Convenience is one of the most critical factors in determining how customers make decisions about what to buy. Just consider Amazon, which now delivers almost anything you can think of on the same day that you order it.
Understanding how important convenience is to consumers, Andrew Dudum founded Hims and Hers, a company that’s making it extremely convenient to access quality healthcare. Gone are the days of spending hours in the waiting room just to see your doctor for 15 minutes; Hims and Hers offers telehealth medical visits, allowing you to seek advice and care for over 30 common primary care conditions.
But let’s talk about the Hers skin care line since that’s our thing here at The Derm Review. The Hers online platform allows you to receive a virtual assessment and consultation with its providers, who then provide you with a skincare treatment customized for you.
In this For Hers review, we’ll discuss the skincare products offered, including the key ingredients in Hers skincare products and the research that supports (or doesn’t support) their use in skincare.
How Does Hers Skincare Work?
Hers gives you the option to access quality skincare products with prescription ingredients — without having to wait hours in the dermatologists’ office.
The process is simple: you start by filling out the Hers questionnaire, which asks you about your skin concerns and skin type. The questionnaire also covers health and medical history, such as details about any prescription drugs being taken, over-the-counter skincare products, allergies, and whether female patients may be pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to get pregnant.
After submitting the information, Hers will connect you with a healthcare provider. The provider will discuss all possible forms of treatment and answer any questions you may have regarding treatment options.
Once you and your provider decide upon the best treatment option, your products will be shipped directly to your home. After receiving your product(s), you’ll still have access to your healthcare provider through your online account in case you have any questions.
What Are The Hers Skincare Products?
At the time of writing this review, the Hers skincare collection consists of just four products: a cleanser, moisturizer, anti-aging cream, and prescription acne cream.
Unfortunately, the brand does not provide the full ingredient list for their products on their website. Rather, they only highlight a few of the key ingredients.
This is disappointing because we have no way to properly evaluate the formulations! We don’t know if the brand uses harmful ingredients like denatured alcohol, essential oils, or endocrine-disrupting ingredients; although the brand mentions that the formulas are free of parabens and fragrance.
We’ll still give you the breakdown of what we could deduct from these products, but keep in mind that we don’t know the full picture.
Hers Deep Sea Cleanser
Hers Deep Sea Cleanser is described as a gentle cleanser that won’t strip your skin of oils or block your pores. The key ingredients that the brand highlights are rosehip oil and red seaweed extract.
Rosehip oil is a great ingredient to use in a cleanser because it helps to clear away excess sebum, makeup, and other impurities. When you use rosehip oil (or any oil) to remove oily impurities, you’re employing the chemical principle called “like dissolves like.” Basically, oils will dissolve other materials that have a similar chemical structure.
Rosehip oil also contains beneficial components like beta carotene and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). These components stimulate cellular regeneration and improve the skin’s barrier function, resulting in healthier, brighter skin.
The Hers cleanser also includes red seaweed extract to help bind moisture to the skin. This is a good ingredient to find in a cleanser so that your skin feels soft and hydrated after cleansing, but you should still follow up with a moisturizer.
Bottom Line: Based on the information we’re given, the Hers Cleanser seems to be a gentle formula that should help to remove makeup and excess oil while also hydrating skin.
Hers Tidal Wave Moisturizer
Tidal Wave Moisturizer is a gentle, creamy-but-lightweight, face moisturizer that hydrates skin without clogging pores. The key ingredients in this formula include squalane and hyaluronic acid.
Squalane is super-light, non-greasy, and sinks into the skin fast, yet it helps the skin to instantly feel soft and moisturized. It’s great for replenishing the natural squalene (note the e) that’s present in your skin.
According to a publication in the journal Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, anticancer, antioxidant, detoxifying, skin hydrating, and emollient activities of both squalene and squalane have been reported both in animal models and in vitro environments.
Hyaluronic acid is an excellent ingredient to find in a moisturizer because it’s super hydrating. That’s because it’s a glycosaminoglycan (GAG), a long polysaccharide (sugar molecule) that can absorb and hold a large amount of water.
In fact, hyaluronic acid is able to hold more water than any other natural substance — up to 1,000 times its weight in water! This is why using products with either hyaluronic acid — like Hers Tidal Wave Moisturizer — can help to improve skin hydration.
Plus, hyaluronic acid also gives your skin a more plump appearance because the extra moisture is extra volume, which effectively fills in lines and wrinkles.
Bottom Line: Based on the information we’re given, the Hers Tidal Wave Moisturizer is a hydrating formula that contains squalane and hyaluronic acid.
Hers Anti-Aging Cream
The star ingredient in Hers Anti-Aging Cream is tretinoin, a prescription retinoid (vitamin A derivative) that helps to improve both acne and multiple signs of skin aging. For instance, tretinoin helps to smooth fine lines, improve skin texture, reduce dark spots, and increase skin’s firmness. We’ll give you more details on tretinoin in the Key Ingredients section below.
Bottom Line: An anti-aging cream with prescription tretinoin, a retinoid that treats acne and tackles multiple signs of aging at once.
Hers Prescription Acne Cream
If you’ve tried everything on your stubborn acne, Hers invites you to try their personalized Prescription Acne Cream.
Tailored to treat specific acne needs, this cream is made of a customized blend of up to five powerhouse ingredients: tretinoin, clindamycin, azelaic acid, zinc pyrithione, and niacinamide.
In the Key Ingredients section below, we’ll discuss each of these ingredients in detail so that you’ll know exactly how they’ll affect your skin.
Bottom Line: The customizable Prescription Acne Cream may contain up to five active ingredients, including tretinoin, clindamycin, azelaic acid, zinc pyrithione, and niacinamide.
What Are The Key Ingredients in Hers Skincare Products?
We already discussed a few of the key ingredients in the Hers skincare products, but we wanted to take a closer look at the five active ingredients that are used in the personalized Prescription Acne Cream: tretinoin, clindamycin, azelaic acid, zinc pyrithione, and niacinamide. Let’s get started.
Tretinoin
You’ll find tretinoin in two Hers skincare products: Anti-Aging Cream and Prescription Acne Cream. That’s because tretinoin is a multi-tasking ingredient that can kill two birds with one stone: treat acne and reduce signs of skin aging.
When tretinoin first came to market more than 50 years ago, it was prescribed to treat acne only, not for anti-aging purposes. This was because of its ability to unclog pores, preventing them from becoming clogged with oil, dirt, and debris, which also makes pores appear smaller.
According to a publication in the Journal of International Medical Research, soon after topical tretinoin was made available, elderly patients using it to treat acne noted a general improvement in the quality of their skin.
It was discovered that by increasing cell turnover and increasing collagen production, tretinoin could also provide anti-aging benefits such as smoothing fine lines and wrinkles and reducing visible signs of hyperpigmentation.
Clindamycin
Clindamycin is an antibiotic that helps treat acne due to its bacteriostatic effect (meaning it stops bacteria from reproducing). According to the American Academy of Dermatology, clindamycin is a first-line acne treatment for mild to moderate acne that’s typically combined with benzoyl peroxide and/or a topical retinoid.
Azelaic acid
Azelaic acid is an ingredient that helps with acne and rosacea. It normalizes the shedding of dead skin cells and opens the follicle, resulting in fewer comedones (pimples). Azelaic acid also has been shown to prevent the growth of acne bacteria.
According to a publication in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, both in vitro and in vivo it has an antimicrobial effect on both aerobic and anaerobic (Propionibacterium acnes) microorganisms.
Zinc Pyrithione
Zinc pyrithione may be included in your Hers Acne Cream if you’re struggling with persistent breakouts because this ingredient is known to help control acne and decrease sebum secretion. Although it’s not fully understood how zinc helps with acne, it is thought that salts of this metal decrease inflammation caused by acne. Zinc is also an antibacterial and helps with oil control.
Niacinamide
Niacinamide is the amide form of vitamin B3 (niacin) that provides many benefits to the skin. According to the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, niacinamide can repair the skin barrier and improve skin moisture.
It’s also well known to improve hyperpigmentation and brighten the complexion. According to a publication in the British Journal of Dermatology, niacinamide can reduce hyperpigmentation by inhibiting melanosome transfer from melanocytes to keratinocytes. In simpler terms, this means that melanin (pigment) won’t be transferred to skin cells called keratinocytes. The result is fewer dark spots.
An added bonus is that niacinamide helps to reduce and prevent acne because of its antimicrobial and sebostatic effects, meaning it can help protect against the bacteria that cause acne while also helping to reduce oil production.
How Much Do Hers Skincare Products Cost?
We noticed that the Hers website offers very little about the costs of the products and services. The only information given on the website is that the first visit is free.
According to Healthline, the cost of the visit with a licensed medical professional is $39, and the products offered by Hers range at price from around $10 to over $100.
Also, keep in mind that Hers doesn’t accept medical insurance. This means the products made by Hers and all the services are out-of-pocket costs.
Where to Buy Hers Skincare Products?
Hers skincare products are sold exclusively on the brand’s website (forhers.com).
What is The Hers Return Policy?
Hers offers a money-back guarantee and refunds per the money-back guarantee can only be requested between 60 and 90 days after purchase. Refund requests will not be accepted outside of the refund period. Refunds will be made to the payment method you used to make the original purchase. You may be asked to return any remaining product. Limit one refund per customer per eligible product. Returning customers who sign up through the Hims & Hers platform again are not eligible for a refund.
Is Hers Cruelty Free?
Yes, Hers is cruelty free. All of the Hers non-prescription products are certified by PETA and Leaping Bunny cruelty free.
For Hers Reviews
Unfortunately, the brand doesn’t display For Hers reviews on their website.
Our Verdict
Overall, we think that Hers skincare products contain beneficial ingredients from what we can tell, but we’re disappointed that the brand does have full ingredient lists on their website.
Pros
- Hers skincare ingredients are supported by research
- The online assessment and ordering is convenient
- Easier access to prescription-only acne treatments
- Fast service; your healthcare provider will contact you within 24 hours
- Free shipping
- Hers is cruelty free
Cons
- Brand doesn’t display full ingredient lists; lack of transparency
- You must enroll in a subscription to order Hers skincare products
- You cannot use health insurance to pay for Hers skincare products
- The online assessment will not be as thorough as seeing a dermatologist in person
- Hardly any information on the website about pricing of subscriptions, products, and services
- No For Hers reviews on the brand’s website
References:
Adv Food Nutr Res 2012;65:223-33.
Am Fam Physician. 2017 Jun 1;95(11):740-741.
J Am Acad Dermatol 1987 Dec;17(6):1033-41.
J Int Med Res 1990;18 Suppl 3:18C-25C.
J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2010 Feb; 3(2): 22–41
Br J Dermatol 2002 Jul;147(1):20-31.
