According to Dr. Howard Murad, "Consumers are very savvy...they want to know that the product is created to the highest standards possible" and the skincare market is taking notice, embracing ever higher numbers of doctor-created skincare brands and products.

According to Lisa Marie Beyer, president of The Benchmarking Company, a market research firm based in Washington, DC, "women are increasingly demanding that their skin care products be dermatologically sound...but for her to keep buying it, it needs to provide results better than non-doctor brands. Otherwise, she won't buy it at any price."

Doctors seem to be taking note. Ever newer, more advanced formulations and ingredients are flooding shelves and stores. Over-the-counter procedures, such as facial peels are a hot item, and according to Sonia Russomanno, senior director of marketing for Kinerase, "other hot trends for 2007 including: peptides, at-home peels and brightening serums."

Complete skincare systems that address not only sun damage, but hyper-pigmentation, pollution, and the loss of vitality, tone and firmness are also hugely popular with consumers. By addressing all of these concerns in one treatment, complete kits, which exfoliate, refine and clarify offer consumers a chance to combat not just one or two concerns, but them all with one treatment.

Also on the cutting-edge of skincare is skin immunity. Dr. Murad remarks, "Addressing the exterior's immunity is the future of the professional skincare industry...As we age, the effectiveness of our immune system decreases. This ultimately leads to both cellular and connective tissue breakdown that translates into fine lines, wrinkles...and loss of elasticity that occurs in aging skin". By addressing this breakdown, immunity-based skincare will further close the gap between over-the-counter skincare and that which is available in the doctor's office, offering consumers even more targeted and effective options for reversing the signs of aging.

Cosmeceuticals also continue to maintain their popularity and effectiveness. Packaged Facts reports, "marketers are developing more and more cosmeceutical products that tap into both physical and emotional well-being and general skincare woes." The trend is expected to continue. "...skin care cosmeceuticals are expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.2% through 2010," Packaged Facts notes.

Skincare that address seasonal changes in skin and the potential for skin damage is also growing in popularity. Designed to transition skin from season to season, or to help undue years of damage done to skin baked in the hot summer sunshine, "Seasonal skincare packs are a great way of introducing your patient to new products and also educating them on how the needs of the skin change during different times of the year", says Francisco Garcia Perez, medical director at Mesoestetic.

With formulations embracing herbal and plant extracts, as well as state-of-the-art ingredients, season skincare is poised to make a big impact on the cosmetics world.

Dr. Murad notes that the biggest trend to hit the wellness industry "is a new way of thinking about the skin, addressing it as the body's largest organ utilizing an inclusive, whole body approach". By embracing all that skincare can offer, as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle which includes safe sun exposure, exercise and a sensible diet, aging skin can be addressed earlier, promising more realistic and lasting results.