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Dermalogica was founded in 1986 in Marina del Rey, California, by skin therapist Jane Wurwand and her husband, Ray Wurwand. The company entered the skin care market through the professional channel, selling products to estheticians without traditional packaging. Its early focus was on professional use, training, and direct work with skin care specialists rather than conventional beauty retail.

In 1989, three years after the company was founded, Dermalogica opened its flagship training center, the International Dermal Institute. The institute was created to teach skin care professionals the company’s methods and product range. Over the following decade, Dermalogica grew at a steady pace, primarily through word-of-mouth and rising demand among estheticians.

In the 2000s, the company entered a new stage of distribution by partnering with major retail chains, including Sephora and Ulta. In 2003, Dermalogica opened concept stores where consumers could access its products and professional treatments under one roof. Around the same period, the brand expanded beyond the United States, entering developing markets such as India, China, and Latin America.

In 2015, private equity firm Castanea Partners acquired a controlling stake in Dermalogica. The investment was linked to the company’s next stage of growth. Dermalogica later kept its base in Carson, California, while the Wurwand family retained a minority stake. Today, its products are available in more than 100 countries through professional and retail channels, with reported annual revenue of over $250 million.