FOREIGN BEAUTY BRANDS

1 Dr Brandt

Founded by American cosmetic dermatologist Dr Fredric Brandt, this brand promises to 'repair and prevent damage to the skin' with these key ingredients: green tea, white tea and grapeseed extract. A bestseller is Pores No More ($80 for 30ml), which conceals imperfections while preventing breakouts.

$58 to $196, from Sscube The Apothecary, 03-19A The Centrepoint

2 Epicuren

A celeb favourite used by the stars of Sex And The City, this line was developed by American dermatologist

Dr Harold Lancer. It uses enzyme-proteins to make the skin firmer by increasing its elasticity. Popular products include its Facial Gel Plus ($128.40 for 60ml), said to reduce the appearance of fine lines.

$8.60 to $449.40, from Apothecary + Co, B1-21 Raffles City Shopping Centre

3 Nutra Luxe MD

Developed by Dr Andrew Hawrych, an American plastic surgeon who feels that surgery should be the last option, this line uses vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants to repair skin damage and reduce signs of ageing. Its Collagen X-plosion ($115.60 for 30ml) is said to renew the production of collagen and reduce wrinkles.

$47.10 to $262.15, from Apothecary + Co

4 ReVive

Dr Gregory Bays Brown, founder of ReVive, is an American plastic surgeon who says that going under the knife can't solve every skincare problem. So he came up with ReVive, which makes use of his own discovery - a bio-engineered molecule called Epidermal Growth Factor that revives ageing skin. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1986. Here, its best-selling product is Volumising Serum ($1,070 for 30ml), which plumps up volume and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.

$90 to $2,500, from Sscube The Apothecary

5 Sampar

Formulated by medical cosmetology specialist Patrick Sounigo, this French anti-pollution skincare line makes use of what it calls the Urban Advance complex, a blend of shea butter, mint leaves and plant and milk sugars. The complex fights the negative effects of pollution on the skin. An added bonus - the products smell good because they incorporate the use of aromatherapy.

$88 to $338, from Medical Aesthetics Spa (UK) , 03-10 Palais Renaissance and 35 Ann Siang Road

HOME-GROWN BEAUTY BRANDS

6 Georgia Lee

This self-named line was launched by celebrity aesthetics doctor, Dr Georgia Lee, who is based at TLC Medical Centre. Her Treatment Make-Up Powder ($68 for 12g) is so popular there's a waiting list for it. The powder contains sunblock and acne medication.

$30 to $300 (available only to clients), from TLC Lifestyle Practice, 27B Lorong Liput

7 Skin Inc.

Developed specifically for use in tropical climates by the doctors of The Sloane Clinic, Dr Low Chai Ling and

Dr Kenneth Lee, it makes use of vitamins and botanical extracts to fight the problems of oily, acne-prone and dull skin. One best-seller is its Ice Souffle Cleanser ($58.85 for 120ml), a deep pore cleanser.

$40 to $200, from The Sloane Clinic, 03-01 Chevron House

8 Skin Sense

Dr Patricia Yuen of Pacific Healthcare Specialist Centre came up with this line, which is suitable for sensitive skin. Her products have vitamin C as a key ingredient to reduce damage caused by ageing, pollution and over-exposure to the sun.

$45 to $140, from Pacific Healthcare Specialist Centre, 19-01 Paragon

This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times on May 15, 2008.