Recommend a professional skin care brand?

August 2, 2009 5:46 AM

What is your favorite professional skin care line?

I'm opening a studio where we will offer skin care services. I have been searching and researching and trying different lines. I am ruling out Dermalogica. What has worked for you? Nice smelling, organic, all that would be great but it has to be a line that can produce good results for my clients. I've already selected PCA, but I'd like to find another that may be a notch down in price points. I can't recommend something I don't believe in, so I'd love any suggestions.

posted by pinkbungalow to clothing, beauty, & fashion (25 comments total)

Aveda. But I don't know if you can just carry their line, you may have to be an Aveda salon/shop & be an Aveda-trained aesthetician to offer it. Great stuff though, & the company's got a great philosophy.
posted by headnsouth at 6:19 AM on August 2

Kiehls
posted by sickinthehead at 6:23 AM on August 2 [1 favorite]

I'm using Glytone lotion and cleanser for a specific problem and I love it.

My estetician carries Skinceuticals, NeoStrata and a couple other lines. I have loved all of the NeoStrata products I have tried.
posted by Fairchild at 6:47 AM on August 2

esthetician
posted by Fairchild at 6:48 AM on August 2

Seconding Glytone. I really like Mario Badescu as well. If you're considering carrying makeup, Jane Iredale is good.
posted by Metroid Baby at 6:59 AM on August 2

Pevonia.
posted by Cheeto at 8:49 AM on August 2

Go with a line that doesn't contain parabens. Origins and 40 Carrots are great.
posted by bunny hugger at 9:13 AM on August 2

I second Keihls - every time I use something else I regret it.
posted by Unred at 9:45 AM on August 2

Mario Badescu is basically a miracle line.
posted by awesomebrad at 9:51 AM on August 2

Obagi.
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 10:04 AM on August 2

Ugh, sorry- I don't think Obagi is organic. I should read more carefully.
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 10:05 AM on August 2

J/A/S/O/N
Kiss My Face
posted by rhizome at 10:08 AM on August 2

Jurlique, but it's not a step down in price.
posted by sugarfish at 10:09 AM on August 2

I've always liked Starflower. I also like Norabloom, but I'm not sure if she sells wholesale.
posted by munichmaiden at 10:19 AM on August 2

Mario Badescu! I keep straying from it, but when my skin gets really messed up somehow (rosacea, or hormonal acne that won't quit, or horribly dryness in the winter), it always comes to the very quick rescue. The masks are miracle products. Check out some reviews on Makeup Alley.
posted by houseofdanie at 11:09 AM on August 2

Kiehls for body care
Sundari for its super light face moisturizer and cleanser
Colorescience for makeup and a really good primer
posted by slow graffiti at 11:29 AM on August 2

houseofdanie, which Badescu products do you recommend for rosacea?
posted by sugarfish at 12:13 PM on August 2

Yon-ka is magical, although i don't know if it's organic.
posted by somanyamys at 1:30 PM on August 2

I really, really like Liz Earle. Don't know if it's available outside the UK though.
posted by low_horrible_immoral at 2:18 PM on August 2

Another vote for Aveda. I'm a licensed cosmetologist and have been using their skin care personally and prefessionally for nearly fifteen years without complaint. It's not organic, though they use many organic and naturally derived ingredients, but it's top-notch quality product and very easy to sell, with a reasonable price point.
posted by tits mcgee at 5:37 PM on August 2

Thirding Mario Badescu. I have the best skin of my life using their products, and it's by far not the most expensive line I've tried. The prices are so reasonable!
posted by sister nunchaku of love and mercy at 6:44 PM on August 2

This is not meant to be an ad for her site or anything, but I would recommend checking out Paula Begoun's website beautypedia.com (you do have to pay a subscription of $25/year for all the reviews, but you can read general reviews of product lines for free). She's got tons of reviews of products and seems to have a pretty decent scientific background/knowledge about what's good in the products and not. Definitely cuts thru a lot of the bs that cosmetics lines try to pull over on us. One line she seems to generally like is Peter Thomas Roth, and I personally have positive experiences with that line as well.

Please keep in mind that things labelled "organic" and "natural" aren't necessarily best for the skin -- natural ingredients can irritate the skin just as much as synthetic ingredients. "Nice smelling" stuff can also be very irritating for those of us with fragrance sensitivities!

Good luck!
posted by imalaowai at 8:53 PM on August 2 [1 favorite]

Another vote for Mario Badescu. Cheap and wonderful on my terribly sensitive skin; without it I have terrible cystic acne on my body about half the year, and I regularly told I look 10-15 years younger than I am.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 2:16 PM on August 3

My rosacea isn't persistent, thankfully, but unfortunately, it does not respond to things like Finacea. In fact, Finacea breaks me out painfully. So, when I start to turn red and bumpy, I drag out from Mario:

Azulene Calming Mask: daily, left on for at least 20 minutes

Whitening Mask: a miracle worker, for when things have calmed down just a tad. My spots tend to leave pigmented marks, and this just brightens me right up.

Special Healing Powder: I dust a little on a couple of times a day, and I mix a bit with my regular face powder when I wear makeup. The yellow color really seems to cover redness, and I do find the stuff soothing.

I also, from time to time, use the Healing & Soothing Mask, the Healing Cream, the Cream Soap, and the Control Cream. There are many who swear by the Control Cream, in particular. I get the same ingredients from the other creams and masks, however, so I don't use it much.
posted by houseofdanie at 7:31 PM on August 6 [1 favorite]

Excellent, thank you.
posted by sugarfish at 11:21 PM on August 8