SkinCeuticals Custom DOSE program turns one editor into a personalized skincare product

When it comes to skin care, there is no one product or formula that works for everyone. While there are products designed to noticeably improve the appearance of skin problems such as enlarged pores, discoloration, and acne, what may work for one person doesn't necessarily mean it will work for you. Enter: SkinCeuticals Custom DOSE, an innovative high-tech skincare service that offers a personalized corrective serum created specifically for your skin type and concerns. Ahead, read on to see how it works and an overview of one editor's experience. And as the brand celebrates Custom DOSE Day today, you too can get your own serum and free chemical peel at your nearest DOSE store while supplies last.

How does it work?

SkinCeuticals Custom DOSE is a professional service that combines highly effective ingredients with professional expertise to create a customized corrective serum just for you. Although it may sound high-tech and scientific, the whole process is done in three simple steps and takes about ten minutes in total. It all starts with a skincare assessment by a professional, which you can find with the SkinCeuticals professional locator. Get ready to fill out a questionnaire about your skin type and current concerns with the SkinCeuticals diagnostic tool. Then, based on your answers, a skincare professional will determine which blend of ingredients is best for your unique skincare needs. The ingredients used are classified by their ability to exfoliate, brighten and improve the appearance of the skin. In this list, you will find some of the most beneficial ingredients for skin, such as azelaic acid, alpha hydroxy acids, tranexamic acid, kojic acid, niacinamide, and retinol. After the professional decides which ingredients to include in your formula, you must choose a base formula. You have options for a hydro-alcoholic base, which is a non-greasy thick texture that is ideal for oily skin types, or an emulsion base that contains conditioning agents and has a light milky texture for drier skin types. Once all is said and done, your professional will dose your serum using a machine that runs at 1,200 rpm until your custom formula is complete - about five minutes in total. The product is designed for three months. After these three months, it is recommended that you be examined by a skin care specialist in order to adopt a treatment plan (same or different) that suits your needs.

My experience:

What I liked about this whole experience is its specificity and effectiveness. As mentioned earlier, this entire process only takes about ten minutes, which is handy, especially during COVID-19 when you don't want to spend more time in a public place than necessary. My formula included ingredients such as licorice root and mulberry extract to help even out skin tone, symwhite to brighten my complexion, proxylan to help improve the firmness of my skin, and 0.3% retinol for anti-aging purposes. It is important to note that if you opt for retinol in your serum, lower (and higher) amounts are available as it may take an adjustment period to get used to if you are a new retinol user. After selecting my main active ingredients with the help of my skin care professional, I opted for an emulsion based formula as my skin tends to get drier in winter. After a couple of weeks of using my serum every night, my skin looks and feels so much better than before. Slight redness on my cheeks is less noticeable, my skin looks incredibly radiant without makeup, it feels soft and supple to the touch. Overall, it was very cool to experience this high-tech innovation.

*For the purposes of this review, I was provided with a free treatment and product, but it usually costs $195.