As someone with incredibly fair skin and a tendency to hold on to redness for a disturbingly long period of time post-breakout, I spent years searching for skincare that would fade post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation—fast. Cut to: Dr. Shereene Idriss’ launch of Dr. Idriss (previously known as PillowTalkDerm), a skincare line primarily focused on creating an even skin tone. My instinct to trust her products implicitly was spot-on. Within just a few weeks of using her Major Fade Solution System, my acne marks that I’d been blasting with lasers and at-home tools finally disappeared.
My experience is indicative of just about every Dr. Idriss customer, which is likely why the brand sells out within seconds of every new drop. But, as of today, brand loyalists will no longer have to race to the checkout cart on the Dr. Idriss website. The entire range is now available exclusively at Sephora.
Dr. Idriss originally launched her line in 2022.
“As a doctor, seeing nearly one hundred patients a week for the last ten-plus years, I noticed that the biggest bang for your buck in order to look refreshed is through achieving an even skin tone," Dr. Idriss exclusively shares with Marie Claire. "This is something that patients could do for themselves by using the right skin care and not having to spend thousands of dollars on laser treatments."
Her line includes a grand total of four products—Major Fade Flash Mask, Major Fade Hyper Serum, Major Fade Active Seal, and The Depuffer—all designed to simplify skincare and provide skin tone-evening results. Don’t just take my word on the brand’s efficacy. It’s hard to deny that the range’s star ingredients are good at their job.
Every product in the Major Fade Solution Set contains alpha arbutin and kojic acid, two ingredients scientifically proven to target hyperpigmentation. “Alpha arbutin does this by inhibiting tyrosinase, an important enzyme in the pigment production pathway,” explains Dr. Robert Finney, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Soho Skin and Hair Restoration. He likens alpha arbutin to a safer version of the popular skin lightening agent hydroquinone, which, while effective, can only be used short term due to potential side effects. “Alpha arbutin does not have the same risk as hydroquinione and thus is great in that it can be used consistently in patients battling distressing hyperpigmentation conditions such as melasma.” Kojic acid, for its part, works very similarly.
The Major Fade Serum was key to fading my stubborn dark spots.
The fourth and most recent item to join the range (and a Marie Claire Skin Award winner) is The Depuffer, a face-roller-meets-serum that is specifically designed to help fade redness and reduce swelling. The star ingredient? Arnica, which you probably know as an ingredient employed to help prevent bruising. “Arnica can also improve circulation, so it can reduce swelling due to vasular congestion,” notes Dr. Finney.
If you want to try out the brand’s products for yourself, scroll ahead to shop the entire range through Sephora.
Meet the Experts
Robert Finney, M.D., a Board-Certified Dermatologist, Fellowship-Trained in Hair Restoration and Aesthetics. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Dr. Finney completed his undergraduate and medical degrees at Pennsylvania State University. He completed his internship and dermatology residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, where he served as chief resident during his final year. Following his residency, he completed an advanced fellowship in aesthetics, hair restoration, and skin surgery with renowned hair surgeon Dr. Marc Avram in New York City. Dr. Finney approaches aesthetics holistically, taking into account not only patients' current concerns, but also planning for the future. He takes pride in establishing longitudinal relationships, educating his patients on the 3D-nature of aging, and ultimately ensuring a future of aging gracefully. His goal is to ensure that his patients look refreshed, never “done”. As a hair expert, Dr. Finney continues to push the standard of care, and innovates to create cutting edge, individualized treatment plans. He has been treating his own genetic hair loss since his mid-20s; therefore, he is truly able to view each treatment through the lens of the patient and provider. This is what led him to create his ScalpStim Pro treatments: efficacious, customized treatments for his patients.Dr. Finney has authored several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on hair loss. He frequently lectures both nationally and internationally on the topic, leading him to be sought after by major media outlets to share his expertise re: skin and hair. Dr. Finney takes pride in helping mold the next generation of dermatologists, acting as clinical assistant professor at Mount Sinai - Icahn School of Medicine. When not seeing patients, Dr. Finney loves reading historical non-fiction, and staying active playing ice hockey, hiking or competing on Peloton.
Shereene Idriss, M.D. is a board-certified dermatologist and an expert in facial rejuvenation, as well as minimally invasive body contouring. After graduating magna cum laude from the seven-year Medical Honors Program at The George Washington University, Dr. Idriss completed a research fellowship at Harvard University, and finalized her dermatology training at Tufts Medical Center in Boston before relocating to New York City.
With this philosophy in mind, she has developed and practices a multi-dimensional approach that addresses the major issues associated with aging: volume displacement (i.e. sagging), skin discoloration, loss of inherent elasticity, and textural changes (including wrinkles). She emphasizes understanding the overall needs of her patients and how they feel and perceive themselves inside and out; this allows her to better understand where they are coming from, what they truly want and which procedures will work best for them. She strives to combine a strong doctor-patient connection with her medical expertise, experience with lasers and other energy devices, and artistic skills to achieve the best possible aesthetic results and patient care.
Dr. Idriss is currently a Clinical Instructor in Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and before that she was a Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology at NYU. Dr. Idriss is also a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the Dermatologic Society of Greater New York, and the Women’s Dermatologic Society. She has published several research papers including award-winning publications on the evolution of dermatology in the digital age, which have set the foundation of her #PillowtalkDerm series on YouTube and Instagram
In a world amped up on filters, Dr. Idriss embraces spotlighting her patients’ unique facial features rather than morphing them into someone else.
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