MD Complete by Dr. Brian Zelickson Vericeutics Core Facial Treatment
- Anti-aging
- Moisturizing
- Evens skin tone
- Anti-oxidation
- +2 more
- niacinamide
- Retinoid, derivative of vitamin A
- tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate
- sodium ascorbyl phosphate
- +24 more

Price comparison
Can the product deliver on its promises?
Promise
What does the product description say?WIMJ summary for anti-aging
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains retinol, acetyl glucosamine.
Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
HIGH | |||
LOW
|
Promise
What does the product description say?WIMJ summary for evens skin tone
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: retinol.
In addition, this product contains acetyl glucosamine. This ingredient (ingredients) might help reduce hyperpigmentation, but the effect, if any, is likely to be small.
The following ingredient (ingredients) in this product might be helpful, but there is no evidence to confirm that it actually can help even out the skin tone: stearyl glycyrrhetinate.
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
HIGH | |||
MEDIUM
|
WIMJ summary for moisturizing
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
algae extract, allantoin.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: arginine, butyrospermum parkii butter.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: acetyl glucosamine, panthenol
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
HIGH | |||
HIGH |
WIMJ summary for anti-blemish
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: retinol. This ingredient is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.
The following ingredient (ingredients) in this product might be helpful, but there is no evidence to confirm that it actually works: sodium ascorbyl phosphate
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
MEDIUM
| |||
LOW
|
WIMJ summary for exfoliation
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: retinol.
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
MEDIUM
| |||
LOW
|
WIMJ summary for anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (retinol) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
The following ingredients - sodium ascorbyl phosphate, vaccinium macrocarpon seed oil also can have an antioxidant effect, but there is less evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin.
Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
---|---|---|---|
HIGH | |||
MEDIUM
| |||
MEDIUM
|
How honest is this product?
Promise | Can it deliver? |
---|---|
Anti-aging | |
Moisturizing | |
Evens skin tone | |
Anti-oxidation | |
Exfoliation | |
Anti-blemish |
Potential irritants

Ingredient | Irritancy | Skin Benefit |
---|---|---|
pentylene glycol | ||
caprylic/capric triglyceride | ||
tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate |
Ingredients by volume
Ingredient | Estimated concentration |
---|---|
Plain old water
| 45% - 55% |
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
| 4.6% - 5.7% |
A great moisturising ingredient that softens the skin and reduces water loss from its upper layer. It also can be helpful in protecting skin from free radicals
| 4.1% - 5% |
Show more |
Questions
Skincare resources
Scientific Sources
- Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
- The effect of N-acetyl-glucosamine on stratum corneum desquamation and water content in human skin
- Glucosamine: an ingredient with skin and other benefits
- Genomic expression changes induced by topical N-acetyl glucosamine in skin equivalent cultures in vitro
- Incorporation of D-(^H)glucosamine into normal and psoriatic epidermal glycoconjugates
- Reduction in the appearance of facial hyperpigmentation by topical N-acetyl glucosamine
- Dimethicone as a protective ingredient in topical medications
- Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Dimethicone Copolyol
- Niacinamide - mechanisms of action and its topical use in dermatology
- Gehring, W. (2004). Nicotinic acid/niacinamide and the skin. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 3(2), 88–93. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2130.2004.00115.x
- Skin moisturizing effects of panthenol-based formulations
- Safety Assessment of Panthenol, Pantothenic Acid, and Derivatives as Used in Cosmetics
- Double-blind, half-face study comparing topical vitamin C and vehicle for rejuvenation of photodamage
- Application of tetra-isopalmitoyl ascorbic acid in cosmetic formulations: Stability studies and in vivo efficacy
- Effect of Olive and Sunflower Seed Oil on the Adult Skin Barrier: Implications for Neonatal Skin Care
- Topically Applied Sunflower Seed Oil Prevents Invasive Bacterial Infections in Preterm Infants in Egypt
- Effect of topically applied lipids on surfactant-irritated skin
- Impact of topical oils on the skin barrier: possible implications for neonatal health in developing countries
- Safety Assessment of Citrus-Derived Peel Oils as Used in Cosmetics
- Oxidized citrus oil (R-limonene): A frequent skin sensitizer in Europe
- Air oxidation increases skin irritation from fragrance terpenes
- Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging
- Hyaluronan (Hyaluronic Acid): a natural moisturizer for skin care
- Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety
- Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol)
- A comparative study of the effects of retinol and retinoic acid on histological, molecular, and clinical properties of human skin
- α-(-)-Bisabolol Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Production and Ameliorates Skin Inflammation
- Sodium ascorbyl phosphate shows in vitro and in vivo efficacy in the prevention and treatment of acne vulgaris
- Sodium ascorbyl phosphate in topical microemulsions
- Final report of the safety assessment of L-Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Ascorbate, Magnesium Ascorbate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Ascorbate, and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate as used in cosmetics
- Regulation of collagen synthesis in human dermal fibroblasts by the sodium and magnesium salts of ascorbyl-2-phosphate
- Comparison of clinical efficacies of sodium ascorbyl phosphate, retinol and their combination in acne treatment
- Application of l-ascorbic acid and its derivatives (sodium ascorbyl phosphate and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate) in topical cosmetic formulations: stability studies
- Sodium L-ascorbyl-2-phosphate 5% lotion for the treatment of acne vulgaris: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial
- Vitamin E in dermatology
- Vitamin E and Skin Health
- Allergic contact dermatitis induced by rosemary leaf extract in a cleansing gel
- Safety Assessment of Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)-Derived Ingredients as Used in Cosmetics
- Topical application of Calendula officinalis (L.): Formulation and evaluation of hydrophilic cream with antioxidant activity
- The seamy side of natural medicines: contact sensitization to arnica (Arnica montana L.) and marigold (Calendula officinalis L.)
- Final report on the safety assessment of Calendula officinalis extract and Calendula officinalis
- Contact dermatitis as an adverse reaction to some topically used European herbal medicinal products – part 1: Achillea millefolium–Curcuma longa
- Dermatology News - Commentary: Borage Seed Oil
- Undershirts coated with borage oil alleviate the symptoms of atopic dermatitis in children
- Wound‐healing Properties of the Oils of Vitis vinifera and Vaccinium macrocarpon