My Honest Derma E Review
A Derma E review to rival them all! This clean skincare brand has been around for 40 years. Derma E is arguably one of the earlier skincare brands to create clean skincare products, and their formulas continue to deliver.
I learned about Derma E maybe eight years ago, when I worked as an Assistant Beauty Editor at Family Circle magazine. Back then, the packaging was not sexy and definitely felt dry and boring. Fast forward to now, and the brand has revamped its marketing and packaging to try and target younger consumers.
Below, I’m sharing my honest review of Derma E products and helping you decide which are worth the money and which you can pass on.
Derma E Review: Here’s What You Need to Know
I think Derma E has done a good job of revamping their packaging and marketing to cater to a younger audience. I haven’t been using Derma E products for super long, but I’ve used them long enough to have an opinion about them.
My expectations with this brand were that the formulas would have clean ingredients but would also be effective. Because this brand has been around for a long time, I can imagine that they have seen which ingredients work well for their consumers, and which ones don’t.
Before diving into my Derma E review, there is one thing I should note. Unfortunately, a lot of the brand’s best-sellers have potentially pore-clogging ingredients. I use the Sofie Pavitt Ingredients Checker religiously to copy paste ingredient lists into the form, and then see if the product has pore-clogging ingredients. When I did this for a lot of Derma E’s best-sellers, many of them had one or two pore-clogging ingredients that could potentially cause a breakout.
Because of this, I have decided to test out the products from the brand that don’t contain any potential pore-clogging ingredients. You will see that the products I’ve tested below are not their best-sellers, but they won’t cause any breakouts, either!
What Is Derma E?
Derma E was founded in 1984, It’s a California-based skincare brand that focuses on creating clean, eco-ethical beauty products. The brand was founded by Dr. Linda Miles and David Stearn, who both shared a vision of creating effective, natural skin care products that prioritize health and sustainability.
Derma E’s claim to fame is their Vitamin E 12,000 IU Moisturizing Cream. This formula quickly became a cult favorite for its nourishing and reparative properties. Nowadays, the brand is well-known for using high-quality, cruelty-free, and vegan ingredients in their formulation. They also offer products that help address a ton of skin concerns, including acne, aging, sensitive skin, and more.
What Are The Best Derma E Products?
Derma E Ultra Hydrating Advanced Repair Night Cream
Available at Derma E ($32)
I was wow-ed by both the Derma E Ultra Hydrating Advanced Repair Night Cream and Ultra Hydrating Antioxidant Day Cream. I am a lover of a thick facial cream, especially in the winter. These are thick and pretty dang hydrating. What I find so interesting about both these formulas is that, despite the fact that they are both so thick, they don’t leave any type of sheen on the skin.
If you’re someone who typically has dry skin but you want a moisturizer that looks more mattifying and doesn’t leave a shine, this pick is for you. Both the day cream and the night cream leave skin looking not-shiny.
Derma E Ultra Hydrating Antioxidant Day Cream
Available at Derma E ($32)
Again, I love both the night cream and the day cream. The day cream contains antioxidants to protect the skin from environmental aggressors, along with vitamin C ester to help brighten the appearance of the skin.
My skin loves both of the formulas. But if you are going to choose just one, I would probably get the night cream (you can use it as a day cream, too). Honestly, both of them feel really similar to me in terms of consistency, so I don’t think you could go wrong with either.
Derma E Essentials Radiance Toner
Available at Derma E ($17)
I think this is a lovely little toner to use a few days a week. Especially if you have sensitive skin. I’d say that if your skin is more on the sensitive/easily-irritated side, I would probably only use this a few times a week because it contains glycolic acid, which might be slightly irritating to some.
I haven’t really noticed any irritation from this toner, which is great. The glycolic acid in this formula helps to gently exfoliate the skin to reveal smoother, more youthful skin. I also like that rosehip extract and rooibos to hydrate and detoxify your skin, too.
I wouldn’t say that I notice a huge, huge difference in hydration after using this toner. But I also like that I don’t feel as though it strips my skin, either. And that’s not an easy feat when you’re adding an acid like glycolic into the mix.
Derma E Ultra Hydrating Dewy Skin Serum
Available at Derma E ($32)
This is a nice serum that I used often while testing these Derma E products. It feels more like a lightweight moisturizer, and I liked the texture of this formula. This pick contains a ton of different hydrating ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, squalane, and ceramides. It also contains green tea leaf extract and vitamin C to help protect skin against environmental aggressors.
While I do think my skin liked this product, my skin wasn’t in love with it. I’ve tried hydrating serums that are more hydrating than this one. That being said, I loved that this was hydrating enough to moisturize my skin, but didn’t cause any types of breakouts. It was gentle on my skin and got the job done without harm.
I do think the title is a bit misleading because I don’t think this leaves your skin dewy. But it does leave it moisturized and I do think it’s worth the price.
Derma E Hydrating Gentle Cleanser
Available at Derma E ($17)
There are things I like about this cleanser, and things I don’t like. First off, I think it does a good job of washing away all of my makeup at the end of the day. It has a nice foam to it, and I think it works well for basically all skin types.
The only thing I want to call out about this cleanser is that I wouldn’t necessarily call it “hydrating.” My skin feels the slightest bit dry after I use this. It’s nothing crazy, but I’ve certainly tried other cleansers that are more hydrating than this one. I would say that this is your average, everyday cleanser that removes makeup, dirt, and grime. But you’re going to want to apply moisturizer afterward.
Derma E Advanced Peptides & Flora-Collagen Eye Cream
Available at Derma E ($31)
This eye cream was okay. It’s not the best I’ve ever tried, but it’s not the worst, either. Personally, I prefer a thicker, more hydrating eye cream, and this one is not that. It has a thin consistency and absorbs into the skin pretty well.
If you like to wear eye cream during the day, under your makeup, this would probably be a good option for you. It doesn’t leave any type of shininess to the skin. I like that it contains natural ingredients that support anti-aging around the eye area. I also love that it doesn’t irritate my sensitive eye area, which is always an issue for me.
Derma E Vitamin C Bright Eyes Hydro Gel Patches
Available at Derma E ($26)
I’ve never been super into any type of sheet mask, including eye patches. I didn’t really notice a difference when I tried these. But then again, I don’t typically have a ton of issues around my eyes, like dark circles or dryness. I do deal with wrinkles and fine lines around my eyes, but I recently got Botox, so I wasn’t able to tell if these gel patches made a difference in terms of wrinkles.
These are pretty slippery and slimy. My brother and I tested them out when we were together over the Thanksgiving break. They are pretty thin, so it’s a bit difficult to separate them from each other when taking them out of the container.
The formula contains ingredients like allantoin, caffeine, vitamin C and B3, and more to help hydrate your eye area while reducing puffiness and making you look more awake. I think you’d probably have to use these eye patches everyday to actually see a big difference.
If you like eye gel patches, I think these are a good option. But if you aren’t into eye gel patches, and like to use eye creams, I would just stick with an eye cream instead.
Derma E Vitamin C Serum with Hyaluronic Acid
Available at Derma E ($25)
I think this is the brand’s best-selling product. To be honest, I only tried this concentrated serum a couple of times and wasn’t totally in love. My skin typically doesn’t love vitamin C products. I didn’t really notice much irritation after using this product. But I didn’t notice a huge difference in my skin, either.
I feel like this product isn’t really geared towards my skin’s needs. For example, the formula is supposed to help folks with brightening the appearance of dull or uneven skin tone. I feel like I don’t have a dull complexion, nor do I deal with hyperpigmentation. My typical focus is to cater to my sensitive skin and make it appear less red.
This formula has like a million great reviews on Amazon. If you are someone who struggles with hyperpigmentation, this product might be for you. It’s gentle and non-irritating. One thing I noticed when using it was that it pilled. Because of this, I would probably use it at night, underneath your moisturizer.
Derma E Advanced Peptides & Flora-Collagen Moisturizer
Available at Derma E ($36)
I wasn’t that impressed with this formula. But then again, I don’t know if I’m the target audience for this moisturizer. It’s formulated to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while hydrating and improving the appearance of skin’s tone and texture.
I have Botox in my face right now, so it’s hard for me to tell if this would make any difference in my wrinkles. I didn’t really love the texture of this moisturizer. Mainly because I felt like it wasn’t thick enough. I prefer thick facial creams, and this one was on the thinner side. I didn’t feel like my skin was hydrated enough after using this moisturizer. So I would probably pass on this one!
My Honest Derma E Products Review
I think Derma E has some great products that I was really impressed with. I love that this brand focuses on creating really clean, non-irritating formulas that are still pretty effective. It’s really great for those with sensitive skin, and I like that brand has stayed true to their mission for decades.
I will say that I wasn’t super wow-ed by each and every product that I tested. In fact, most of the products that I tested were just okay. Some of them I didn’t like, others were just meh, and there were a few that I really liked.
All in all, I think some of the products in this brand are great, but I wouldn’t make your whole skincare routine just Derma E products.
Where To Buy Derma E Products
There are a few places online where you can find Derma E products. These include:
FAQs About Derma E
Is Derma E vegan and cruelty-free?
Yes, the entire line of Derma E products are vegan and cruelty-free.
Are Derma E products safe during pregnancy?
Some products from the line are safe to use during pregnancy, and others you should check with your doctor before applying to your skin.
Is Derma E dermatologist recommended?
Yes, dermatologists recommend Derma E.
Is Derma E fragrance-free?
Some Derma E products are fragrance-free, and others are not.
Is Derma E good for sensitive skin?
Yes, I think that Derma E is great for those with sensitive skin. I have really sensitive skin and didn’t experience any type of irritation from any of the products that I tested.
Interested in another skincare brand that uses clean ingredients to solve skin issues? Look no further than my Tula skincare review.
