AD info | This post is not sponsored but a number of the products mentioned were sent to me by the brand. Gifted products will be marked with an asterisk (*), the rest I have purchased myself.

Any retinoid enthusiast will have come across Dermatica’s personalised formulas… but did you know they have their own skincare line too?

Starting at just £5.95, these skincare basics are super affordable and really effective too. Each product has been formulated to support your skin while you’re using Dermatica’s personalised treatments (which are packed with active ingredients). But you can also use these as stand-alone products too, you don’t need a Dermatica subscription to get involved!

About Dermatica

Founded in 2018, Dermatica is a UK-based online dermatology service that’s best known for their personalised skincare treatments. If you go for one of these plans, their team of dermatologists analyses your skin and creates a personalised formula based on your skin needs and goals.

I currently get my monthly retinoid treatment from Dermatica (and have done for the past 1-2 years). If you’re interested in their prescription retinoid plan but you’re not sure if it’s right for you, take a look at my full review here. Using my discount code SUMMERSTUDY means the first month is free (excluding £2.90 for postage) and you’ll get 10% off your second month.

In March of this year, Dermatica came out with a bunch of new skincare products to be used alongside their popular personalised plans. I believe they were already selling a couple of routine essentials beforehand – like their Purifying Cleansing Gel and Ultralight Recovery Moisturiser – but these have since been discontinued.

They also rebranded their personalised treatment packaging around this time, though the process and formulas stayed the same.

Which skincare products does Dermatica currently offer?

Originally, Dermatica’s ready-made product range was made up of a cleansing gel, a moisturiser and an over-the-counter azelaic acid cream. The only one that’s still available is:

• Clarifying Azelaic Acid 20% Cream

Dermatica’s 2023 skincare line launched with six new products:

• Balancing Glycerin Gel Cleanser
• Caring Squalane Cream Cleanser
• Soothing Centella Gel Moisturizer
• Nourishing Ceramide and Peptide Moisturizer
• Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin B5 Serum
• Restoring Ceramide Skin Balm

They’ve since added one more product to the line up:

• SPF 50 Photodamage Defence Sunscreen

Dermatica Clarifying Azelaic Acid 20% Cream*

On nights when I’m not using my personalised retinoid treatment, Dermatica’s azelaic acid cream has become my new best friend. Azelaic acid, with its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, is the perfect companion to tretinoin because it amplifies the effects of your retinoid while minimising irritation.

In fact, it’s one of the few exfoliating acids you can safely use alongside retinoids. My Dermatica Skin Glow treatment actually includes 4% azelaic acid… I think many of the other personalised formulas do too!

What’s really great about Dermatica’s azelaic acid cream is its strength. According to the Paula’s Choice website, prescription products containing at least 15% – 20% azelaic have been proven to give the best results. Over-the-counter azelaic acid formulas typically only go up to 10%… but Dermatica’s over-the-counter azelaic acid cream is 20% (equivalent to prescription strength).

Aside from azelaic acid, this cream also contains squalane and a trio of ceramides which moisturise the skin and keep the skin barrier healthy.

If you’re already using a retinoid, you might find that your skin is hardy enough to use this morning and evening but I generally prefer to use this just at night. You might experience some tingling to start off with (as is the case with most azelaic acid products) but your skin will quickly get used to it!

Edit: This doesn’t seem to be available in the UK or Europe anymore, but you can still buy this from the US website.

Dermatica Caring Squalane Cream Cleanser

This has such a unique formula – I really don’t think I’ve tried an oil cleanser like it. It starts off as a thick cream (almost like a moisturiser) but as you warm it up in your hands it slowly melts into a runny oil. I’d say it takes about 30 seconds to a minute to fully achieve that oil texture, so don’t be disheartened if it doesn’t melt down right away. Once you add water, this cleanser then transforms into a milk that easily washes off without leaving any residue behind.

I’ve been using it as my first cleanse in my double cleanse routine and it does a pretty good job of removing makeup. I haven’t tried this with waterproof mascara yet but I’ll update if/when it passes this test!

The ingredients list for this cleanser is incredibly short which I appreciate – a good oil cleanser doesn’t really need a bunch of extra essential oils and fragrance!

It contains barrier-protecting ingredients like grape seed oil, rice bran oil and – of course – squalane, which keep the skin nourished and moisturised. There’s also glycerin in here to really double down on hydration.

This cream cleanser is really gentle and would probably work for all skin types. Because it’s fragrance and alcohol-free, it’s particularly suited to sensitive skin.

Dermatica SPF 50 Photodamage Defence Sunscreen*

I was so excited to get my hands on this sunscreen, I ordered one as soon as I got the email saying it had launched! Dermatica also sent me a bottle of this to try out so I gave one to my sister to see how she got on with it.

This is a chemical formula that has six UV filters: Octocrylene, Avobenzone, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ensulizole, Tinosorb S and Uvinul T 150. When combined, these filters provide broad-spectrum protection.

This sunscreen also contains like like glycerin and panthenol to soothe and moisturise the skin, as well as vitamin E which helps fight off free radicals.

If you’re used to lightweight Korean and Japanese sunscreens, this one is noticeably thicker. It has more of a traditional sunscreen feel to it – think Nivea and Garnier but without the fragrance and denatured alcohol.

I do find that this takes a little while to blend into my skin but, once it does, it doesn’t feel particularly heavy or greasy. The finish is slightly tacky which I actually don’t mind as it means I can skip primer and go straight to foundation!

If you have oily skin I think you could use this in place of a moisturiser, however, for dry skin types it may still be beneficial to use a moisturiser underneath.

Dermatica Nourishing Ceramide + Peptide Moisturiser

This moisturiser is jam-packed with nourishing, skin-loving ingredients. Aimed at dry skin types, it’s definitely the thicker/richer of the two moisturisers Dermatica offers. You’ll find glycerin, shea butter, grape seed oil and hyaluronic acid in here, all of which provide and lock in moisture. And, as you can guess from the name, this formula contains a bunch of peptides and ceramides too.

Because this is so rich, it works super well as a pre-retinoid base layer. I tend to use it in the evening and it applies really nicely – two pumps is usually enough to cover my whole face.

For such a nourishing formula, this actually doesn’t feel too heavy. And it has a matte finish, which really surprised me when I first tried it. Moisturisers targeted at dry or dehydrated skin tend to be ultra dewy!

Of course, this moisturiser dries matte due to the inclusion of dimethicone. So, if you’re someone who doesn’t like that silicone feel, it may not be for you. Although, I have to say that the silicone finish is very subtle – this doesn’t feel at all slippery or waxy.

Dermatica Soothing Centella Gel Moisturiser*

Specifically formulated for oily and combination skin, this oil-free gel moisturiser is a really great option for those who are particularly acne-prone. It doesn’t contain comedogenic ingredients and is also pH neutral, so it shouldn’t cause any irritation or interfere with the skin’s barrier function.

I really love that Dermatica haven’t skimped on hydrating ingredients here – oily skin needs moisture too! This formula contains squalane, glycerin and ceramides to keep the skin plump and healthy. It also contains anti-inflammatory ingredients like niacinamide, panthenol and centella asiatica which soothe the skin and reduce redness.

My combination skin leans more dry so I do sometimes need a bit more hydration than this moisturiser offers. A dewy sunscreen over the top usually does the trick!

Dermatica says you can use this before your personalised formula but I prefer the Nourishing Ceramide + Peptide Moisturiser for this purpose. It just feels like it provides a better barrier so the tretinoin in my treatment irritates my skin less.

I do love the Soothing Centella Gel Moisturiser for nights when I’m not using my personalised treatment though, and for daytime wear. It does feel really lightweight, and the finish is fresh and dewy without looking greasy or oily.

The only downside is that it can sometimes pill if you apply certain products over the top – this mostly only happens with sunscreen sticks for me though!

Dermatica Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid + Vit B5 Serum

With a lightweight gel texture, this serum is seriously cooling and hydrating. It contains two forms of hyaluronic acid – hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate – both of which help the skin retain moisture. This is important since, when your skin is adequately hydrated, you’ll find that fine lines and wrinkles become less apparent. You’ll also find that it just looks more plump and healthy in general.

The vitamin B5 in this formula comes from panthenol which is a humectant (just like hyaluronic acid). There’s also centella asiatica in here which helps reduce redness and inflammation.

I was initially expecting this to be quite watery but I actually like the gel consistency – it makes it easier to see where you’ve applied the product. Because it is slightly thicker than your typical hyaluronic acid serum, it doesn’t layer quite as well, but that’s fine by me as I tend to use this at night anyway.

Where can I buy these?

You can buy all of these products through the Dermatica website. What’s really cool is that, when you checkout, you have the option of paying for regular delivery or adding them onto your next personalised formula order (which makes delivery free).

If you use my code SUMMERSTUDY2 you’ll get 10% off these products (including the starter kits).