Skincare Superstars: Obagi

I am SO excited to finally be writing this as I’ve been wanting to start a little series on my favourite skincare brands for absolutely ages, but it didn’t feel right to start it with any brand other than Obagi and I kept forgetting to take snaps of my little Obagi collection, so it’s literally been months and months in the making, and finally it’s here!

I thought a Skincare Superstars series would be a great way for me to share a closer look at skincare brands that I feel are exceptional and well worth finding out more about.  I thought I’d do it as a brand profile with a little bit of background info and a closer look at some of the products, why I love them, what you simply must try and if there’s anything you could give a miss to.  Let’s kick this off with a look at Obagi!

Who are Obagi? 

Obagi are a skincare brand created by Dr Zein Obagi, a world-renowned Dermatologist, with a range of around 60+ products that cover most skincare issues.  They are known for their Transformation Systems (most notably the Nu-Derm System) which require committing to a strict protocol of skincare for a set time and riding out the process, which can sometimes be quite daunting as the skin changes! Obagi tends to regularly release new launches that can be used as individual products or slotted into prescribed Obagi routines. Whilst the Transformation Systems are the most effective way to see drastic and dramatic change to your skin, they’re not suitable for everyone, so you can create your own more typical skincare routine from individual products, which is what I did when I attended a consultation to build a prescription.  Depending your needs, some products you can buy online, but there are quite a few that you will need a prescription for, such as their amazing Tretinoin and the C-Therapy Night Cream, the latter because it contains Hydroquinone, however, I understand they have a similar product for those who don’t want to use Hydroquinone.  The range is available online and at loads of clinics all over the UK.

Why do I love them? 

I have never used a skincare routine that made such a huge different to my skin, and consequently I stuck with their products for several years and still have them in my “must keep” kit.  Not only did they drastically improve my acne (although the routine I was given wasn’t specifically for that and I was regularly using my LED light therapy mask too) the biggest difference was to my acne scarring, which is something I’ve just never been able to tackle and even when my skin was relatively clear, it still looked like I had a face full of spots because of all the residual marks.  The C-Therapy Night Cream lifted these very quickly (started seeing a difference within a few weeks) and I would recommend to anyone and everyone who struggles with similar issues to me.

They also have created the best moisturiser I’ve ever used and I rave about it constantly – Obagi Hydrate is the perfect moisturiser for difficult skin like mine, as I breakout very easily, but I’m also constantly dehydrated, so I need a moisturiser that can add plenty of hydration without breaking me out, which is a tricky balance to achieve.  Hydrate does exactly that and I think I’m on my 10th bottle now.

What don’t I like?

Annoyingly, the price point is super high – you’re talking hundreds and hundreds for a routine – but for me it’s worth every penny as it works. Also the availability is an issue as you ideally need to have a consultation to make sure you’re using the right products.

What to try?

Their tretinoins are fantastic and are the only ones I’ve ever managed to successfully use.  As you can see, I don’t have a high dose – I started on 0.05% and moved up to 0.1% but they are super powerful, very effective, quick working and they play well with other products.

Obviously their Hydrate is another product I would highly recommend, especially for those of us who are acne-prone but with older, less oily skin types.

One of the products they’re probably most well known for is their Professional-C Serum, which comes in various strengths depending on what your skin needs; again, I would recommend seeing a specialist to make sure you use the right now – I’m normally a believer in figuring things out for yourself when it comes to skincare, but I think Obagi are one of the few ranges where it really does help to speak to a professional.  Get one of their Vitamin C serums and witness your skin glow like nothing else!

What to avoid? 

Interestingly, the other thing Obagi are known for are their SPFs and I was kindly given the opportunity to try a few of them, but I just couldn’t get them to work for me – I found them difficult to blend and quite patchy.  Having said that, I believe they’ve released some newer versions so if I get my hands on them, I’ll let you know if they’re an improvement!

There we have it! My very first Skincare Superstars focusing on the amazing Obagi.  Find out more about the brand here – link – where you can browse their products and find your nearest specialist.  Find my original first look post here – link.

Disclosure: my original products were PR samples and I receive a press discount for personal purchases.