Products...

It's been said that there is nothing as powerful as an idea whose time has come. This maxim is proven daily in the success of Dermalogica, the "quiet revolution" in skin care with a huge following ranging from professional skin care therapists to Hollywood makeup artists. The company was founded in Los Angeles in 1986 by Jane and Raymond Wurwand, who also founded The International Dermal Institute, the post-graduate training facility for professional skin care therapists which sets the industry standard for education.

Today, all Dermalogica products are researched and developed by The International Dermal Institute, drawing upon the expertise of the school's worldwide network of educators. After establishing The International Dermal Institute in 1983, Jane concluded that no available skin care line was suitable for use in her classrooms; developing her own product was clearly the next step.

By definition, the brand had to be compatible with her exacting educational standards, and had to meet the needs of the skin care professionals who would be the brand's sole means of distribution. When Jane first presented her product formulation proposal to industrial chemists, "they told me it couldn't be done!" she recalls. Jane's vision was clear: a product line which was free of the common irritants which ultimately led to skin sensitization, and which was selected and recommended by a professional skin care therapist with the same care that a physician would prescribe medication. This meant eliminating mineral oil, S.D. alcohol, artificial colors, artificial fragrances, lanolin, and formaldehyde -- all accepted staple ingredients in many leading brands at the time. Ultimately, one forward-thinking chemist was able to produce the formulations to Jane's exacting standards.

A few products were developed initially-- Dermal Clay Cleanser, Active Moist, Skin Smoothing Cream, Special Cleansing Gel, Multi Active Toner-and the Dermalogica brand was born. The brand's best-sellers are among this now-classic group of cleansers, toners and moisturizers. Today, Dermalogica leads the industry by creating innovative products which conventional manufacturers would never attempt to formulate. Because the company is driven by research and education, Dermalogica often initiates development of a product prior to industry or consumer trends. For example, drawing upon the observations of professional skin care therapists that many of their clients were chronic "over-exfoliators" who compromised the lipid barrier of their skin by daily use of strong scrubs and AHA products intended as weekly treatments, Dermalogica launched a revolutionary daily exfoliant in 2001. This precedent-setting "Daily Microfoliant" created a new product category as a gentler, safer alternative to the aggressive exfoliants available in the marketplace. Dermalogica's advanced research into new ingredient and product formulation technologies, paired with an intimate knowledge of the needs of skin care professionals, allows the company to develop definitive products well ahead of the consumer "curve". As a result, Dermalogica's products addressing acneic, environmentally sensitized, mature and sun-damaged skin, as well as other conditions requiring professional treatment, have consistently been major innovators in these categories.

From the beginning, the Dermalogica founders and the company's tribe-like following of users have consciously held themselves apart from the beauty industry. The company ethos was conceived around the health and well-being of body, mind and spirit; looking good is a pleasant effect of improved wellness. With this mindset, the brand has never been packaged or marketed with luxury or glamour in mind. Jane Wurwand offers that "Skin care is not pampering, any more than dental care or a shampoo is pampering. It is a basic part of grooming, self-care and basic hygiene." Today as in the early 80s, Dermalogica emphasizes innovation, information, and education. Products are given functional, informative names rather than whimsical, marketing-driven labels. Packaging is uniformly sleek, spare, and designed to reduce contamination and to control product application. Dermalogica's loyalty to the original founding vision is now tangible in the industry's loyalty to the brand: Dermalogica is the most-selected brand among professional skin care therapists in the U.S.A.

More than 3,500 skin care centers in the U.S.A. alone carry the line, with many thousands more in Europe, Asia and Australia. Dermalogica does not purchase advertising space or air time, preferring to gain awareness through word-of-mouth. Likewise, the brand is purposely not available in any of the usual retail venues (department stores, infomercials, drug stores), offered exclusively through professional skin care therapists. Dermalogica's identity remains unmistakably distinct in an industry of "me too" brands. "We don't try to keep up with trends," says Jane Wurwand. "We are more interested in real innovation for real results. We are always pushing the envelope, raising the bar. We don't feel pressure to launch a dozen new products each year. We may launch only one or two, and only when we are absolutely confident that they will be the best, most effective in their category."

Dermalogica products are available only through the recommendation of a professional skin care therapist.
For locations, visit www.dermalogica.com, or call 800-831-5150.