Alex Brufsky
Founder and editor of DermFND. Builds the ingredient-analysis pipeline that powers every page on this site.
The long version.
Alex Brufsky is the founder and editor of DermFND. He built the ingredient-analysis pipeline behind this database after realizing that meaningful skincare research lives in three disconnected places — published cosmetic-chemistry literature, regulatory ingredient registries, and unstructured product copy — none of which the average shopper can reasonably reconcile at 11pm in front of a CVS aisle.
His background is in software engineering and data systems; he is also the founder of ViewEngine, where he works on structured-data tooling. DermFND is the application of that toolkit to a topic he actually uses every day: figuring out what's in a bottle and whether the evidence supports the claim on the front of it.
DermFND is a research and analysis resource, not medical advice — for the diagnosis or treatment of a skin condition, see a board-certified dermatologist.
How I work.
I don't see the brand first.
Every product I score gets its INCI list paired with its category before I see the brand name. Score the formula on its merits; the brand goes in last.
I pay retail. Every time.
No samples, no PR shipments, no "courtesy" units. The receipts get filed. If a brand offers a sample, I redirect them to the donation form for SkinCancer.org.
I publish the bad scores.
A bad score is still a score. Of the products in this database, the bottom quartile sits under 60/100 — including ones from brands I personally like. The number is what the formula earned.
Clinical claims get a derm.
Anything that crosses from "this molecule does X" into "you should use this if you have Y" is reviewed by a board-certified dermatologist before publication. That review chain is on the methodology page.
I show the work.
Scores link to inputs. Inputs link to ingredient pages. Ingredient pages link to the citations. If a paper is paywalled, our parsing notes go up alongside the abstract.
I change my mind in public.
When new data invalidates an old score, the review gets a revised stamp, an updated date, and a delta block at the top. The old version stays archived — reasoning shifts shouldn't be silent.
What I've written.
Best Acne Spot Treatment
Best Barrier Cream
Best Pimple Patches
Best Serums
Best Moisturizers
Best Treatments
Best Cleansers
Best Toners
Best Exfoliants
Best Retinoids
Get in touch.
Got a correction? A study I missed? A formula you want benchmarked? Email is read by me, not a team inbox.
[email protected]