Q and A with The Doctor Brand!

Q and A with The Doctor Brand!

I know that I publish mainly at http://essjay23x.blogspot.com now but I have decided to publish this post here too as here on wordpress, there seemed to be a lot of intreast in The Doctor Brand. Read on to see what the brand had to say in reply to a few of my Doctor Brand questions.

Sometimes, there are brands and products which really intrigue me. You may remember that last year, I suddenly started to struggle with my skin. In particular, some horrible blemishes on my neck and chin area. It was such a horrible time. There I was in the middle of a mission to make more of myself when all these ugly spots turned up and despite everything, I threw at them, they were not going anywhere. It sounds dramatic but I think what I’m going to say will resonate with many of you who has had skin troubles. I was at my wits end! The shops, chemists and internet were full of products that promised to give me perfect skin (or almost as good as). Yet even after spending many pounds, my skin was still blemished and as far from perfect as it had ever been.

Personally, 2010 was a year where I met so many different skincare regimes and products but the one regime and brand that still sticks in my mind was The Doctor Brand (see here and here ).
For whatever reason, it was The Doctor Brand range that also seemed to strike a chord with you, my readers. I got such a response on my wordpress blog.

The Doctor Brand regime was developed by doctors. Despite lacking the spot fighting ingredient Benzoyl Peroxide, The Doctor Brand regime claims that 97% of people see an improvement in their skin within two weeks of using the regime.

Wow.

I had high hopes for these products and they did to a degree work for me. The blemishes I had no longer looked as aggravated, they also irritated me less which probably meant I was more inclined to leave the area alone and less likely to spread infection.

So far, so good.

However, my spots did not disappear within two weeks and in fact, little bumps started materialising mainly under the skin after the first few days of treatment which led me to question the regime although I probably continued with the whole regime for a month if not, two.

My skin has now substantially cleared and I think The Doctor Brand products started this healing process although I did give up on the full regime after going through a couple of starter kits.

However, I continued to cleanse, tone and moisturise each evening (with other brands) and I also layered on lots of The Doctor Brand Spot Eliminator to the problematic areas each night.

I honestly think this blemish clearing step was so significant in clearing my skin. It may be that other spot gels work as effectively. I don’t know but I do know that The Doctor Brand Spot Eliminator worked for me.

I have to say that the success of this gel has got me thinking about the entire Doctor Brand regime again and I think I would be inclined to give them another go at clearing my skin if I ever break out again (please, no).

Elle Swingler from The Doctor Brand kindly offered to answer some questions about the brand. Here is what she had to say.

– Firstly, please could you tell us a little about The Doctor Brand and its products?
The ‘science bit’ is that The DoctorBrand is a three step blemish relief system formulated with the help of a panel of Doctors; a Dermatologist, Nutritionist and an Endocrinologist (hormone Doctor). The products are formulated without Parabens, Sulphates or the drying chemical Benzoyl Peroxide (traditionally used in spot treatment products but now quite out dated).  The active ingredients are Salicylic and Glycolic Acid (an AHA and BHA, or in other words, natural fruit acids) which exfoliate blocked pores and Hydrogen Peroxide which acts as a topical antiseptic to zap any bacteria. 
There are also natural extracts, such as Pomegranate in the Purifying Cleanser which is an antioxidant, Liquorice Root in the Pore Clearing Gel, which is a calming anti-inflammatory, and Green Tea in the Spot Eliminator which is also antioxidant.  The Spot Eliminator also has sulphur to exfoliate deeper into the clogged pore and a little bit of cosmetic green to disguise redness.  The Oil-Free Soothing Lotion has calming Chamomile extract to sooth any redness or inflammation. 

 – The skincare shelves are full of products that promise to help to clear your skin. Why could The Doctor Brand products prove the most effective?
Because when used correctly they don’t cause the extreme dryness seen with Benzoyl Peroxide products yet they’re highly effective at clearing blemishes. The combination of ingredients mentioned in the previous answer mean that they’re very effective yet gentle and soothing at the same time.

 – The products in your blemish relief starter kit are free of Benzoyl Peroxide, sulfates, parabens and contain antioxidants. Please can you explain why these factors might be beneficial when we are trying to clear our skin?
The panel of doctors that helped to formulate the range decided that Benzoyl Peroxide is quite out-dated in spot treatment, having been first used in the 1930’s and having the strength to even bleach clothing. Some people find it extremely drying and it can even cause scabbing and inflammation. There are other active ingredients that can be just as effective but not as harsh on the skin. Parabens and Sulphates have been previously sited as a cancer risk, and whilst this isn’t 100% proven at this time, we didn’t want our customers to have to take that risk!
Antioxidants are good for your skin in general as they neutralise ‘free radicals’. Basically put, this means that aggressive molecules, which are missing an electron and seeking to grab that electron from something else in order to neutralise themselves, take the electron from the antioxidant ingredient rather than from your skin cells.

– Is it necessary to use all four steps in the system to see an improvement in your skin?
It really depends how bad your skin is in the first place – as with all skincare everything depends on the individual case. To get the full effects we would advise that you use all the steps but the most important product to treat the skin is the Pore Clearing Gel which has the highest levels of the active ingredients. However, it is still very important to use a cleanser to get rid of all of the dirt on the skin and a moisturiser to rehydrate the skin and all of our products are formulated to work well together. If you just had the occasional individual blemish you could use just the Spot Eliminator on those rather than the Pore Clearing Gel but again you definitely still need to cleanse and moisturise for healthy skin!

– Once the skin has cleared, is it necessary to keep using the system to maintain the improvement?
It’s dependent very much on the individual but once the skin has cleared we advise that you discontinue use of the Pore Clearing Gel as there’s no blocked pores or infection left to treat. You should continue to use the Clarifying Cleanser and Oil Free Soothing Lotion and use the Spot Eliminator on individual spots. If your blemishes reoccur at any point in future start using the Pore Clearing Gel as needed.

 – Obviously we all have different skin. For example, my skin tends to be quite dry and I’m in my late twenties but some people are older/younger with oily or sensitive skin. You do not have different products for different skin types, is the Doctor Brand suitable for all skin types?
Yes, The DoctorBrand is for all skin types that are affected with blemishes and acne, whatever the underlying skin type. The products should be tailored to the skin type in how you use them though, for example people with dry skin should use the Oil Free Soothing Lotion more liberally and more often than people with oily skin. Those with sensitive skin could use the Pore Clearing Gel more sparingly or less often to begin with to give their skin a chance to get used to the active ingredients. Recognising how your skin needs treating is important as your needs can change due to many factors such as climate and your hormones. How and when you use a product is as important as which product you use, so we advise people to be their own expert and use their initiative.

 – You claim that 97% of people see an improvement in their skin within two weeks. Can you account for why 3% of people may not have experienced the same success?
As you mentioned, everyone has different skin and as a result in a very small percentage of people it takes longer to work. One reason for this could be that it takes longer for some peoples skin cells to renew themselves and therefore show a difference on the surface of the skin. Also previously mentioned correct usage is essential too. We’re really pleased with the outcome of the study being 97%!

 – A couple of people have commented that their skin appeared to get worse when they started to use the Doctor Brand products. Two particular problems come to mind.
I, myself, experienced little bumps under my skin a few days after I started using the products. These bumps were actually new to me and were not part of my original skincare problem. Do you know what these could have been and is it ok to continue to use the system in such a case?
Whenever you begin using a new skincare line, your skin goes through what is called a purging process. This occurs because the product is actively cleansing and bringing all the trapped oil and impurities to the surface of your skin, which can cause you to break out more. Even though you may be purging, in order to see results you should continue using the products as directed twice a day.

 – Also, some people have said that they do find the products drying (especially to begin with). I notice that you claim your products do not contain Benzoyl Peroxide which can dry out the skin. Why would some people find the products drying and is there any reason to be concerned about this?
The products are designed to dry up blemishes as excess sebum (oil) in the skin provides a breeding ground for acne bacteria but they aren’t as drying or irritating as Benzoyl Peroxide products. Excess dryness may also be a result of overuse of the products. If you’re experiencing excessive dryness or oiliness you should reduce the usage of Gel to once every other day or even less if your skin becomes at all sore to give your skin a chance to get used to the active ingredients. Also, make sure that you are only using the Spot Treatment on affected areas and not rubbing it in all over your face as healthy skin doesn’t need treating. There’s no need to be concerned and if in any doubt give our customer services team a quick call and they’ll be able to advise you.

– I ,myself, think that The Doctor Brand products may have helped my skin eventually but I’m not sure that there was any noticeable improvement within two weeks. If we do not see an improvement in our skin condition within two weeks, should we continue to use the system? Could it still work in such a case?
As mentioned before, some people’s skin does take longer to see the benefits of the products but perseverance is important to see the full benefit in all cases. We would advise all users to maintain use for a minimum of thirty days (as provided in The Starter Kit) to see the best results. It can definitely still work even if you don’t see immediate results although we have seen that in most cases users do see a very quick improvement in the texture and appearance of their skin.

 – Is there anything that we can do when we are using The Doctor Brand products to increase the chances of success?
Yes definitely! It’s best to use lukewarm water when washing your face as hot water can further irritate and dry the skin. Don’t rub too hard when using the products as sore and delicate skin can be made worse that way. Keep drinking lots of water to keep skin hydrated from the inside and eat a healthy balanced diet to provide your cells with all of the right vitamins and nutrients they need to maintain healthy skin.

– Is there anything that you would like to add?
We just want everyone to know that we do really care about how people feel about their skin. Almost everyone in our team at DoctorBrand HQ has been affected with acne and blemishes at some point, including myself, and we really understand how miserable it can be and want to help people overcome their skin issues. The DoctorBrand products when used correctly can change people’s lives, which might sound bit dramatic, but we have the proof of how much confidence people have gained after using the products to clear their skin.
We’re always looking for more case studies with great before and after photos, to help us spread the word, so if you’d be interested in sharing your story get in touch with us!

 – Where is The Doctor Brand available?
It’s available in Boots stores, website, http://www.thedoctorbrand.co.uk/ and now Superdrug stores as well.

 – Who should we contact if we have any further queries or comments about the brand and its products?
You can call customer services with any questions about usage or problems and they’ll be able to answer your questions 0844 472 7059 (Monday – Friday 9.00am – 5.30pm).

Thank you, Elle!

So there we go, that is The Doctor Brand.
Have you tried their products? Is their regime something that would be of interest to you?

X

Come and join me!

I hope you are all well. Just a quick post to let you know that from now on, I will no longer be updating this blog with new posts. I’m hoping to still blog probably in my typically sporadic manner. However, any new posts will only be found at http://www.essjay23x.blogspot.com .

I would love it if you came across and joined me there. Thank you for all of your support so far!!

X

Snowflakes and a special cause!

Hey everybody.

Picture from here

Hope you are well. I’m sorry that there has been a lack of (aherm, actually zilch) posts over the last week. Snow doesn’t half suck the time up. Not enough where I live to snow us all in but the dusting we have had, has caused absolute chaos as we try to get about and do the day to day stuff.

Seriously, I am shattered and it is so, soo cold.

Anyhow, I wanted to post a link to a very interesting post that I read yesterday. It was written by Kelly of Hair Advice and all things nice.

I love Kelly’s blog because I’m hair obsessed and as a hairdresser herself, most of her posts focus on different hairstyles, products and ideas. It is seriously a great read from an insider and although the post I want to highlight is a little a bit different to her normal ones, it provides no exception to her ‘great read’ standard.

Kelly has posted about a very special cause, The Little Princess Trust, which provides poorly children, suffering hair loss, with wigs and real human hair of their own.

I can only imagine the difference that this could make to an individuals sense of well-being and quality of life.

Please, please, please take the time to read Kelly’s post here.

Thank you.

X

Yay!

Well, just a little post today.

I just wanted to let you know that The Beauty Bible (that I raved about here) has a fabulous site here online 24/7. Duh, why didn’t I know about this site earlier?!
I popped over to check it out and it was amazing. It was that good, that dinner is late, I couldn’t drag myself away.
There are lots of up to date product recommendations; a question and answer area where the extremely knowledgable team answer your beauty queries; updates on Beauty Bible products and associated publications as well as a Beauty Blog.
If you have a moment to spare this weekend, why don’t you check the site out?
You can be sure I will be stalking this site!

Happy weekend Girls!

X

All about the lashes. Always!

Isn’t it so?!

For me anyway, it seems there has been times when that is all it is about, the lashes. Okay, when it not about the hair or the scent but over the last year, I have tried four (and fallen for at least three) new mascaras, interestingly all from either L’Oreal or Max Factor. There was the Double Extension Tubes, the Lash Extension Effect, the Million Lashes and now, the False Lash Effect.

Max Factor’s latest release claims to double lash size to give the impact of false lashes.

False lashes, no glue?!

Kerching!

It is no wonder that this ended up in my mitts.

Here are my lashes before application.

Here are my lashes after one coat.

And finally, here are my lashes with a couple more coats.

To be honest, I think that on some lashes, it looks like I may gone a coat too far. In fact, one coat of this mascara would maybe have been enough if it applied uniformly but I always seem to miss some lashes in my clumsy application. I think it may be that I am not used to the fat brush, Max Factor’s biggest mascara brush ever.

I just can’t quite catch all the lashes. You can see clearly in the last picture of my lashes where I’ve caught the same ones again and again.

The fact that you need to use so little of the formulation to coat the lashes reminds me of the L’oreal Million Lashes. However, this formulation is not so inky or messy. There are the occasional smudges especially when I try to get those more obsure lashes but I have found any residue easy to wipe away.

Actually I think False Lash Effect falls between the two mascaras that have previously worn my Holy Grail mascara crown. False Lash Effect transforms the lashes and gives results almost as dramatic and divaish as the Million Lashes but the finished lash line also has some definition, seperation and certainly a whole lot of extra length. So in that way, I find it similar to the Lash Extension Effect.

I’m liking the middle ground where this mascara stands. Sometimes when I find a mascara that delivers extreme results then I love it for a month or two but then as it dries out, I find myself craving something a little different. Lash Extension was great but I have mentioned before that that evantually I just got a little bored of been able to slap my mascara on each morning without thinking about it. On the other hand, when I first tried Million Lashes, it made me feel like some glamorous star but it soon got tiresome blotting the brush and the smudges away each morning before work.

In False Lash Effect, I may have found my compromise. There are clumps but in reality, I think these are less in your face then they seem to be in this pictures. False Lash Effect does look false to a degree, it does look not look natural but it still looks in place. The final thing that I love about is this mascara is, despite quite a heavy formulation, it seems to curl the lashes and seems to really open the eye area up which makes me look wide awake which can only be good at 6.30 in the morning.

I know that False Lash Effect seems quite popular. Have you tried it? What do you think? What is your favourite mascara? Am I missing out on any other amazing lash jackets?

Oh and the eye shadow is one of faves at the moment (when I’m wearing shadow at all. With mascaras such as this one, I don’t always bother).

It is Frosted Almond from Front Cover. The colour is great and the quality is ok so you might see it here again sometime.

 

X
PS One to follow: The Beauty Blog Of A Giddy Princess