream with prescriptive doses of tretinoin and azelaic acid (it’s to be used at night), in a moisturising base tailored to your needs. You will also get a skincare regime recommendation that draws from widely available and Craythorne-approved brands such as CeraVe and La Roche Posay.
What to buy: A Klira Subscription, from £49 for one month (£135 for three) comprises the above alongside delivery of your ‘The Special’ prescription cream, alongside a refillable glass applicator pump. Video consultations with the dermatology team are also available at £100.
For red-carpet results Dr Nyla Raja
If you like your facials and non-surgical procedures with a generous side of glamour, Dr Raja and her stiletto-shod team of specialists offer just the right environment for you, whether you visit her sumptuous Dr Nyla Medispa in London’s Mayfar, Cheshire, Liverpool or Birmingham. Whichever trending tweakment you’ve been reading about, Dr Raja probably provides it. A self-styled ‘gatekeeper to the ageing process’, she favours a multi-modular approach to sensibly slow down decline over a more reactive problem-fixing philosophy.
See her for: her Phyto Facial which involves her ‘signature skin patting + massage’ to improve lymphatic drainage and sculpt the face, and ultrasound-based deep-cleansing and skincare-infusing device, full-body LED therapy, and ample use of Dr Nyla skincare.
Her skincare: A lineup of five products (two cleansers, an eye, a day and a night cream), they major, unsurprisingly, on glamour, with weighty pots and a sumptuous scent. Actives such as vitamin C and peptides are gold-encapsulated for better absorption, and a raft of essential fatty acid-rich oils ensure suppleness.
What to buy: Purify Cleansing Gel, £45 is an AHA-based cleanser that helps get rid of dulling skin cells while deep-cleansing without affecting skin’s protective lipid barrier.
The skin cancer authority Dr Marko Lens
A plastic and reconstructive surgeon with a PhD in the field of melanoma, Dr Lens operates from a spacious Wimpole Street clinic and is trusted for his diagnostic and surgical skills when it comes to melanoma and other skin cancers. But he also performs eyelid surgery and facelifts alongside injectable and laser treatments and is known for his no-nonsense frankness when it comes to treatments and skincare. It’s made him a favourite of the beauty press for being highly ‘quotable’.
See him for: skin cancer reconstructive surgery
His skincare: Dr Lens’ passion for botanicals and skincare formulation was ignited by his grandma, who created her own skincare remedies with plant oils and extracts she foraged for herself. Particularly interested in topical antioxidants for their potentially powerful role in mitigating skin diseases and ageing, Dr Lens started masterminding his pharmaceutical-grade, botanics-based skincare in 2005 and watched Zelens turn into a globally renowned skincare brand. Pioneering the use of vitamin D, melatonin, polyhydroxy acids and Japanese antioxidant Shiso extract in topicals, this range is cosmetically elegant as much as it’s high-performing. The focus is on healing and protecting skin cells and avoiding any kind of inflammation, which is one reason why the range was recently re-launched without its much-loved green-sappy fragrance.
What to buy: Zelens PHA+ Resurfacing Essence, £45. A brand-new liquid version of Zelens’ groundbreaking PHA resurfacing pads, this has not just a blend of gentle acids, but hydrators, polyphenols and vitamins as well to leave skin positively glowing.
The queen of cheekbones Dr Nina Bal
You probably recognise beautiful Italian Dr Nina Bal from her frequent appearances on This Morning and E4's Bodyfixers. With almost 400,000 Instagram followers, she's an acclaimed facial aesthetics guru. And as a cosmetic dentist too, she knows facial architecture like no other. Dr Nina is all about 'cheating cheekbones' and 'facial sculpting' with the help of fillers and wrinkle-relaxing treatments. She swears by the 'Golden Ratio of Beauty', a mathematical algorithm said to create the most aesthetically-pleasing combination of features.
See her for: Her unique Endolift laser and Profhilo combo, dubbed the 'no-knife face lift.' It comprises one session of the jaw-sculpting laser and two sessions of Profhilo and starts from £3500.
Her skincare: Seeing clients daily in her clinic led Dr Nina to launch her own line this year – Facial Sculpting by Dr Nina. It currently consists of just one product – a targeted serum, focused on anti-ageing.
What to buy: Dr Nina Face Sculpt Serum, £120 – a multi-pronged power product that uses glycolic and salicylic acid, a tripeptide and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid to smooth skin texture. After using it for four weeks, our tester in her fifties noticed a difference to her skin that even her facialist commented on.
The skin healer Dr Stefanie Williams
Consider Dr Stefanie Williams a walking skin-cyclopaedia; she's penned three books, won awards for her research and lectured around the world. Yet the German consultant dermatologist still finds time to work in her two achingly chic Eudelo clinics in London's Harley Street and Vauxhall.
See her for: If you have a medical skin condition that needs attention, dermatologist Dr Stefanie is your woman. She is all about bringing skin back to health before embarking on any kind of aesthetic journey, although if it’s filler or laser you want, she can do that too, all in a luxe spa-like setting.
Her skincare: Two years in the making, Delo Rx by Dr Stefanie Williams was founded in 2021 following her own first-hand experience suffering from adult acne and rosacea. Having struggled to find products to tackle both breakouts and ageing, she's began formulating her own. The range comprises gentle yet powerful cleanser with the highest concentration of active ingredients of all cleansers on the market (Delo Rx Radiance and Rejuvenation Hybrid Cleanser , £85), and a just-lauched overnight treatment with a 'Quadretinoid' complex - four different retinoids (members of the retinol family) that will tackle both breakouts and signs of ageing without any irritation.
What to buy: Delo Rx Youth Matrix Activator with QuadRetinoid TM Complex, £165. Besides its unique blend of retinoids, it balances and perfects skin with niacinamide, antioxidants and hydrators and boasts and active ingredeint content of no less than 34%.
The holistic whizz Dr AJ Sturnham
Image: Instagram @drajsturnham
When she's not working as a GP specialising in cosmetic dermatology, you'll find Dr Anita Sturnham heading up Nuriss on Marylebone's Wimpole Street. More than a skin clinic, this uber health and wellbeing hub takes a 360-degree approach. Think lasers and peels with a side serving of hormone, allergy and microbiome testing.
See her for: Her Essential Upkeep Facial that combines lasers and LED is a standout treatment. But following an initial consultation, Dr Anita will advise you how to get to the root of your skin problem with her unique approach combining 20 years of medical experience and taking into account factors such as gut health and hormone balance.
Her skincare: Decree by Dr AJ Sturnham aims to take the confusion out of actives. It's a clutter-free range of eight products, each marked 'morning,' 'night' or 'weekly' and suitable for all skin concerns. Having helped formulate products for Unilever and Procter & Gamble, developing her own was a no-brainer for Dr Anita.
What to buy: Decree Treat Tincture , £130 – a supercharged do-it-all serum that boasts six different actives, including squalane and retinoid, to quash pigmentation, wrinkles and uneven texture.
The hair derm Dr Ophelia Veraitch
Image: drophelia.com
You might have spotted a white coat-clad Dr Ophelia Veraitch alongside Eva Longoria in recent L'Oreal Paris ads as the brand's UK dermatologist. And it's no wonder the powerhouse brand scooped her up. She's one of the few UK consultant dermatologists to have both academic and clinical expertise in hair – that means she conducts her own research for peer-reviewed journals as well as treating patients.
See her for: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), a serum of your own blood plasma injected into the scalp to treat hair loss and thinning. Working from an exclusive Harley Street practice, Dr Ophelia is a best-kept secret among royalty and beauty insiders alike, particularly when it comes to hair fall issues including alopecia. But she delivers plenty of skin 'tweakments' as well.
Her hair and skincare: The just-launched Dr Ophelia line, which includes face serums, hair tonics and hair supplements, is prescription-only. Fill in a detailed online questionnaire and Dr Ophelia will choose the medical-grade product, such as her Anti-Ageing Night Serum , £60, containing tretinoin – to suit your needs, with everything created in her London-based lab.
What to buy: If you've previously tried minoxidil products for hair growth and want to step it up, choose Dr Ophelia Hair Growth Elixir Plus , £180 for a three-month supply. It uses 10 per cent minoxidil (anything over five per cent can't be obtained over the counter) for proven results.
The queen of glow Dr Sam Bunting
Image: drsambunting.com
Having spent years treating patients in her Harley Street base, Dr Sam Bunting is now on a mission to make her wealth of skin knowledge more accessible. She's swapped in-clinic appointments (except for a few VIP clients) for educational videos on YouTube and her buzzy 22,000-strong Facebook community. 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 score an appointment with Dr Sam herself, she's recruited some of the best in the business, including Dr Emma Wedgeworth and Dr Tracy Wong, to maintain her clinic's steadfast reputation. Catch her on her private Facebook group – Dr Sam's Skincare Club. The group is instrumental in the development of her own product line with her formulas masterminded based on demand from her followers.
Her skincare: Dr Sam's skincare has three 'Basics' that everyone should have (SPF, moisturiser and a cleanser) to which you can add the ‘Flawless’ range of targeted actives – retinol, niacinamide, azelaic acid, vitamin C and bakuchiol are her stars. All are unscented for maximum tolerability, affordable (£16-£44) and idiot-proof – there’s plenty of info on both the packaging and her social channels about how and why to use them. And Sam's got your body skin sorted as well, with a niacinamide-rich body cream, must-have lip balms and her very latest launch, a game-changing hand cream.
What to buy: Dr Sam's Flawless Brightly Serum , £44 – a multi-action powerhouse for antioxidant protection, skin barrier building and brightening containing azelaic acid, niacinamide, ascorbyl glucoside (a type of vitamin C) and the 'alt-rentinol' bakuchiol, that's a brilliant introduction to daytime actives.
For perfect eyes Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai
Image: perfecteyesltd.com
From eye bags to puffiness and eyelid sagging, Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai is the oracle for all things eyes. A leading ophthalmic plastic reconstructive and cosmetic surgeon, she has 20 years' worth of experience in peeper-perfecting in esteemed locations across India and the UK including her own Perfect Eyes clinic on Harley Street.
What to see her for: Incredibly natural tear trough fillers. Dr Sabrina has come up with an 'Eye Boost' technique, in which she injects a hydrating skin booster into the thin skin on the eyelid, rather than placing fillers at the lid-cheek zone, for a more subtle effect.
Her skincare: Dr Sabrina has just launched a one-of-a-kind new system for banishing dark circles.
What to buy: Dr Sabrina Dark Circle Corrector System, £150, comprises two layerable products. Perfect 360 Eye Illuminate teams a raft of pigment-inhibiting, brightening and capillary-strengthening ingredients in a light gel that comes complete with a cooling applicator. It has made a noticeable difference to GTG editorial director Victoria Woodhall's under-eye area. "Brighter and tighter," she says. The accompanying Eye Protect cream delivers broad-spectrum SPF30 for daytime that won't irritate the eye area, alongside antioxidants and a pollution shield, all to stave off undereye darkness in the first place.
The laser guru Dr Maryam Zamani
You'll find Dr Maryam Zamani scrawled in many an A-lister's diary – next to an appointment for some of her flawless eyelid work, no doubt. The Iranian oculoplastic and cosmetic surgeon performs her magic from a glossy clinic on the King's Road where she offers a transformative menu of everything from cryotherapy to threads. There's even a selfie room for you to show off your transformation.
See her for: Her BBL treatment (Broadband Light), billed as the world's most powerful IPL device. With minimal to no downtime, the pulsed light busts sun damage, redness, brown spots and acne with Dr Maryam's clinic one of only a few in the UK to offer it.
Her skincare: Dr Maryam's award-winning MZ Skin line has no shortage of famous fans including Gwyneth Paltrow and Gisele. It's easy to see why. While the packaging is dressing table-worthy, the formulations are cutting edge. She uses ethically-sourced animal placenta, rich in growth factors, for its collagen-boosting prowess and high-strength encapsulated retinol that can be worn during the day without going off in sunlight.
What to buy: Her targeted skincare kits. We love MZ Skin Instant Radiance Facial Kit, £245 – the pink fluffy bag, headband and cleansing pads might look cute, but the seven products inside, worth £309, mean business.
For power peels Dr Rabia Malik
You'll find the esteemed Dr Rabia Malik nestled inside two of London's chicest hotspots – that's Harrods Wellness Clinic and the Lanserhof at The Arts Club. These VIP sanctums are the perfect locations for the GP and holistic aesthetician who sidelines injectables in favour of other collagen-boosting treatments.
See her for: Her bespoke meso-peels for pre-event rejuvenation. This treatment combines two of Dr Rabia's secret weapons – her bespoke 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 launched her own collection Skin W1 London by Dr Rabia Malik a few years ago. At the heart? A bio-energised copper amino acid complex is 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 in order to share the love.
What to buy: Skin W1 London Collagen Stimulating Serum , £95, which scooped gold in the Age Well cateory of our Get The Gloss Beauty and Wellness Awards 2021. This uses that all-important copper complex in the same concentration as the serum from the range. Hello, nourishing benefits and serious anti-ageing prowess.
For cosmetic surgery Dr Yannis Alexandrides
Image: 111harleystreet.com
Plastic surgeon Dr Yannis Alexandrides is renowned for innovation on Harley Street, having been one of the first surgeons to advocate non-surgical procedures. The bookings that keep him busiest? Breast enhancement, nose jobs and facelifts.
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, accentuating its profile. Although you might prefer to head one of the 111Skin treatment venues in London (Selfridges, Liberty or the 111Spa/Clinic on Devonshire Place) for a tweakment or two with his team, or even to London's Harvey Nichols for a turn in the 111Cryo Chamber or infrared sauna-meets LED Heat Pod.
His skincare: His patented NAC Y2 formula, which combines powerful antioxidants and amino acids, forms the basis of Dr Yannis' whole skincare line – 111Skin – named after his famous 111 Harley Street clinic. Originally developed to speed up healing in his surgery patients, the formula – said to be used by astronauts in space – was also found to offer anti-ageing results. Fans of the brand include pretty much every A-lister you can imagine from Margot Robbie to Jennifer Aniston and the Beckhams.
What to buy: 111Skin Y Theorem Bicellulose Facial Mask , £85 for five, with the hero NAC Y2 ingredient as well as peptides and calming tiger grass aka centella Asiatica. Think soothed, smoothed and plumper skin in 20 minutes.
The king of lips Dr Tijion Esho
You might recognise Dr Tijion Esho , as the former resident cosmetic doctor on E4's Body Fixers makeover show, who has royals and celebrities on his books. Dubbed The Lip Doctor, he’s renowned for his lip fillers but also offers a variety of other 'tweakments' from his clinics in Wimbledon and Newcastle.
Dr Esho's speciality is the ‘Esho ratio’ and nano-droplet lip filler technique, which involves creating a 1:1 ratio in the outer corners of the top and bottom lip, and a 1:2 ratio in the centre of the top lip versus the bottom lip. In short, lips that are thicker in the middle with an accentuated Cupid’s bow. He’s also passionate about making lip fillers last longer and even weaning us off them via his Esho lip-focused cosmeceutical skincare line.
See him for: Laser Lip Lift. His latest invention is for people who don’t want injectables but seek a more natural lip enhancement. You can’t really look overdone as it relies on your own collagen stimulation for volume. It’s a 10-minute painless treatment that resurfaces and adds volume with no downtime. The six sessions you need a year cost £950 in total and you can also have it if you’ve had fillers.
His skincare: Esho bills itself as the world’s first cosmeceutical lip care range, providing a no-needle solution that aims to enhance lips with plumping and hydrating serums and balms. If you've had lip fillers, it also helps them last longer. It's already become QVC's best-selling lip range of all time.
What to buy: Esho Sculpt, £21.99 – a tingling lip serum designed to boost lip shape and volume immediately and in the long-term thanks to a super concentration of peptides. We also love Esho Coat, £21.99, which scooped a gold medal in our Get The Gloss Beauty and Wellness Awards 2021 .
MORE GLOSS: Why a top hair doctor is raving about peptides