FAQ – Frequently asked questions

Find here the answers to questions that often reach us!

General questions

DERMASENCE medical skin care has become the epitome of dermatological expertise and a consistent focus on effectiveness and tolerance in skin care. It stands for innovative developments and products with the highest tolerability.

Green Science is the term we use to harness the power of nature for effective and compatible medical skin care. Based on scientific findings and research, the effective potential of selected plant extracts is harnessed for medical cosmetics. In doing so, we draw on ancient healing knowledge to combine innovative product developments with a high level of efficacy and tolerability and transfer them into modern formulations.

DERMASENCE has got developed an own extraction process, with which only the effective ingredients of the plant are extracted and thus the potentially allergenic as well as irritating substances are removed.

Each colour dot represents a skin type:

  • Blue: Normal skin with balanced lipid and moisture balance; these products help you to keep the skin healthy and beautiful
  • Red: Dry Skin, which is low in fat and moisture, tends to be irritated, and is sensitive to environmental influences and ingredients and/or prone to allergies.
  • Green: oily, acne-prone skin, which is shiny, has coarse pores and often forms blackheads and pimples
  • Yellow: Anti-Ageing Care for skin over 25, which shows the first wrinkles and loss of elasticity and gratefully absorbs special active ingredients; it should be protected from UV radiation.

Trained pharmacy staff and the color guide code on the packaging will help you choose the right product. It is advisable to test a new product on a small area of the forearm first before using it for the first time on the face or on a large area of the body. However, if there is an adverse reaction, the product can be exchanged at the pharmacy where it was purchased.

Baby and children's skin

Yes, the delicate skin of a baby needs different care adapted to its special needs. A newborn's skin is not yet fully developed, three to five times thinner than adult skin and thus not as resistant. The protective functions of baby skin must first mature. The protective functions of the baby's skin must first develop. This makes the skin much more permeable and it is particularly sensitive to cold. Moisture can therefore be lost more quickly and the skin dries out. In addition, substances with which the baby's skin comes into contact are absorbed more quickly and can penetrate more easily. This also applies to pathogens and other germs. Baby skin is also particularly sensitive to the sun, as less melanin (pigment) is produced at the beginning, which naturally protects the skin from UV radiation. Baby skin should therefore not be exposed to the sun under any circumstances.

The DERMASENCE Vitop forte Junior care emulsion is optimally suited for baby skin from the age of three months. The cream offers special protection for irritated and neurodermatitis-prone skin and for cradle cap. A breathable protective film is applied to the skin, which protects against moisture loss and mechanical stress. The skin barrier is strengthened by naturally occurring oils. The unique Vitop active complex stimulates the skin's own regeneration processes and prevents inflammation and itching. Panthenol offers the added benefit of soothing irritations. The skin comes to rest.

Facial cleansing

Optimal cleansing of the skin consists of a skin-typical Cleansing product that is often removed from the skin with water. The DERMASENCE Tonic subsequently balances the pH value, strengthens the skin's naturally protective acid mantle and removes limescale and dirt residues. This provides an optimal basis for subsequent care.

In the evening, cleansing removes cosmetic residues and dirt that have accumulated on the skin during the day. Overnight, the skin metabolises and sweats. Cleansing in the morning prepares the skin for the day. Cleansing always provides the basis for facial care and makes the skin receptive to the following day and night care.

DERMASENCE Tonic, completes the cleansing process, it strengthens the skin's naturally protective acid mantle through its optimally adjusted pH value, soothes and hydrates it and increases its absorption capacity.

DERMASENCE Tonic contains only 5% alcohol. Due to the rapid evaporation, a refreshing, vitalising effect is felt on the skin. Alcohol is a topical penetration enhancer, it can increase the improve the skin's ability to absorb. This makes it easier for subsequent care products to be absorbed by the skin.

Availability

DERMASENCE products are available at your pharmacy in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. In the Netherlands there are also so called "Huidtherapeuten" who sell DERMASENCE products. Both, pharmacies and huidtherapeuten can order their desired products from us at any time. Use our Where to buy to discover points of sells near you that carry DERMASENCE products.

You can get free samples of many DERMASENCE products at your pharmacy.

Yes, with the DERMASENCE Travel kit Mousse + Tonic are the DERMASENCE Mousse Cleansing foam and the DERMASENCE Tonic available in a travel size.

Tip: If the travel sizes are empty, you can refill them with the original products and thus reuse them.

Sustainability and animal welfare

Plastics and plastic particles (microplastics) pollute rivers, oceans, soil and even the air. The Federal Environment Agency defines microplastics as particles with a size of less than 5 mm of an insoluble, macromolecular plastic. In line with this definition, all DERMASENCE products have already been microplastic-free.  

In the meantime, however, environmental protection organisations define the term "microplastic" more broadly: they also include polymers that are conditionally soluble and swellable in water, such as styrene/acrylates copolymer or polyacrylates. 

According to the assessment of recognised experts, dissolved polymers are not toxic in their environmentally relevant form and are predominantly filtered out in sewage treatment plants. However, the degradation pathways and environmental impacts of liquid polymers have not yet been definitively clarified.

As a responsible and sustainable company, we pursue the goal of avoiding microplastics and liquid polymers in the formulation of new products.

Already now, the DERMASENCE products are for the most part completely free from microplastics and liquid polymers!

We do not use palm oil or palm kernel oil in our products. Some basic ingredients such as surfactants, consistency enhancers, stabilisers or emulsifiers are produced on the basis of palm oil. Whenever possible, we refrain from using such substances.

When formulating our sun protection products, we pay particular attention to proven active ingredients of the highest quality and to the good tolerability of the preparations, in accordance with our principles. This means that the focus is on reliable, high UV protection across the entire spectrum (UV-A and UV-B).

Not everything that is good for us is also good for the environment. The use of the UV filters octinoxate (INCI: ETHYLHEXYL METHOXYCINNAMATE) and oxybenzone (INCI: BENZOPHENONE) have been criticised for their potential impact on marine reefs. In products from DERMASENCE, these filters are not used.

Wherever possible and sensible, we apply ingredients synthetic and of vegetable origin. The majority of our product range does not contain any deliberately added animal ingredients.

Nevertheless we do not want to call DERMASENCE „vegan cosmetics“. The reason: We cannot rule out the possibility that animal ingredients get into products whose formulation is actually vegan during the manufacturing process.

Animal ingredients can be found in the following products:

DERMSAENCE are against animal testing, and also do not commission any animal testing.

Since 2013, there has been a comprehensive ban on animal testing for cosmetics in the EU: Animal testing may not be carried out on cosmetic products or ingredients and cosmetics that have been tested on animals in third countries may not be sold in the EU. 

Active substances

Since the compatibility of the medical skin care products is our priority, we do not use fragrances or perfumes in many products. If a perfume does come into play, we only apply it in very low concentrations. The fragrances we apply are approved and expertly evaluated fragrance blends that are labelled "fragrance" on the packaging.

"Allergenic fragrances" (for example limonene or geraniol) must be mentioned by name. We do not use this type of fragrance in almost all of our products. However, there are a few exceptions where there is a valid reason for using the fragrances that must be labelled: Sometimes allergenic fragrances are merely accompanying substances of complex mixtures of active ingredients. Effective, cooling mint oil, for example, also contains limonene. Here, the focus is on the effect, not the fragrance.

Allergy sufferers can check the use of perfume in our products in the list of ingredients (INCIs).

At DERMASENCE, we apply both organic (chemical) and inorganic (mineral) UV filters in our sun care products and day care products with UV protection.

The light protection filters minimise the undesirable effects of UV radiation on the skin. UV filters absorb (organic UV filters) or reflect (mineral UV filters) the UV radiation on the skin surface or in the keratin of the horny layer.  

They are divided into UV-A, UV-B and broadband filters. To achieve effective protection, we use a combination of the different UV filters.

Other effective subtances in our sunscreens are antioxidants. They interrupt the photochemical reaction chain triggered by UV light if UV rays have nevertheless penetrated the skin. This also helps to mitigate undesirable effects of sun exposure such as cell and genetic damage.

With the combination of photoprotective filters and antioxidants, our products provide effective protection against the negative effects of the sun's rays, such as sunburn, premature skin ageing or hyperpigmentation.

Organic (chemical) light protection filters penetrate the top layer of the skin and convert UV radiation into heat through a chemical reaction.

Our DERMASENCE sunscreen formulations contain an effective blend of different UV filters for optimal protection. The good skin compatibility has been dermatologically tested.

 

The hyaluronic acid applied in our DERMASENCE products is synthetically produced. This makes it particularly high-quality and of consistent quality. This ensures a high level of effectiveness and tolerance.

Durability of the products

All DERMASENCE products are marked with an hourglass symbol. Behind this symbol is the best-before date. We hereby comply with legal requirements according to the Cosmetics Ordinance. This information applies to both opened and unopened products. The date is indicated on the primary and outer packaging and is usually printed on the back of the product or in the tube fold.

Yes, all DERMASENCE products are preserved in such a way that the shelf life and thus the product safety are guaranteed for the specified period of time. The content of preservatives is limited to the necessary minimum. The compatibility of the products is always the focus here.

Not only preservatives contribute to the protection and shelf life of the product, but also the type of packaging. We rely on so-called airless dispensers, for example. These are designed in such a way that when the pump is activated, a vacuum is created which pushes the piston at the bottom of the dispenser upwards and transports a very specific amount of the contents upwards and outwards. In contrast to conventional dispenser systems, no air - and with it, for example, harmful environmental influences such as bacteria or fungal spores or air - enters the dispenser system. This strengthens the safety of our products.

Here a look at the product helps: On all tubes, dispensers, etc. can be found the respective expiration date.

Please note: If cosmetic products are exposed to extreme temperatures over a long period (such as in the summer in the car), they can change. The smell, consistency and color can change slightly. Our natural botanicals in the products can also cause this. These are product-related changes, but they do not affect the effectiveness of our products.

Product development

For every cosmetic product, a so-called safety assessment or safety report is required.Independent evaluators check the product and carry out the following tests:

  • Stability test
  • Microbial investigations
  • Toxicological assessments
  • Evidence of effectiveness
  • Compatibility studies
  • Dermatological assessments

The product may only be placed on the market when it fulfils all verification requirements.

 

It usually takes several months or even years from the idea to the finished product. Various departments are involved in the development process. It always starts with an idea for a new product or a product optimisation. A product concept is worked out together and the first test samples are developed. These are optimised until they finally fulfil all the necessary properties. The final product sample then undergoes various tests prescribed by the EU Cosmetics Regulation. The so-called safety assessment documents and confirms whether the cosmetic product is safe for the intended and foreseeable use according to Article 3 of the EU Cosmetics Regulation. In parallel, stability tests are carried out and texts for the packaging and other marketing material are prepared. Only when all the components of the product have been completed and are safe and effective for consumers to use, is the first batch of the new product filled and offered for sale in pharmacies.

 

Our products are mainly manufactured in Germany. We work with very experienced partners who have been with us for many years. Some of the herbal ingredients are cultivated by us and processed in our Medicos Science Center using a special extraction process for our cosmetic products. In this video you can get an idea of these elaborate processes.

 

FAQ for pharmacies and dermatological practices

We appreciate your interest in our products. Feel free to contact us, ideally via our contact form. A contact person from the sales department will get in touch with you promptly.

Information for professionals from pharmacies and dermatological practices can be found in the DERMASENCE Akademie. You can also access this exclusive specialist area via the header bar of the DERMASENCE website (see "Professionals").

In the DERMASENCE Akademie, after registration and activation, specialist information is available to you for download, in the form of e-learnings and live web seminars.

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