Cult Beauty Brand Of The Month: Dr Dennis Gross - get ready for the smoothest skin of your life!

 

Some products, kindly gifted, without obligation, marked with a *

I remember the first time that I purchased some Dr Dennis Gross* products, and I really hesitated because they are expensive, but my mother has told me all of my life that skincare is an investment and she is right. No expensive makeup will look good, if your skin doesn't, plus when your skin looks good, you need less makeup so you make a saving there anyway! The first products I bought were the Alpha-Beta Peel Pads in Extra Strength* and I can't tell you how many times I have gone on to repurchase them since. I call them texture and blackhead erasers, but more about that later. I wanted to let you know that Cult Beauty's Brand Of The Month for October is Dr Dennis Gross (which means free international shipping on all orders), and talk you through some of my favourite products. Some of these products were gifted to me and are marked with a * but the rest were bought by me and some have also previously been bought by me. Dr. Dennis Gross is a U.S. based dermatologist and you really cannot beat a doctor's range as it's almost like a prescription for your skin (as long as you know your skin type).

Hyaluronic Marine Meltaway Cleanser: This is a relatively new addition to the brand and whilst I didn't actually *need* a new cleanser, I couldn't resist buying this. I love a cleanser that will melt my makeup, spf and any grime away, but this tends to be in the form of either an oil or a balm. This actually has a cream texture, and you apply it to dry skin, then massage until all makeup etc is dissolved - I really didn't think that a cream cleanser could break makeup down so well, but it actually does! I then remove with a damp cloth. I prefer this to be my first cleanse in the evening, rather than my morning cleanse as I like the satisfaction of it breaking all of my makeup down. It contains Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe Vera, so there is no fear of my skin being left feeling stripped - it just feels soft and clean. Perfect! I also find that a little goes a long way.

Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel*: This vegan cleanser also exfoliates the skin, while cleansing . It uses glycolic, mandelic and azelaic acids, which exfoliate the skin, while also balancing the skin with hydrating snow ear mushrooms. It also contains willow bark, farnesol and barosma betullina, which combine to eliminate impurities. This is ideal for a morning cleanse or for a second cleanse. It is foaming, but sulphate-free.  To use, you wet your face and your hands, dispense a small amount into your hands and then massage into your face, before rinsing thoroughly. I personally prefer the meltaway cleanser, but think this would be idea for combination skin. That said, I have had this before and used it daily for my morning cleanse in the summer months.

Alpha Beta Peel Extra Strength Formula*: One of my staple products - these pads are game-changers if you have textured skin, and let's face it, who doesn't? I choose extra-strength because my skin is very accustomed to acids, but there are gentler versions available, if you are new to acids. The extra strength pads contain a blend of both AHAs and BHAs - glycolic, salicylic, lactic, mandelic, malic and citric, meaning that they can deeply penetrate the pores to dissolve sebum, whilst also exfoliating the surface of the skin. I love that they are individually packed (and you can buy a pack of 5, without investing too much money), as they are perfect for travelling, but also to ensure that they are fresh. Step 1 is the one I really go to town on - the advice is to apply to clean, dry skin, in circular motions, but I go a little extra on any areas of congestion or texture, as I feel this gives the best results. I then wait two minutes (I'll brush my teeth) before using the second pad, which balances the skin and I will keep massaging this in, until it's dry. I personally don't feel any tingling, but like I said, I am well accustomed to acids. I find that these pads really make a huge difference to texture, pores, pigmentation and congestion. I personally don't use them daily, as they are quite pricey, but two or three times weekly is enough for me to stay on top of texture issues. I will never be without these pads and I recommend them to everyone!

Professional Grade Resurfacing Liquid Peel: Holy Moly - the difference that this duo made to my skin when I first started to use them is unforgettable! This is a step up from the pads. The first bottle contains  a blend of lactic, glycolic, citric, malic, phytic, mandelic and salicylic acids, to name a few, combined with bromelain  (a fruit extract), to resurface the skin. The instructions are very specific - you use the cotton ball provided to dispense the perfect amount of product in two 3 second turns. I then swipe this all over my face (again focusing a little extra on areas of congestion/pigmentation), until the cotton pad is dry. Again, there is a two minute wait before using the second bottle, which contains colloidal oatmeal, green tea extract and centella asiatica, to balance the skin. I personally prefer to use this at night (I always wear SPF but this is a hefty cocktail of acids, so my preference is night-time use) and, honestly, the next morning, I look like I've had a facial with luminous, smooth, soft skin, refined pores - basically, as though my skin has been filtered! Expensive but oh so worth it, which is why I repurchased it.

Professional Grade IPL Dark Spot Concentrated Serum*: Now this is new to me so I can't give you a review, but keep your eyes peeled for a review as it will probably take a few months to conduct a proper test, but I am VERY excited at the prospects of what this will do for my skin. It promises to reduce the appearance of dark spots within a number of weeks - big claim! The ingredients line up includes 10% L-Ascorbic Acid, Lactic Acid, Kojic Acid and Arbutin, so it's a pretty potent combination, which targets dark spots in a number of ways. As I have mentioned before, I have a stubborn patch of pigmentation and I think that most people have this issue, with acne scars etc, so I will report back!

Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion*: Because my skin is so dry, this moisturiser isn't nourishing enough, so I always add a few drops of oil to it, however, it would be perfect for normal or combination skin. It's lightweight in texture, contains hyaluronic acid, amino acids, marine algae and B Vitamins. It has a gel texture, which I tend to prefer in summer, but again, that's due to my very dry skin type. If you have skin like mine, I would recommend, but don't have at the moment,  the Alpha Beta Exfoliating Moisturizer. I found that this moisturiser is very nourishing, whilst also brightening. It really just depends on your skin type.

C+Collagen Biocellulose Brightening Treatment Mask: For a brightening and hydrating quick fix, this mask works wonders. It contains niacinamide, amino acids, vitamin C and glycerine. After a 15 minute use, this mask really leaves the skin looking like I've had a brightening facial - the perfect pre-night out treat!

Hyaluronic Marine Collagen Lip Cushion: Finally, I bought this because, whilst I always use lip balms, I wanted something that might help to make my lips look a little plumper. As we age, our lips get thinner, and in my case, it's just my upper lip that is a bit thinner than my bottom lip. I'm not interested in fillers, so this lip balm will do the job, while I'm not wearing gloss so much at the moment (which always helps to make my lips look plumper!). This is so nourishing and is ideal for the cold months, when the central heating leaves my lips a little parched.

All of these products are available from Cult Beauty, with free international shipping, until the end of October.

Are you a fan of this brand? Which product would you most like to try? I'd love to hear!

Thanks for reading!

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All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated. Anything marked with a * has been kindly gifted, without obligation. I don't do sponsored posts. Opinion is always my own. Affiliate links may be used.