We can all agree that skincare will always be a personal and intimate journey. And as any true skincare fan would attest to, one of the most fulfilling parts of curating a regimen is finding brands and products that not only resonate with your own beauty needs and philosophy but also nurture and uphold the trust of their users. But that doesn’t always come easy, especially when you sift through dozens of viral beauty trends and hyped-up launches. That’s why we’re here to break down the best skincare brands that can actually walk the talk—backed by topnotch technology, proven results, and groundbreaking formulas. From pioneering names in medical-grade skincare to the most-loved clean beauty authorities, these brands are the skincare A-listers you need to know about in 2024.
Discover the Best Skincare Brands
Perhaps you’re looking to upgrade your skincare routine. Or maybe you want to make sure you’re pampering your skin with nothing but the best. Regardless of your goals, these brands take skincare to unmatched heights when it comes to efficacy, innovation, and sustainability.
SkinCeuticals
Known for high-potency and medical-grade ingredients and formulas, SkinCeuticals always ranks high on every skincare pro’s best-of-the-best list. Every time this derm-approved brand announces a new product, the skincare world pays attention. That’s no surprise considering SkinCeuticals is universally praised for its commitment to science-backed formulas, transformative results, and long-term benefits, particularly in the anti-aging arena.
Featured Product:SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid
Skin Type: Dry, Mature, Normal, Combination Skin
Skin Benefits: Anti-aging (for wrinkles, fine lines, loss of firmness), brightening
Beauty Insider Tip: Hailed by many as the ultimate vitamin C serum, C E Ferulic works best as part of your morning routine.
EltaMD
When it comes to the sunscreen game, EltaMD is untouchable. But don’t just take our word for it. The brand has earned the approval of the Skin Cancer Foundation and is the number one recommended sunscreen by dermatologists (who also use the brand for themselves). For decades now, EltaMD has continuously elevated their zinc oxide-powered sunscreen formulas, effectively combining comprehensive sun protection with anti-aging and skin-healing benefits. But it doesn’t just stop with SPF. EltaMD’s diverse range of skincare products include best-selling and award-winning cleansers, moisturizers, eye gels, and serums.
Featured Product: EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
Key Ingredients: Zinc oxide, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide
Skin Type: Sensitive, Acne-Prone Skin
Skin Benefits: UVA/UVB protection, hydration, calms inflammation
Beauty Insider Tip: UV Clear’s sheer and weightless formula applies smoothly, absorbs quickly, and leaves no residue, making it perfect for daily use and layering under makeup. Dealing with a breakout? Don’t fret—this derm-recommended mineral sunscreen is formulated to target dryness, irritation, and other symptoms commonly associated with skin concerns like acne and rosacea.
SkinMedica
SkinMedica was founded by a dermatologist in 1999, staunchly focusing on creating scientifically backed, age-defying skincare—powered by advanced growth factors and proprietary antioxidant blends—that heals and restores the skin from within. As one of the best professional-grade skincare brands out on the market, SkinMedica’s derm-approved skincare systems, which all undergo rigorous research and testing, are customizable to address specific needs, concerns, and skin types.
Featured Product: SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum
Key Ingredients: TNS®-MR, Rensessensce (RSC) Advanced
Skin Type: Mature, Normal Skin
Skin Benefits: Anti-aging
Beauty Insider Tip: This serum contains growth factors that accelerate skin regeneration, improving the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin. Perfect for day and night, apply this serum twice daily and start seeing results in just two to four weeks.
Obagi® Medical
A medical-grade skincare powerhouse, Obagi Medical is the first professional skincare brand to craft and formulate products across the Fitzpatrick Skin Spectrum. The brand works closely with dermatologists and scientific researchers to create its straightforward skincare systems designed to deliver optimal, long-term, and transformative results regardless of skin type and skin tone. Obagi Medical remains one of the top derm-recommended brands and continues to lead the medical-grade skincare field with game-changing innovations, such as the Isoplentix Technology.
Featured Product: Obagi Medical Professional-C Serum 20%
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid
Skin Type: Acne-prone, Oily, or Combination Skin
Skin Benefits: Anti-aging, hydration
Beauty Insider Tip: Lightweight and easy to apply, this serum is perfect for your morning routine. For the best results, use five to seven drops and apply evenly, followed by your moisturizer, SPF, and makeup. If you’re new to vitamin C serums and want to take it slow, you may start with a lower concentration (10 percent and 15 percent).
Eminence Organic Skin Care
Founded in 1958, Eminence Organic Skin Care has been championing clean and sustainable skincare long before the emergence of the conscious beauty movement in the spotlight. As a forerunner in clean beauty, the brand shows no signs of slowing down in nurturing its passion for organic and natural skincare solutions. This commitment is consistently proven throughout the years with their award-winning handmade formulations that combine traditional Hungarian techniques and super ingredients with solid science and innovation.
Featured Product:Eminence Organic Skin Care Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil
Key Ingredients: Rosehip oil, vitamins C and E
Skin Type: Combination or Mature Skin
Skin Benefits: Anti-aging, reduces inflammation
Beauty Insider Tip: This facial oil treatment is formulated with a lightweight, non-greasy, and non-irritating formula, making it perfect not only for combination, dry, or mature skin but also for those whose skin tends to be on the oilier side.
PCA Skin
Founded by an esthetician and developed by a dermatologist, PCA Skin’s skincare products are a result of meticulous research and science. Its line of best-selling and award-winning medical-grade skincare and treatments use synergistic and tried-and-tested ingredients that are naturally found in the body, resulting in formulas that work together regardless of the combination.
Featured Product:PCA SKIN Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, HA-Pro Complex™, ceramides
Skin Type: Dry, Oily, Combination, or Sensitive Skin
Skin Benefits: Long-lasting hydration
Beauty Insider Tip: This powerhouse serum quenches parched skin in two ways: by delivering a shot of instant hydration and by encouraging your skin to make its own hyaluronic acid. The result? Deeper, longer lasting, and long-term hydration and improved retention while refining the look of fine lines and strengthening the skin barrier.
Revision Skincare
For decades now, Revision Skincare has stayed at the forefront of medical-grade skincare brands, thanks to the company’s commitment to innovation, science, clinical testing, and the highest pharmaceutical standards. With their high-potency and synergistic ingredients, the brand’s pre- and post-procedure treatments, designed to enhance and maintain outcomes, are a favorite of medical professionals. Revision Skincare’s products utilize multiple delivery pathways to ensure maximum results, and its focus on protecting and supporting the skin’s microbiome results in long-term skin health.
Featured Product: Revision Skincare C+ Correcting Complex 30%
Key Ingredients: MelaPATH™ Technology, THD ascorbate
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Brightens and evens skin tone, anti-aging
Beauty Insider Tip: This super serum is infused with 30 percent THD ascorbate, the highest concentration of the most superior form of vitamin C. It also features the brand’s patent-pending antioxidant blend that combats free radicals from everyday aggressors, such as pollution and HEV or blue light.
NEOCUTIS
Neocutis was founded over 20 years ago following their breakthrough research on wound healing, which their scientists then applied to anti-aging solutions. The result is a diverse range of medical-grade skincare products that support the skin’s natural healing and regeneration process. With years of clinical research and continuous innovations in skincare technology, Neocutis has become synonymous with cutting-edge growth factors and proprietary peptides, earning the brand consistent praise and awards from beauty experts and the approval of dermatologists.
Featured Product:
Key Ingredients: Growth factors, proprietary peptides, caffeine, vitamin C
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Targets puffiness, discoloration, and signs of aging in the eye area
Beauty Insider Tip: With its lightweight formula, this eye cream easily sinks into the skin, making it great for both day and night use. A little goes a long way with this product, so make sure to apply it evenly with a patting or dabbing motion.
Sunday Riley
If you’ve ever second-guessed the potency and efficacy of natural skincare ingredients, then it’s high time you let Sunday Riley put all those doubts to rest. The Certified B Corp brand is known for crafting and curating heavy-hitting formulas powered by workhorse actives and advanced botanicals—all wrapped in sustainably sourced and eco-friendly packaging. With its fast-acting, high-potency formulas (and catchy product names), Sunday Riley has quickly risen to become one of the most loved skincare names.
Featured Product: Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment
Key Ingredients: Lactic acid, licorice, aloe vera
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Addresses hyperpigmentation, large pores, and uneven skin tone
Beauty Insider Tip: Want to get the most of your exfoliating sesh? Try the brand’s Flash Facial dynamic duo by mixing this cult fav lactic acid treatment with two pumps of Sunday Riley CERAMIC SLIP Cleanser.
Augustinus Bader
Developed by a German stem-cell scientist, Augustinus Bader has made a name for itself as a celeb- and dermatologist-favorite for its skincare line that successfully marries luxury and innovation. At the center of its formulations is the brand’s patented TFC8®, a combination of over 40 ingredients inspired by over three decades of research and clinical studies. Over the years, the brand has racked up every award imaginable, which is not at all surprising considering that its expert-formulated and expert-approved offerings—for skin, hair, and body—are steeped in science and have consistently displayed miracle-like clinical results.
Featured Product: Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
Key Ingredients: TFC8®, omega 6 fatty acids, hyaluronic acid
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits:Anti-aging, deep hydration
Beauty Insider Tip: This intensely hydrating cream is so potent and hardworking that according to the brand, it can replace every product in your skincare routine, save for cleanser. For the best results, TFC8® needs to be the first ingredient to touch your skin. If you’re layering actives from other brands underneath, make sure they’re fully absorbed before applying The Rich Cream.
Dr. Dennis Gross
As one of the first brands to offer products designed after professional-grade formulas and treatments (like their game-changing daily peels), Dr. Dennis Gross is a staple for those who are serious about skin health. At the helm is the brand’s eponymous founder—a cancer researcher, practicing dermatologist, and formulator—who leads the company’s mission in ensuring all products are safe, non-toxic, and backed by comprehensive laboratory and clinical studies.
Featured Product: Dr Dennis Gross SpectraLite™ FaceWare Pro
Key Ingredients: Red and blue LED light
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Anti-aging, targets acne and inflammation
Beauty Insider Tip: This popular skincare device, however, makes light therapy a quick-and-easy three-minute treatment right at home. Using 162 red and blue LED lights, its red light setting stimulates collagen production while blue light addresses acne-related inflammation and kills off bacteria.
Paula’s Choice
When it comes to skincare, Paula’s Choice is all about keeping it clean. Since its founding in 1995, the derm-loved brand has been crafting potent, science- and research-backed skincare solutions without the sketchy ingredients that are often linked to unwanted reactions. Not only does Paula’s Choice curate products that are free of dyes, fragrances, and phthalates, they also make sure their fans and followers understand what natural and impactful skincare truly is—constantly debunking commonly held skincare myths and providing users with the most up-to-date resources (like their ingredient checker and dictionary).
Featured Product: Paula’s Choice SKIN PERFECTING 2 BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid
Skin Type: Acne-prone, Oily, Dry, or Combination Skin
Skin Benefits: Refines large pores, blemishes, texture, and signs of aging
Beauty Insider Tip: Despite being highly potent, this liquid exfoliant is still gentle enough for daily use. If you’re new to the product, however, it’s best to start slowing and use it every other day to let your skin adjust. Then, you can move things along up to twice daily. For daytime use, make sure to top it off with SPF.
Colorescience
Award-winning and derm-recommended brand Colorescience is a medical-grade skincare heavyweight that arms itself with solid science, clinical studies, and innovation in crafting its 100 percent safe, pure mineral formulations. Although best known for their sheer sunscreens and eye treatments, the brand also offers a diverse makeup with skincare benefits range that deliver immediate, visible, and long-term results.
Featured Product: Colorescience Total Eye 3-in-1 Renewal Therapy SPF 35
Key Ingredients: Actineyes, BEautifye, Aldavine 5x, Syn-Eye, Phytomoist
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Targets signs of aging, dark circles, puffiness, and dryness
Beauty Insider Tip: Infused with Colorescience’s proprietary complexes, it produces dramatic results after just four weeks of use. Using the applicator, dot the skin around your eyes—including eyelids—with the product and smooth out gently and evenly from under-ye to brow.
Epionce
Epionce describes itself as “barrier-obsessed,” centering its medical-grade skincare range around the principle that truly healthy skin can only be achieved by nurturing the skin barrier. Founded in 2002 by clinical dermatologist Dr. Carl Thornfeldt, who received the first-ever patent on skin barrier health in 1997, Epionce continues to meticulously and uncompromisingly create products with the highest grade, botanicals-based ingredients and science-driven formulas that put efficacy, longevity, and the skin barrier at the forefront.
Featured Product: Epionce Intensive Nourishing Cream
Key Ingredients: Botanical extracts, peptides, ceramides
Skin Type: Dry or Normal Skin
Skin Benefits: Anti-aging, ideal for dryness and dehydration
Beauty Insider Tip: This moisturizer has consistently won awards for all the wonders it does on dry, mature, and sun-damaged skin. For optimal results, use one to three times daily to effectively correct and prevent skin damage.
The Bottom Line
When you invest in professional-grade, luxury skincare, you’re not just getting your hands on all the celebrity favorites. You’re also elevating your skincare journey and reaping the rewards and benefits of elite formulas that utilize patented technology and the highest concentrations of the most potent active ingredients. The best and most popular skincare brands don’t compromise on quality, and you’ll immediately see the difference—from ingredient sourcing and packaging to the texture and efficacy of the formulations.
