Founded by one of New York’s leading dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross in 2000, the eponymous beauty brand is known for its effective – and fuss-free -peels and other easy-to-use and effective skincare products that give results comparable to post-facial skin. We talk to co-founder Carrie Gross where she shared about the brand, skincare trends and more.

On the brand’s Alpha Beta Daily peel

Carrie Gross (CG): “The Alpha Beta Peel is our hero product and we have three formulas and each one is a little different. The whole concept of it is to deliver micro-exfoliation, giving you instant results without ever throwing the skin off balance and stripping it off. What’s wonderful about the daily peel is that it builds collagen so it is working for you every single day to stimulate cell turnover, encourage the natural process of our skin and slows down the rate at which cells age. The secret to it is the fact that it has two steps. Step one is an acidic step. Each pre-soaked pad is made with a blend of acids and the reason it is superior to any single mono-acid type of product is because each of the acids in step one has a different beauty benefit. So you’re working on pores, pigments, fine lines, uneven skin tone and more. After two minutes, step two comes in, which is an alkaline step and it is going to give you a pH flux plus other soothing and anti-ageing benefits that leaves a veil of protection on the skin. Another thing is that with this peel, you actually need less of everything else – you need less moisturiser because it balances your skin and you then need less makeup because your skin starts looking so good.”

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You need to cleanse, exfoliate and apply SPF

CG: “Cleansing is super important as we have to keep our skin clean. You want to make sure you get a deep cleanse to thoroughly remove makeup and sebum. If you can love your cleanser, you will spend a little extra time taking care of your skin. Try not to use a cleanser that is too harsh. Next, an exfoliating peel or a targeted exfoliator is so important for a smooth, radiant complexion. And lastly, an SPF moisturiser.”

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Incorporate LED light into your regime

CG: “Having that light energy applied topically to the skin is really important – and I don’t think people really understand it. It helps to prevent wrinkles and for someone who is more mature, it can correct signs of ageing. It feels slightly warm and when you put it on your skin, there are five different lights to choose from. Red, deep red, amber and infrared goes through the entire thickness of the dermis and epidermis to build collagen. Blue light is anti-bacterial. So even if you don’t have acne, it only kills the bad bacteria and leaves the good bacteria. It is also soothing and takes away any redness in the skin. I find that after the LED treatment my skin just absorbs other products more quickly. We launched LED devices that are actually, in my opinion, better suited to deliver better results than going to a LED bed in a clinic because they fit snug on your face and it literally bathes the cell with light energy that stimulates collagen. We have one that is just for the eye area and one that’s for the full face.”

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On multi-tasking ingredients and products

CG: “I love all types of ingredients but I think one trend that is really important and is also something we have always done is multi-tasking products. We always believe in products that have multiple ingredients and do multiple things. For example, we have an overnight serum that is an emulsion and it is purposely that hydrating because we want to prevent trans-epidermal water loss. We also have another retinol product that is for use around the eye area and it is a gel serum. It is fast-absorbing because we do not want the retinol to sit on top of the skin around your eye area.”

Skincare mistakes

CG: “Not cleansing properly or going to sleep without having properly cleansed all their makeup. Another skincare mistake might be not putting SPF on your neck or hands. It is important to love your SPF, so find one that is really lightweight.”

Cover images: Instagram (@drdennisgross)