Doctor Brands

Body conscious

Whether impure or dry skin, ingrown hairs, sun damage or pigment spots, Natalie's body care wants to do more than just moisturise. The four body lotions and one body gel developed by Natalie Lindner are designed as specific problem solvers. At the age of 15, the Munich native was already dreaming of her own body care line because she kept noticing that the effectiveness of the available products could not keep up with that of facial care products. Her skincare line contains concentrations of active ingredients, but is free of parabens, mineral oil, silicones, colourants and fillers. Production, packaging and shipping are "made in Germany".

Natalie's Cosmetics; available on www.natalies-cosmetics.com, in selected department stores and via www.niche-beauty.com.

Combinable

The facial care of Hamburg dermatologist Volker Steinkraus combines the four components vitamins, niacin, botanicals and biomimetics, whose ingredients are used in serums and creams at different times. This is to ensure that they unfold their effect in the best possible way. All products are vegan, fragrance-free and, according to Steinkraus, can also be combined with other care products. This democratic approach is also reflected in the prices: the face cream, which is available in three different strengths, and also the high-quality serums are (still) in the two-digit euro range. For a doctor brand, almost a bargain.

Prof. Dr. Steinkraus; available via www.steinkraus.com and www.niche-beauty.com.

Pure luxury

In the USA, the exclusive skin care line of Munich dermatologist Timm Golüke is listed at Bergdorf Goodman, and his products are also available at the luxury online shop Net-A-Porter. He holds regular consultations at the renowned Detox Hotel Lanserhof. His skincare line is based on fern extracts that are supposed to counteract both genetic and environmentally induced skin ageing. Combined with other active ingredients such as vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and retinol, each product is a top performer, not only for the skin and the senses - the scent is really pleasant - but unfortunately also because of the comparatively high prices.

Royal Fern Skincare; available via www.royalfern.com, in selected perfumeries and at www.netaporter.com.

Anti-inflammatory

Nicolas Perricone is not only a dermatologist, but also a nutritionist, "New York Times" author and one of the best-known anti-aging experts in the USA. His skin care line is based on the theory that inflammation in the body is the main factor responsible for the ageing process. Thus, his products contain, among other things, the body's own antioxidant, which has an anti-inflammatory effect and is no longer produced sufficiently by the body in the course of the natural ageing process. His food supplements are also said to slow down ageing through vitamins, minerals, trace elements, omega-3 fatty acids and gamma-linolenic acid.

Dr. Perricone MD; available in selected perfumeries, at Douglas and via www.niche-beauty.com.

For retinol fans

Miriam Rehbein has always been fascinated by retinol (also known as vitamin A) as the oldest recognised anti-ageing ingredient. However, it can quickly cause irritation in sensitive skin. In five years of research with a laboratory, the Munich dermatologist has developed a "deep technology" that should make it possible for retinol to reach the deep layers of the skin and unfold its effect there without causing damage to the skin's surface. In combination with hyaluron, antioxidants, B-vitamins and AHA fruit acids, the wide-ranging cosmetics line Dr. Mi! has been created, which also includes perfume and a care series for pregnant women.

Dr. Mi!; available at www.doctormi.de and in selected perfumeries.

Fragrance intensive

Sugar is an anti-aging killer - even the number one beauty killer, at least according to Susanne von Schmiedeberg. The dermatologist from Düsseldorf therefore focuses her skincare line on the active ingredient L-carnosine, which is supposed to slow down cell saccharification and thus skin ageing. Based on this, the dermatologist and book author developed her own Pro-Youthing line with Douglas in 2019. The products are marketed under Clean Beauty, but the smell of many products is so intense that the question must be allowed as to how many fragrances they actually contain and how "clean" they really are.

Dr. Susanne von Schmiedeberg; available at www.dr-schmiedeberg.com or at Douglas.

More is more

Patients from all over the world come to the skin and laser centre of Munich dermatologist Stefan Duve. He was one of the first dermatologists in Germany to start his own skin care products in 2009. The portfolio is correspondingly large, not only covering different skin types and needs, but also including own series for men and children. Duve relies on a symbiosis of potent active ingredients from nature and modern anti-ageing cell research. Hyaluronic acid, retinol, growth factors and antioxidants such as vitamin C and E are contained in various concentrations and compositions in all products. Fragrances are a matter of taste.

Doctor Duve Medical Skin Care; available at www.doctor-duve.com, Douglas and via www.niche-beauty.com.

Celebrity skin care

Naomi Campbell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hailey Bieber and Johnny Depp are among her clients. In the pandemic, Barbara Sturm, Germany's best-known beauty doctor, has proven her business acumen with virtual workshops and tutorials. There are clinics in cities like London, Miami, Düsseldorf and St. Tropez. Originally an orthopaedic surgeon, Sturm's portfolio now includes more than 90 products, all vegan and divided according to different skin types and requirements. There is also care for the head and body, nutritional supplements and clothing. Whether it is worthwhile to include this marketing effort in the price of the cosmetics is something everyone has to answer for themselves.

Dr. Barbara Sturm; available at www.drsturm.com and selected retailers.

With a university background

Anyone who is active on social media will hardly be able to get past the distinctive royal blue bottle, "The Cream" by Augustinus Bader. The Leipzig university professor of the same name, who is one of the leading researchers in the field of stem cell biology, has developed a technology for this cream that is supposed to stimulate cell renewal with the help of amino acids, vitamins and synthesised molecules as well as ingredients such as argan, avocado or evening primrose oil. There are highly satisfied customers who are willing to pay a pretty hefty sum for "The Cream". Other products score worse in online reviews.

Augustinus Bader; available at www.augustinusbader.com and in selected perfumeries.

Democratic

Werner Mang is the best-known German plastic surgeon. The term "Mang nose" was coined when he operated on Götz George's nose after an accident. Since then, he has had celebrities from Germany and abroad under the knife in his clinic in Lindau. All the more surprising, then, that he has discontinued his multi-part skincare range, which was sold on QVC, and is now concentrating on a single "preservative cream" for a comparatively cheap sum. "There is no cream in the world for which a three-digit price is justified," says the beauty doc. He does without marketing in order to offer the best possible price-performance ratio.

Prof. Dr. Mang care series; available via www.bodenseeklinik.de.