Inflight Beauty Insider: Carrie Gross of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare

Compare Retreats Inflight Beauty Insider Series in collaboration with Net-a-Porter brings you the best tips and tricks of the beauty industry’s best, from makeup experts to skin care specialists so you’ll always look fresh as you jet off into the sunset. Compare Retreats catches up with Carrie Gross, President and CEO of Dr Dennis Gross Skincare, the cruelty-free skincare specialist who developed the renowned Alpha Beta Face Peel. With products that fix everything from wrinkles to acne, we find out how Carrie prevents skin getting dry in the sky. 

What is your failsafe beauty and skincare routine for all of the flights you frequently take around the world?

My long haul routine starts before I leave home. Before I leave the house, I drink two litres of water and a green juice and apply our Hyaluronic Marine Hydrating Molding Mask. It locks in moisture for long-lasting hydration. I don’t wear makeup in-flight. If it is an overnight flight, I apply the Ferulic + Retinol Wrinkle Recovery Overnight Serum on the plane to my face, neck and décolletage.

I always have Moon Juice Dream Dust and Spirit Dust which come in travel-friendly packets that look like tea bags as well as omegas-3s and vitamin C supplements. To prevent dry eyes, I use Refresh Optiv Lubricating Eye Drops which come in little vials (also very travel-friendly). I use a nasal spray to help clean out nasal passages and prevent picking up any travel bugs.

When I land, I love to go to the hotel and take a really hot bath and hydrate. Afterwards, I’ll go on a walk or take a yoga class. I think it is really healthy to stimulate circulation after landing. I avoid going right to sleep.

What are a few tricks and products that keep skin looking and feeling hydrated yet flawless throughout a flight?

Hydrating before, during and after the flight is key. On the plane, I travel with a stash of supplements and skincare to keep me busy. Flights are very drying so it is super important to protect skin from dehydration and trans-epidermal water loss, particularly around your lips and eyes. While in flight, I apply the Hyaluronic Marine Dew It Right Eye Gel and Collagen Lip Cushion multiple times. I also apply our travel-friendly C+ Collagen Perfect Skin Set & Refresh Mist for a mid-flight boost. 

What are your five favourite in-flight travel-sized products under 100ml from your collection?

My favourites are Hyaluronic Marine Dew It Right Eye Gel, Hyaluronic Collagen Lip Cushion, C + Collagen Perfect Skin Set & Refresh Mist, Ferulic + Retinol Wrinkle Recovery Overnight Serum and C + Collagen Deep Cream—I use this as a cream for my face, neck, décolletage and as a hand cream. With limited suitcase space, it’s important to pack multitasking products.

Can you share the story and ethos behind your brand?

One day I got a phone call from my husband, Dr Dennis Gross, and said that he wanted me to come to his office and try something. It was my first Alpha Beta Peel. Afterwards, I sat up and looked in the mirror and was amazed—it was the most effective treatment I’ve ever had. That was the birth of the professional strength Alpha Beta Peel. The peel became wildly popular and it became difficult for me to get an appointment.

One day, I asked Dennis to bring the peel home and that was when I had an epiphany The at-home Alpha Beta Peels were the first product we created together when launching Dr Dennis Gross Skincare, and they are still one of our top sellers. Our brand is based on scientifically proven and tested formulas and we pride ourselves in only using the highest quality, most effective ingredients. Every formulation is unique. Our ultimate goal is to use cutting-edge technology to provide consumers with innovative skincare options that offer immediate visible results. Our products are never tested on animals, and most are vegan.

Can you explain the benefits daily peels and vitamin C have on our skin?

The Alpha Beta Peels and vitamin C have a very important benefit in common: they both build collagen. Our Alpha Beta Peels combat three common signs of aging: uneven skin tone and texture, fine lines and wrinkles and enlarged pores. As I mentioned above, these peels use a cocktail of acids at low concentrations so irritation and downtime are not an issue. Step one is packed with rejuvenating, powerful yet gentle, exfoliating acids, and step two is the neutralizer and delivers anti-aging actives, nourishing skin, keeping it balanced, smooth, and radiant. Vitamin C is one of Dennis’s favourite anti-aging ingredients because of its ability to build collagen and fight free radicals. It’s a perfect ingredient to use right after the Alpha Beta Peel. It also acts as an insurance policy against pollution.

We love Net-a-Porter’s fast and efficient global shipping services. How has this helped you grow your brand and worldwide presence?

Net-a-Porter has allowed us to reach consumers we were never able to previously. Our products show visible improvements after just one use, so we have grown a lot via word-of-mouth and sampling: it’s gotten to the point where word-of-mouth is travelling internationally. We also have gained international consumers via our local sampling programmes. For example, there have been situations where people have been travelling and tried our products. Now thanks to Net-a-Porter, they can purchase them when they go home, wherever that may be. We are pleased to be entering the Asian global market via Net-a-Porter.

How have you seen your consumers’ shopping habits evolve in the past five years and how has Net-a-Porter supported this evolution?

Our consumers’ level of education has increased dramatically in the past five years, which ultimately has affected how they shop. For example, consumers now understand that they need to have two skincare routines: one for morning and one for nighttime. They understand the importance of layering and have become more loyal – sticking with brands that deliver visible results.

Net-a-Porter has supported this evolution by providing product descriptions that are easy to understand but don’t shy away from the science. As consumers become more skincare savvy, they have become more interested in at-home skin care devices. Last year we launching DRx SpectraLite EyeCare Pro, an LED, anti-aging device for the eye area. Our customers were so pleased with the results that they started begging for more innovation in the device category, specifically a full face version of our eye mask.

Dervla Louli

Founder

Dervla Louli is the Founder of wellness travel portal CompareRetreats.com and a Digital Editorial Consultant based in Hong Kong. She was formerly the Digital Editor of Hong Kong Tatler, the Director of Integrated Content at Edipresse Media Asia and the Managing Editor of Sassy Media Group. She has moderated events at The British Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong University and Swire Hotels, and was the youngest panel member invited to speak at the Goldman Sachs' International Luxury Conference in 2013. She is a member of the Global Shaper Community, part of the World Economic Forum and a certified yoga teacher.