Online personalised prescription skincare has transformed how people in the UK treat acne, hyperpigmentation and ageing. Instead of guessing between off-the-shelf products or booking an in-person clinic visit, you complete an online assessment from home. A clinician then designs a formula for your skin and has it delivered to your door. Dermatica and Skin + Me are the two best-known subscription services of this kind in the UK. They share a similar model but differ in ways that matter. In this post we compare them head to head. We also show how they line up against City Skin Clinic, our doctor-led service for people who want or need a more bespoke approach.
How Does Personalised Prescription Skincare Work?
Personalised skincare services prescribe active ingredients you can’t normally buy over the counter, then compound them into a single formula made for you. The workhorse of most formulas is a prescription retinoid, usually tretinoin. Tretinoin is a vitamin A derivative. It speeds up skin cell turnover, unblocks pores, stimulates collagen and reduces excess pigment, which makes it a useful treatment for both acne and photoageing. It also comes in a wide range of strengths, typically from 0.01% up to 0.1%. For hyperpigmentation and melasma, formulas often combine tretinoin with other actives such as hydroquinone, azelaic acid, tranexamic acid and niacinamide. For acne, a retinoid might be combined with azelaic acid, an antibiotic such as clindamycin or a hormonal treatment such as spironolactone.
Because personalised skincare may contain prescription-only medicines, it requires a clinician to review your skin and decide if they are safe and appropriate for you. Topical retinoids and hydroquinone are not suitable for everyone. For example, you must avoid them during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This is one of the many reasons the assessment matters. Any service that skips the medical review is both unsafe and illegal. Visible results usually take weeks to months rather than days. Active skincare also commonly causes some dryness, irritation or a temporary flare in the first few weeks. This usually settles with time and the right aftercare advice. The strength and combination then need adjusting over time. So good aftercare and the ability to fine-tune each new formula matter hugely.
With that in mind, below is how the main online personalised skincare services compare. The descriptions and prices below come from each service’s own information at the time of writing. These things change, so check the current details before you decide.
Dermatica
Dermatica is one of the largest personalised skincare services in the UK. You complete an online assessment and submit photos. A clinical team then reviews your case before prescribing a bespoke formula, which they compound and post to you. According to Dermatica, that team includes dermatologists, GPs and pharmacists alongside formulation scientists. Formulas may contain tretinoin, adapalene, azelaic acid, niacinamide, hydroquinone or tranexamic acid depending on your concern. The standard price is £24.99 for each order through an automatic subscription every four weeks. New customers can usually get a cheaper first month, recently as low as £2.90 (plus shipping), though the offer can change over time. Dermatica also sells standalone over-the-counter products. Care sits with a clinical team rather than one named doctor, and the formula runs on an ongoing subscription. You can send questions or request help through their online platform.
Skin + Me
Skin + Me follows a very similar subscription model. After a free online assessment and makeup-free photos, a prescriber from their clinical team designs a once-daily personalised formula. It might combine tretinoin with ingredients like azelaic acid, niacinamide or hydroquinone. It comes in the Daily Doser, which dispenses a measured pea-sized amount each day. Like Dermatica, it runs on a monthly subscription. The standard price is £29.99 a month, which includes the device and ongoing consultations. New customers can usually get a cheaper first month too, recently around £4.99 (plus shipping), though this changes from time to time. Skin + Me also provides aftercare through a clinical team who you can contact through the platform. It also sells over-the-counter skincare products to help you build out the rest of your routine.
City Skin Clinic
City Skin Clinic works differently. Instead of a rotating team, you work with the same GMC-registered doctor who designs your treatment and stays with you throughout your journey. So the doctor who designs your first treatment is also the one who provides aftercare and adjusts your protocol. This means your treatment evolves with someone who already knows your history. You can also choose a video consultation or a form for your initial consultation. This is useful for people who want to talk through a trickier concern in real time.
Your formula is built around your skin rather than a set menu. For one person that might be a single active like tretinoin, hydroquinone or spironolactone on its own. For stubborn or complex skin it might be several actives combined in a single formula or two formulas. That formula can be made up as a cream or a gel to suit your skin type. You can also tell your doctor your preferences, which they will take into account as much as possible. A standard plan is a single treatment used once a day, whilst a more advanced plan uses two treatments twice a day for more severe cases. The consultation costs £30 and comes off your first treatment. A standard treatment is £90 and an advanced treatment is £150. Delivery is free. Each treatment lasts around 3 months if used on the face as directed.
City Skin Clinic treats acne, hyperpigmentation, melasma and the signs of ageing. It also treats hair loss, beard growth and acne or hyperpigmentation on the body. Your doctor will also help you optimise the rest of your routine, so your cleanser, moisturiser and SPF work with your prescription instead of against it. The appeal is the doctor relationship and thorough customisation. However, as there’s no subscription, you will need to contact your doctor with an update for refills so it’s less of a “set and forget” process.
| Provider | Price (at the time of writing) | Who looks after you | How your formula is built | Consultation | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dermatica | £24.99 a month; discounted first month often available | A clinical team | Once a day treatment personalised from a range of actives | Online form and photos | Lowest price and automatic refills |
| Skin + Me | £29.99 a month; discounted first month often available | A clinical team | Once a day treatment personalised from a range of actives | Online form and photos | Easy application and automatic refills |
| City Skin Clinic | £90 standard treatment or £150 advanced treatment (each lasts about 3 months), no subscription so reorder when needed | One named doctor | Standard once a day or advanced twice daily treatments personalised from a range of actives and gel or cream bases | Online form or a video consultation with your doctor | One-to-one doctor care, video consultation option and a variety of treatments |
Which Service is Right for You?
Dermatica and Skin + Me both run on a monthly subscription, and consultation is through an online form. Your care is with a clinical team rather than one person, and both offer easy access and automatic refills. Both also sell standalone over-the-counter products if you want to build a fuller routine around your prescription. Dermatica is at the moment, the cheaper of the two at £24.99 against £29.99, though both tend to have rolling offers for new patients. Neither commits you to a minimum subscription period, so it’s easy to try one and cancel any time. For mild to moderate acne, hyperpigmentation or the first signs of skin ageing, either one is a reasonable option, especially if you want something low-cost that you set up once and largely leave alone. Both usually offer a cheaper first month, so you can try one before committing to the full price.
City Skin Clinic is a great option if you want a fully bespoke approach with a few more options. A standard treatment costs £90 and lasts around 3 months for most people. There’s also a £30 one-off consultation fee which gets credited to your first treatment. In return you get one named doctor who designs your formula, follows your case and adjusts it at the end of each course. You can have a video consultation instead of a form, which is helpful if you have a complicated history or you simply want to talk things through. Your formula takes into account your needs and preferences. There is no subscription to cancel, so you reorder only when you need to. This matters most for concerns that are persistent or layered, such as stubborn melasma or acne. The same is true for acne and hyperpigmentation on the body rather than the face.
Whichever you choose, ensure that at a minimum a UK-registered clinician assesses your skin properly and tailors any prescription to you. You should be able to reach someone for advice as your skin adjusts. The three platforms we reviewed above are also not your only options. There are other online prescription skincare providers in the UK that offer personalised skincare, off-the-shelf prescription products or even oral medications. Also, online is not the only route. For severe or complex cases, seeing a dermatologist in person may be the better path. So more than anything, the right service for you depends on your concern, how much customisation and continuity of care you need and what you are comfortable spending.
At City Skin Clinic, we offer personalised prescription skincare treatments for acne, hyperpigmentation, melasma, rosacea and skin ageing. Our doctors design each formula using actives like tretinoin, hydroquinone, azelaic acid, niacinamide and tranexamic acid where appropriate, tailored to suit your individual needs. You stay with the same doctor throughout. To start your personalised plan, book a virtual video consultation or use our online consultation form. The journey towards great skin starts here.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified medical provider for any medical concerns or questions you might have.
