Product Review: Dr. Brandt Age Erasers

I recently used 500 of my Sephora Rouge VIB points to get the Dr. Brandt® Age Erasers set, which included four products:

• needles no more™
• needles no more® 3-D filler mask
• dr. brandt PoreDermabrasion™ pore perfecting exfoliator
• dr. brandt® microdermabrasion age-defying exfoliant

Needles No More™ is a wrinkle smoothing cream that is made for use on the forehead, between the brows, and on crow's feet. The website says that it is "a powerful tri-blend of wrinkle smoother that works synergistically in 3 stages to help smooth lines - provides instant & long term, smoothing effect, and visibly improves the look of expression lines."

How to use: After cleansing, apply a small amount to areas of concern (above cheeks, crow's feet, lines on forehead and between brows). Use am and pm.

Ingredients: Water, Perfluorohexane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Perfluoroperhydrophenanthrene, Perfluorodecalin, Butylene Glycol, Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Magnesium Gluconate, C12-16 Alcohols, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Prolinamidoethyl Imidazole, Cetearyl Alcohol, Menthone Glycerin Acetal, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Stearic Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Phytate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Silanediol Salicylate, Adenosine, Tromethamine, Linalool, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-52, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-18, Methylpropanediol, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract.

Price: $89 for 0.5 oz.

My experience: I actually had three sample tubes of this, so I had more than enough to use twice daily for more than two weeks. I applied this to the area between my brows, where I have a vertical line and a horizontal line. I also applied to the lines on my forehead. Immediately after application, I felt a cooling sensation - I knew right away there must be some sort of menthol or peppermint in the product. But I didn't look at the ingredient list because I didn't want to sway my opinion of the product. After about 10 minutes, I looked at my face, but couldn't see any change. I continued to use the product twice daily for over 2 weeks, and still didn't see any change in the lines. However, what I did see is that the skin where I applied the product was becoming dry and flaky - and my makeup looked terrible when I tried to smooth it over those areas. When I checked the ingredient list, I discovered that the product contains both lactic and glycolic acids. They are both down near the bottom of the ingredient list, but my skin doesn't tolerate alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) well at all, so apparently there was enough to upset my skin. The cooling sensation comes from menthone glycerin acetal, which is a derivative of menthol. I wasn't thrilled about that either, because menthol can be irritating, and I don't like to put it on my skin. (Note: I was also exfoliating regularly, but still experienced the flaking.)

Pros: For me, there really weren't any- and I wanted there to be!
Cons: Didn't smooth my wrinkles at all. Contains a menthol derivative that could be irritating to some. Price.


Needles No More® 3-D Filler Mask, according to the website, is a leave-on mask that visually revolumizes and reshapes the appearance of facial contours. It contains hyaluronic acid, peptides, and Adipofill'in™ Complex.

How to use: After cleansing, brush product onto skin, creating an inverted triangle from your chin up to your cheekbones. Gently pat on more product as needed. Use daily.

Ingredients: Water Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Methylsilanol Hydroxyproline Aspartate, Phospholipids, Phenoxyethanol, Silica, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Silanetriol, Trehalose, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Peg-40 Stearate, Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Edta, Diethylhexyl Adipate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Betaine, Propanediol, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Ornithine, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, C10-18 Triglycerides, Glycolic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Lactic Acid, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Glycolipids, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Palmitoyl Decapeptide-21, Decapeptide-22, Oligopeptide-78, Zinc Palmitoyl Nonapeptide-14.


My experience: I guess I was confused about how to use this. I thought it was supposed to be used in the morning, so I applied it after cleansing my face in the a.m. Then I read something about it being a mask that you leave on overnight. Both the Dr. Brandt® site and Sephora say "use daily". So maybe it doesn't matter? Anyway, I used it once daily for 2 weeks on my cheeks, making sure to hit those "marionette" lines that run from my nose to my mouth. As the product absorbed/dried, I could feel my skin tightening. Now whether it was actually my skin tightening or it was just the ingredients (film-formers) making it feel that way, I can't say. Did it look any different? Not really. And the one thing that I noticed at the end of the 2 weeks was that the skin around the lower half of the "marionette" lines actually looked more wrinkled - as if it had lost plumpness and hydration. That was a little upsetting. But looking at the ingredient list, it contains glycolic and lactic acids, and this time, they're higher on the ingredient list (than the regular needles no more™ product), so I'm surprised that it's only that one area that looks bad. My skin is just way too sensitive to AHAs.

Pros: Contains good moisturizing ingredients.
Cons: It's packaged in a jar - as I've mentioned before, peptides degrade once exposed to air and light - better to package in an airless pump. Peptides low on ingredient list. Price.


dr. brandt PoreDermabrasion™ Pore Perfecting Exfoliator is a physical and chemical exfoliator in one. It claims to help refine the appearance of and cleanse pores, as well as help smooth and even skin texture.

How to use: Dampen skin with water. Slowly and gently massage PoreDermabrasion™ onto skin for 1 minute. Leave on for 1-2 minutes to activate deep cleansing. Rinse well, pat dry. Best if used 1-2 times per week.

Ingredients: Water, Alumina, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Methyl Gluceth-20, Lens Esculenta (Lentil) Fruit Extract, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salicylic Acid, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Hydroxide, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Iron Oxide (Ci 77491), Sodium Oxide.

Price: $58 for 2 oz. - I know that sounds pricey, but you only need a pea-sized dot to scrub your entire face - so using it 1-2 times per week, 2 oz. will last quite some time.

My experience: I've used a facial exfoliating scrub with aluminum oxide crystals in the past, and I have to say, they're my favorite type of facial scrub. I feel like they do a good job with very little pressure, and no damage to the skin. I used this scrub about once a week, and I quite liked it. I didn't have any issues with it at all. It does contain a good number of essential oils, which might be problematic for some, but even the peppermint and clove oils didn't seem to bother me. There is salicylic acid in this scrub, and they claim that it helps clear the pores. I have my doubts about that. First, salicylic acid is very sensitive to pH, and it needs to be left on the skin about 30 minutes without putting anything else on to work it's maximum benefits. So I really doubt that salicylic acid near the end of the ingredient list in a scrub has the proper pH. Then you leave in on for a couple of  minutes and rinse it off? It might as well not be in the product. I use a separate salicylic acid product so I wasn't concerned about that, but I wanted to mention it.

Pros: Aluminum oxide crystals are great for exfoliating. Gentle but thorough exfoliation.
Cons: Probably doesn't contain enough salicylic acid to do any chemical exfoliation, plus you rinse it off. Contains peppermint oil, which could be irritating to some. Price.


dr. brandt® Microdermabrasion Age-defying Exfoliant won the 2012 Allure Best of Beauty Award for Best Scrub. It contains aluminum oxide crystals, lactic acid, and smoothing botanicals - the same ingredients used in their medical office for microdermabrasion procedures.

How to use: Dampen skin with water. Slowly and gently massage onto skin for 1-2 minutes avoiding eye area. Rinse well, pat dry. Best if used 1-2 times per week allowing 3 days between applications.

Ingredients: Water, Alumina, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-12 Glyceryl Distearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Fragrance, Menthone Glycerin Acetal, Allantoin, Magnesium Chloride, Magnesium Nitrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Oxide, Butylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Citral, Limonene.

Price: $79 for 2 oz.

My experience: As I mentioned above, scrubs with aluminum oxide crystals are by far my favorite types of scrubs. I've also mentioned that I have issues with AHAs, and this product contains lactic acid pretty high on the list. However - in this instance, I haven't had an issue with the product. The reason for this is that it doesn't stay on my skin long enough for the lactic acid to cause any problems. That may also possibly translate into the lactic acid not staying on your skin long enough to be of any benefit. Most AHAs need to stay on your skin for a period of time in order to be of any benefit. Simply applying them, waiting a minute or two, and then rinsing them off - well, that probably isn't going to do a heckuva lot. But for me - that's great - because that means I can use this product. I liked it. Honestly, I didn't see a difference between this one and the PoreDermabrasion™. They have the same crystals, you apply them the same way, and rinse them off after a minute or two. I'd buy the PoreDermabrasion™ because it's $21 less!

Pros: Aluminum oxide crystals are great for exfoliating. Gentle but thorough exfoliation.
Cons: This is very similar to the PoreDermabrasion™ except it contains lactic acid - I assume it's priced $21 more because of that - the lactic acid isn't on your skin long enough to do anything! Price.

Conclusion: I'm kind of bummed. I wanted to be wowed, and I just wasn't. By the end of the 2 weeks, my face was dry and flaky from the lactic and glycolic acid in the products (and a couple of other Dr. Brandt® products I was also using that I will review separately). I tried giving up a few of them, thinking if I just used one or two, maybe my skin would get used to it. Um, no. I ended up looking older at the end than I did at the beginning. That's not exactly what I had in mind, LOL! So these definitely weren't the products for me - except for the PoreDermabrasion™. I did like the exfoliator. It's just a little more pricey than the Aveda one I use now, so when that one is gone, I will probably switch since I like the PoreDermabrasion™ better. Also, these products are pretty pricey, so for almost $100 each, I really expected more from needles no more™ and needles no more 3-D filler mask.