Overview
Not surprisingly, it was a Dr. Frederic Brandt who first had the idea to manufacture the skin care line that currently bares his name. Dr. Brandt was a highly successful dermatologist with his own busy practices in the looks-conscious cities of Miami and New York. Dr. Brandt had also done extensive work at Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital, spending much time researching the use of natural substances for fighting cancer. This would go on to form the basis of the Dr. Brandt skin care line, which aims to mix natural ingredients with cutting edge scientific developments.
Today, Dr. Brandt has developed a devoted and exclusive following for his skin care line. Products are expensive, and some patients even put themselves on waiting lists to see the doctor at one of his high-end offices. The full range of Dr. Brandt products is quite large, and they are divided into several different sub-lines. These include Active Additives, Poreless, Lineless, High Performance, Laser In A Bottle and Sun. The product line names should give potential users some idea of what might work best for them. Still, some users may find the wide range of products a bit confusing.
Product Details
No Dr. Brandt products are tested on animals. Additionally, all products claim to be completely free of artificial colors and fragrances and to use only 100% biodegradable product packaging. But what about the products themselves? Many Dr. Brandt products make heavy use of natural botanical elements, including grape seed extract and tea leaf extracts. These are paired with more modern elements such as hydroxyprolisilane C, a concentrated antioxidant known for its skin-protecting capabilities.
One of the signature products from the Dr. Brandt line is R3P Cream. This cream makes bold promises, claiming that users will see both immediate and long-term results. At $125.00, one would hope that it delivers on those claims. Dr. Brandt R3P Cream features the peptide ingredient Argireline. This ingredient is manufactured by a third party pharmaceutical company in Europe and can be found in numerous anti-wrinkle treatments from multiple manufacturers. It has been well documented as a muscle relaxer, the idea being that wrinkles are the result of repetitive muscle contractions. While preliminary tests are positive, extensive research on Argireline has yet to be conducted. Also, Argireline’s efficacy depends heavily on using the right concentration of this ingredient. Too much or too little means that it will be less effective.
The Good
- Products are not tested on animals.
- Products contain no artificial fragrances or colors.
- Product packaging is environmentally friendly.
The Bad
- Products can be quite expensive compared to the alternatives.
- Some highly hyped ingredients are actually peptides imported from third-party manufacturers and can also be found in rival products.
- No free product trial is available.
- Large number of products offered means it may be difficult to find one that specifically targets wrinkles.
The Bottom Line
We’ll certainly admit that Dr. Brandt has a great publicist. He also has a loyal fan base that appreciates some face time. But how great are his boutique products? For all the gloss, we couldn’t find that much that sets them apart from many other anti-wrinkle lines on the market today. Several active ingredients can be found in other products as well, and often at less of a cost. We would at least appreciate a money-back guarantee to go with the high-end image. We do appreciate Dr. Brandt’s attention to environmental concerns.