Meet the man who makes the A-list glow...
He claims that whatever the skin problem, he can ‘always fix it’.
Such is the celebrity traffic at his Rodeo Drive practice that Kim Kardashian and Beyonce had that run-in earlier this month in the parking lot. Dr Harold Lancer is the go-to dermatologist for the A-list with stars including Katy Perry, Ellen Degeneres and Anne Hathaway lining up to experience his ‘method’ and Victoria Beckham declaring ‘I always use Dr Lancer skin products’.
He was, for much of his 30 year career, a closely-guarded Hollywood secret, thanks to his unique approach, which encourages skin to act younger than its years. But Lancer went global after Oprah Winfrey visited him and was bowled over by the results. She was keen to share her discovery on her show, but not if her audience of millions couldn’t have access themselves. One call to Nordstrom from Oprah’s team and Lancer, previously only available to clients, was stocked online. After the show aired, the website crashed due to high demand and every single piece sold out. Lancer had arrived.
The Lancer Method hinges on stimulating the epidermis in order to boost cell turnover and produce more elastin and collagen. The aim is to train skin to follow a 28-day cycle, which will result in the ‘Lancer Glow’. The three-step Lancer Method skincare range is designed to deliver rapid, visible results, such as improving fine lines, texture, discoloration and pore size, in as little as one week.
While he treats the skin with topical treatments, he’s also an advocate of the benefits of good nutrition and recommends a salt-free diet to stay blemish free – a diet he follows himself. Lancer reveals that for him, ‘there’s zero bread, zero crackers, no desserts, and the only fruits are grapefruits, apples, and berries.’
On an average day he’ll see around 50 clients – 70 on Oscar weekend – and his most asked-for treatment is the Vegan Stem Cell treatment, which 'lets skin breathe and makes it look like it doesn’t need makeup’.
While heading to LA is an expensive way to experience Dr Lancer’s care, you can get younger-looking skin without the commute as Lancer products are now available at Harrods . Hitting the store next month is the Sheer Fluid Sun Shield SPF30, £40, a favourite among his celebrity clientele and the smart way to protect skin from UV wherever you are in the world.
Eva Mendes, Jessica Alba and Eva Longoria are all fans of The Lancer Method too – perhaps it’s time to stock up?