We Tried Almost Everything From Prequel. Here Are the Standouts.
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During a recent brainstorm meeting, I brought up the resurgence of more clinical, doctor-founded skin-care brands, and one name kept coming up:Prequel. Founded by dermatologist Dr. Sam Ellis in 2023, the brand isn’t exactly new, but it seems to have reached a tipping point.Editors love it. Creators on social media love it. And, increasingly, people who have grown weary of buzzy ingredients and luxury price tags seem to love it, too.
Part of the appeal, says Ellis, is that we’ve entered a more practical, education-driven phase of skin care. Consumers are more ingredient-savvy than ever and less interested in prestige prices for fancy packaging and slick marketing.
Our Top Prequel Picks
Prequel is basic but better
The inspiration came from Ellis’s patients. “People who need to use skin care for their dermatologic conditions such aseczemaorrosaceawere somewhat uninspired by the products they were told to use — often from the same few drugstore brands,” she says. “I wanted to create a brand that was ‘basic plus’ — everything that my patients need on a day-to-day basis but special and effective enough that they wanted to use those products again and again.” That philosophy is where the name comes from. Ellis thinks of Prequel as the “first chapter” of someone’s skin-care journey — the foundation that comes before any cosmetic treatments and other enhancements.
But how is it so affordable?
Prequel products typically come in under $25, often in generous sizes with quality ingredients. It comes down to priorities for the brand. “The budget really goes into the formula,” says Ellis. “It’s less about the marketing spend.”
Ellis admits that Prequel’s profit margins are tighter than those of manyluxury brands. “We’re not making as much per product as some of these luxury brands,” says Ellis, who spent years consulting for other skin-care brands. “But when you get a peek behind the curtain, you see that many of these products have really large markups, even if the ingredients themselves may not be as expensive.” As the brand has grown, its ability to buy ingredients and packaging in bulk has also helped keep prices in check.
Partnering with The Center, a Los Angeles–based accelerator, to help bring the vision to life was also key. The Center helped with sourcing, manufacturing, and the operational side of building a brand.
Does it deliver?
The Strategist staff has tried almost everything in the line in the past few years. Here’s what we think are standouts.
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Prequel Gleanser
This cleanser, made with 50 percent glycerin, has been a Strategist pick a number of times. Strategist writer Tembe Denton-Hurst called itthe most hydrating cleanser she’s ever used. “After washing my face, my skin felt like I’d applied a very light moisturizer,” she said. She continued to use it through hormonal-acne flare-ups, dermaplaning accidents, and active ingredients that did more harm than good. “Over time I noticed my skin was generally happier.” The Gleanser has also been named abest bodywash. Because of its large size, it definitely works for the body.
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This is one of my favorite products from the brand. It contains glycerin and polyglutamic acid (PGA), whichDr. Kavita Mariwalla recently told meshe likes even better than hyaluronic acid because it locks in moisture for longer. After using it, my skin feels hydrated and the fine lines around my eyes look less apparent.
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I love a lip gloss with sunscreen. This one looks shiny, feels balmy and hydrating, and doesn’t get that dry, cakey look some lip sunscreens do after wearing for a while. Plus it has a minty taste. This nude shade is my favorite.
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This one made our list of thebest natural sunscreens we’ve written about. Writer Brenley Goertzen tested it for months. “I love how it feels lightweight on my skin and has an airy, soft texture,” she says. “It goes onto my skin smoothly, and its peachy hue offsets the ashy tone of mineral filters, leaving hardly any white cast.” Goertzen found it pilled when layered with other products. I didn’t have that experience when I tested it, so it may require some trial and error to see which skin-care products or makeup it plays nicely with.
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Goertzen also testedthis moisturizerthat contains urea, calling it hydrating and exfoliating and perfect for getting rid of KP (keratosis pilaris)
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It’s called a peel but feels like a milky body serum, and it doesn’t have to be rinsed. It has 15 percent glycolic acid, which is a high level for over-the-counter products, plus phytic, malic, mandelic, and lactic acids; enzymes; and squalane. It left my skin soft and smooth. And, like many other Prequel products, its generous size makes it good for the body, too.
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I recently revealed my love forretinal,an over-the-counter retinoid that is closest to prescription version in terms of efficacy but more tolerable on the skin. This gel has a higher percentage than whatI’ve been using, plus it containsglycerin, cica, and ectoin to hydrate and soothe skin.
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Senior editor Jen Trolio says the hypochlorous-acid spray “is nice because it is a very fine mist.” The spray calms and purifies skin, and is great to pack in agym bag.
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The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
