Dr. Sarah Sheu
@sarahsheumd
14KSUBSCRIBERS
2 YRSON YOUTUBE
50PRODUCT REVIEWS
board-certified dermatologist, based in SeattleTOPICS
GrailPeople organizes this creator's product reviews by quote, screenshot, and source video.
Products They Love
“Useful for slugging, lip care, wound care, removing makeup, people with sensitive skin, and people with dry skin…”
“This night cream has no business being under $20…”
“I still like to use the Beauty of Joseon relief sun line…”
“It takes off my makeup and sunscreen really well…”
“My favorite inexpensive face moisturizer, CeraVe Healthy Renew Night Cream…”
Browse All Their Reviews
- “Their lip jelly is my favorite product”3:40–3:44
- “It has a glossy finish”3:43–3:47
- “It leaves my lips really soft and a little bit goes a long way”3:43–3:49
- “It makes my lips look a little bit more dressed up and glossy than boring old Vaseline or the body balm that I mentioned, especially if I put this on over a little bit of lip tint”3:49–3:52
- Source: Dermatologist's Top 10 Skincare Finds Under $10 - Aug 2, 2025
- “It takes off my makeup and sunscreen really well”1:41–1:48
- “I love the price. I've seen it for just a dollar a bar when it's on sale at Costco”2:00–2:06
- “I like how it has lauric acid to help with mild acne”2:06–2:10
- “I like how it's fragrance-free and that it's just a nice mild cleanser”2:09–2:13
- Source: Dermatologist's cold weather skincare routine - Nov 8, 2025
- “I still like the Beauty of Joseon retinal eye serum as my favorite budget retinoid”9:26–9:32
- “The Beauty of Joseon retinal eye serum, which I use as a full face retinoid pretty often, is just $16.99 for 30 mls, which I think is a nice value pick”9:55–10:03
- Source: Dermatologist's summer skincare hits and flops - Aug 9, 2025
- “The Currentbody Series 1 is very similar to my Omnilux, but it's not cheap either at $380”0:06–0:10
- Source: Can This $180 LED Mask Compete With $395 Luxury Masks? - Jan 3, 2026
- “The retail price is $270, but with a discount code, the price comes down to $180”0:46–0:51
- “It has both red and infrared light for rejuvenation and a red and blue light combo for treating acne, too”0:57–1:02
- “This mask is not FDA cleared”
- “Alex at Light Therapy Insiders independently tested the wavelengths and his readings match the company's claims”1:37–1:43
- “The build quality is better than I expected for the price”5:50–5:54
- “It feels solid, not necessarily luxury, though”
- “I like how easy it is to take on and off. It's like wearing glasses”6:02–6:06
- “For me they block the brightness of the LEDs really well. So well that sometimes I couldn't tell if the mask was still on or not without looking at the remote”6:23–6:27
- “This device gets pretty good nasolabial fold coverage which is a weakness of some of the other masks that I've tried”6:31–6:37
- “Unlike my Omnilux, it doesn't leave marks on my face since the mask is hovering over your skin”6:39–6:43
- “I also really appreciated the battery life on this mask. I was comfortably able to fit three or four back-to-back treatments on a charge”6:49–6:55
- “The goggles cover a pretty big area... that includes my entire upper and lower eyelids. A lot of people want rejuvenation treatments on their eyelids, so that's unfortunate”7:08–7:19
- “This mask also doesn't get very good coverage on the sides of my face or along my jawline either”7:28–7:32
- “The eye window is tinted, which I find to be kind of unnecessary... it makes me feel like I'm wearing dark sunglasses during treatment, which makes it annoying for me to do life things like read a book or work on my computer”7:45–7:50
- “It gets a little bit stuffy during treatment because there is no nose hole”8:33–8:39
- Source: Can This $180 LED Mask Compete With $395 Luxury Masks? - Jan 3, 2026
- “Their pimple patches are super thin and they disappear into the skin really nicely”1:36–1:42
- “Because they are so thin, you do need to be a little bit careful when you're peeling them off the packaging or else you'll end up folding the edges”1:42–1:45
- “It's not a dealbreaker, but they're not as invisible when they're doubled up”1:49–1:53
- Source: Dermatologist's Top 10 Skincare Finds Under $10 - Aug 2, 2025
- “The Illumask doesn't exist anymore, which thank god they don't. It had a low upfront cost of $304, but it was only for 30 uses. And after 30 uses, you threw the whole mask away, which sounds incredibly wasteful”2:41–2:50
- Source: Can This $180 LED Mask Compete With $395 Luxury Masks? - Jan 3, 2026
- “This night cream has no business being under $20”7:32–7:42
- “It is one of my go-tos for being easy to buy, meaning that you could just walk into a Target or find it and buy it on Amazon”7:40–7:43
- “It's really inexpensive. I've seen it for as low as $13 on Amazon during Prime Day”7:46–7:51
- “It makes my skin look and feel really moisturized”
- “I think it's even more moisturizing than social media popular moisturizers like Esta's Autoarrier Cream”7:53–7:59
- “If you open up the jar and you take a big whiff of it straight out of the jar or right when you apply it around your nose, it smells like stinky cheese”8:04–8:07
- “If you just wait a couple of seconds, the smell does go away”8:10–8:16
- “It has a really nice consistency, and a little bit goes a long way with this one”8:18–8:22
- Source: Dermatologist's cold weather skincare routine - Nov 8, 2025
- “It's hydrating and it doesn't make my sensitive rosacea prone skin angry”2:31–2:35
- “It's also quick and really convenient to use”2:35–2:40
- “In the summer, this is good enough by itself for normal and oily skin like my forehead, my nose, and the outer parts of my cheeks”2:55–3:03
- “When the weather's colder, I'm going to need more than this, especially on my dry areas”3:05–3:09
- Source: Dermatologist's cold weather skincare routine - Nov 8, 2025
- “I really like the texture and I appreciate that there's no odor and it doesn't feel heavy either”9:17–9:21
- Source: Dermatologist's cold weather skincare routine - Nov 8, 2025
- “My favorite inexpensive face moisturizer, CeraVe Healthy Renew Night Cream”7:08–7:11
- “You can get it for around $15 and a little bit goes a long way with this one”7:13–7:18
- “It does smell like stinky cheese, but it does go away after 5 seconds”7:16–7:22
- Source: Dermatologist Compares Dollar Tree vs High-End Skincare - Jan 24, 2026
- “I had high hopes for this one, but it was one of my biggest disappointments”4:13–4:17
- “This does not feel elegant and this does not make me feel like a princess”4:25–4:31
- “It just kind of sits there on my skin and it doesn't really want to rub in or absorb”4:29–4:35
- “Looking at the ingredients list, I can see why”4:23–4:27
- “You've got petrolatum, mineral oil, and dimethicone. It's waxy”
- “It's just not a dupe”
- “The packaging looks similar, but that's pretty much it”4:54–4:58
- Source: Dermatologist Compares Dollar Tree vs High-End Skincare - Jan 24, 2026
- “La Retro has a blend of different oils, including baobab and marula oils, plus ceramides”4:42–4:47
- “It's not petroleum and mineral oil based”4:47–4:52
- Source: Dermatologist Compares Dollar Tree vs High-End Skincare - Jan 24, 2026
- “I like that there's a published study that was done on this exact product comparing it to the gold standard retinoid for anti-aging, which is prescription tretinoin”5:08–5:15
- “At 4, 8, and 12 weeks, the AlphaRet side was non-inferior to tretinoin at improving fine lines, facial redness, facial discoloration, and skin tone”
- “It was also less irritating than both retinol and tretinoin”
- “Unlike tretinoin which reduced skin hydration, AlphaRet increased skin hydration”
- “I really like this product because I have sensitive skin even though I hate how expensive it is”
- “If I completely ignore prices and I live in La La Land, it is my favorite over-the-counter retinoid”
- “My sensitive skin tolerates it well”
- “I like how the color isn't as scary as the stronger retinal's too”
- “It has a little bit of an odd smell to me though, but that doesn't stick around”4:44–4:49
- Source: Dermatologist: Best Retinoids at Every Price - Mar 14, 2026
Variant: 0.1%
- “I really like the consistency of Avène's retinoids and how moisturizing they are”9:21–9:28
- “I think that this Avène option makes me feel like a princess just as much as the more expensive Skin Better retinoids”9:30–9:36
- “I like how moisturizing this retinoid is all by itself”
- “For their 0.1% retinol cream, it's $68 for 30 mls”9:36–9:43
- “I forgot that in the past I used the lower strength 0.05 version. So, when I started using it again recently at the 0.1% strength, I accidentally overdid it and I peeled for a long time”11:20–11:30
- “But yes, I would repurchase this product”
- Source: Dermatologist's summer skincare hits and flops - Aug 9, 2025
- “This active ingredient has some decent evidence behind it for baiting dark spots”10:09–10:15
- “I've noticed a little bit of a difference, too, since starting to use it”10:15–10:21
- “One thing that I hate about this product line is that it is heavily, heavily scented, and it is not a classy fragrance like a high-end candle or a nice perfume”10:18–10:23
- “It kind of makes me smell like a cheap Barbie doll”10:28–10:35
- “This one I can keep smelling for 20, 30, 40 minutes, and it is a really strong smell”10:39–10:47
- “I still use it because what choice do I have? It works”10:47–10:52
- Source: Dermatologist's cold weather skincare routine - Nov 8, 2025
- “The texture is also a little bit more thick and substantial than a typical serum, which I really like”3:42–3:47
- “I like the texture being heavier and more substantial”
- “It also makes my skin look more glowy and hydrated”
- “I actually ended up liking the serum because it's really hydrating”
- “I find it to be a little bit gimmicky”3:39–3:44
- “I really don't love the packaging”4:06–4:11
- “I wish it were just in an airless pump or a serum dropper”4:31–4:39
- Source: Dermatologist's cold weather skincare routine - Nov 8, 2025
IOPE$43.00
PDRN Caffeine Shot
- “The serum is really hydrating and low irritancy”
- “I like it for those reasons”6:42–6:46
- “It is on the pricier side at $50 for 30 mls or 1 oz”
- “I use this one more often than the Sunbun Editor one that I just mentioned with the syringe since who has time to mess with a syringe in the morning”6:55–7:02
- Source: Dermatologist's cold weather skincare routine - Nov 8, 2025
- “Overall, I prefer the peptide blend in the Ordinary's product, but the Dollar Tree version isn't bad”3:22–3:30
- “The Dollar Tree copper peptide is on the ingredient list, but it's completely clear”
- “The clear color of these products makes me wonder if the concentration is significantly less”4:02–4:07
- “The only one I thought was okay was the peptide serum”
- “This would be a good pick for someone who wants to try peptides, but they can't afford the more expensive stuff right now”7:44–7:50
- Source: Dermatologist Compares Dollar Tree vs High-End Skincare - Jan 24, 2026
- “Overall, I prefer the peptide blend in The Ordinary's product, but the Dollar Tree version isn't bad”3:22–3:30
- “The Ordinary's product is blue”3:33–3:37
- “The 1% concentration of copper peptides in this product naturally gives it a blue color”3:35–3:40
- Source: Dermatologist Compares Dollar Tree vs High-End Skincare - Jan 24, 2026
- “This Dollar Tree product, it feels like straight up water”1:38–1:43
- “My skin doesn't feel any less dry or tight after the initial wet feeling of putting the product on”1:40–1:48
- “Once that goes away, my skin pretty much feels the same as it did before”1:48–1:53
- “I need to layer other moisturizers on top”1:53–1:57
- “I don't think this should be called a dupe for the Drunk Elephant product”1:56–1:59
- “The packaging looks similar, but that's pretty much where the similarities end”1:59–2:03
- “I consider them to be pretty different products”2:03–2:08
- Source: Dermatologist Compares Dollar Tree vs High-End Skincare - Jan 24, 2026
- “The original Drunk Elephant version has more botanical extracts”1:17–1:25
- “I don't think that's necessarily better, but it is a difference”1:24–1:27
- “And also more humectants like sodium hyaluronate, too”1:25–1:32
- Source: Dermatologist Compares Dollar Tree vs High-End Skincare - Jan 24, 2026
- “Their Matrixyl 10% plus HA serum cost just $10.90 for 30 ml and it contains Matrixyl 3000 and a different Matrixyl called Synth 6”11:50–11:59
- Source: Do peptides actually work? Dermatologist reviews the proof - Jan 10, 2026
- “This serum has copper peptides, arurolene, and matrixel”13:28–13:35
- “It also puts a big emphasis on anti-inflammatory and hydration ingredients like nioinamide, ceramides, and biscol”13:32–13:39
- “It's more of an all-in-one peptide plus barrier support and hydration serum”13:42–13:46
- “I don't think that the serum is moisturizing enough to use on its own, even though I really like it”13:44–13:50
- “I always use it with a hydrating toner like Estster Cream Mist and a richer moisturizer on top for dry spots”13:50–13:57
- “Because of the copper peptide content, this serum is naturally dark blue, too. So, I mostly use it at night”14:06–14:10
- Source: Do peptides actually work? Dermatologist reviews the proof - Jan 10, 2026
- “They also have a separate 10% Argireline serum for $9.70”11:59–12:09
- Source: Do peptides actually work? Dermatologist reviews the proof - Jan 10, 2026
- “For a more all-in-one option, their multi-peptide serum has Matrixel 3000, Matrixel Synth 6, Arjirene, and Senique”12:22–12:28
- “It's also reasonably priced at $19.90”12:31–12:35
- Source: Do peptides actually work? Dermatologist reviews the proof - Jan 10, 2026
Medik8$135.00
Crystal Retinal 24
- “I like how they have six stages because having a ladder of strength options helps different people choose a starting point that makes sense to them”2:07–2:11
- “The serum gets more and more creamsicle colored and the price goes up with every jump in strength”2:23–2:28
- “I think this line is nice, but it can be on the pricey side”3:43–3:49
- “Medik8 uses a patent protected stabilization method for their retinal”4:07–4:11
- Source: Dermatologist: Best Retinoids at Every Price - Mar 14, 2026
- “I really like the consistency of Avène's retinoids and how moisturizing they are”9:21–9:28
- “I think that this Avène option makes me feel like a princess just as much as the more expensive Skin Better retinoids”9:30–9:36
- “I like how moisturizing this retinoid is all by itself”
- “But even though it's moisturizing, I still sandwich or open face sandwich all retinoids, including this one, with even more moisturizer”10:34–10:40
- “I forgot that in the past I used the lower strength 0.05 version. So, when I started using it again recently at the 0.1% strength, I accidentally overdid it and I peeled for a long time”11:20–11:30
- “But yes, I would repurchase this product”
- Source: Dermatologist's summer skincare hits and flops - Aug 9, 2025
- “The COSRX 6 peptide booster serum, which also has copper tripeptide 1 on the ingredients list, is clear, too”3:48–4:00
- Source: Dermatologist Compares Dollar Tree vs High-End Skincare - Jan 24, 2026
- “The star ingredient in this serum is something that they call advanced peptide complex”14:36–14:39
- “The hexapeptide is acetal hexapeptide 8. That's arurolene which we've seen in a lot less expensive products already and the deptide is depeptide daminobuteryl benzylomide diacetate which is s”14:45–14:50
- “The main advantage of this serum though is clinical testing”15:12–15:18
- “After 12 weeks of use, treated skin showed a 20% reduction in fine lines”15:31–15:36
- “Whether that's worth $150 for 30 mls, that's your decision”15:58–16:07
- “A 10 to 20% reduction in wrinkle size sounds like a lot, but when people are looking at you in person, not under a microscope, that's not as dramatic as you might think”16:04–16:09
- Source: Do peptides actually work? Dermatologist reviews the proof - Jan 10, 2026
- “It has a nice light serum consistency that doesn't feel sticky”8:48–8:56
- “It's also pretty inexpensive. You get a lot of it, too”8:53–8:58
- “I found it useful to use as a serum for do-it-yourself tablet masks”8:56–9:00
- “Overall, the product was fine, but I didn't find it to be special. I didn't notice any unique hydrating or brightening capabilities”9:03–9:07
- “I'm going to pass on repurchasing this product”
- Source: Dermatologist's summer skincare hits and flops - Aug 9, 2025
- “I really like the airy texture and it has a pretty nice matte finish for oily skin people like me”12:28–12:34
- “It's a nice choice”
- Source: Dermatologist's cold weather skincare routine - Nov 8, 2025
- “I use the original more often in colder months and the Aqua Fresh more when it's warm out”
- Source: Dermatologist's cold weather skincare routine - Nov 8, 2025
- “I still like to use the Beauty of Joseon relief sun line”11:55–11:59
- “I use the original more often in colder months and the Aquaresh more when it's warm out”11:57–12:05
- Source: Dermatologist's cold weather skincare routine - Nov 8, 2025
- “I use La Roche-Posay UV Mune 400 line less often in the fall and winter since that's my pick for strong sun conditions which winter in Seattle you don't really get very much strong sun conditions”12:05–12:10
- Source: Dermatologist's cold weather skincare routine - Nov 8, 2025
- “A fellow dermatologist told me that this is her picky daughter's favorite sunscreen”0:27–0:32
- “It has a lightweight gel texture. It's super easy to spread”0:45–0:49
- “For the first minute or so, it does feel a tiny bit sticky, but once it dries down, it leaves my skin feeling really smooth and moisturized”0:47–0:51
- “It's one of my favorite sunscreens to use on my body because it's really inexpensive”0:55–1:00
- “It's super easy to spread over large surface areas like my arms or back and it has the modern UV filters that are common in Asian and European sunscreens which are more protective than in American sunscreens”0:57–1:04
- “I like it less for my face because the film that it forms is a little bit on the thicker side and I don't really like that feeling”1:19–1:26
- “People who have only used US market sunscreens though, face or body, you're probably going to love this sunscreen even if the film is slightly thicker than other Asian sunscreens because you've been living a deprived life”1:27–1:34
- “For people with inflammatory skin issues like eczema or psoriasis, or if it's been scratched open, if you have dry skin or issues with your skin barrier, then the alcohol content might cause some stinging”2:12–2:20
- “For people who don't struggle with these issues and are looking for a protective, spreadable, inexpensive body sunscreen, this one might be a good fit for you”2:28–2:32
- “Bottom line, I would definitely buy this product again”2:49–2:56
- Source: Dermatologist's summer skincare hits and flops - Aug 9, 2025
- “I found the Round Lab Birch Juice sunscreen to be overall pretty similar to this sunscreen”3:38–3:45
- Source: Dermatologist reviews Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics sunscreen - Aug 30, 2024
- “This sunscreen has no business being under $10”4:06–4:10
- “Not only does it provide excellent UV protection, it's also hydrating and it works as an all-in-one moisturizer/sunscreen for people with dry or normal skin”4:10–4:17
- “This sunscreen is a better fit for people with dry or normal skin and less attractive for people with oilier skin”4:19–4:24
- “It also wouldn't be my first choice during very humid weather because you can get greasy looking pretty fast, but for drier areas, this is a really nice one”4:29–4:32
- Source: Dermatologist's Top 10 Skincare Finds Under $10 - Aug 2, 2025
- “I wasn't expecting the consistency of this product to feel so thin. It basically feels like water based on the pump packaging. I was expecting more of a serum consistency”2:56–3:03
- “I found that it made my skin look hydrated without feeling sticky”4:59–5:05
- “It gives me a nice glow, probably from the lactic acid content, and it layers well with my other moisturizers”5:02–5:08
- “I don't think that it's necessarily the same as SK2's essence for the reasons that I mentioned earlier, but I do think that it's a nice introduction to Galactomyces ferments and it's a nice toner step for a moisturizer routine”5:08–5:14
- “People who are very prone to fungal acne or dandruff this product may not be a great fit for you”6:04–6:12
- “Like a lot of skincare ingredients, while I think there are some benefits to using this product, like the lactic acid and antioxidants providing some smoothing and brightening effects, I think that some of the claims that companies make about galactomyces filtrate need to be better supported by clinical evidence”6:12–6:15
- “Bottom line is that I would buy this product again”6:35–6:39
- Source: Dermatologist's summer skincare hits and flops - Aug 9, 2025
- “This brand is great for lowcost, usually low irritancy, hydrating products, and I think that they are a great value”6:10–6:15
- “I think this basic line from PKY, including this essence toner, is a really good starter line for people who are new to skincare and they want to see what Korean skincare is all about, but they don't want to spend a ton of money to get started”6:15–6:23
- “This essence toner is reliably under $10 without any promotions or sales”6:44–6:52
- Source: Dermatologist's Top 10 Skincare Finds Under $10 - Aug 2, 2025
- “I tried some Mediheal pre-soaked toner pads, which were really popular last year, but I wasn't a fan”7:45–7:52
- “Personally, the specific formulation that I used really irritated my skin”7:52–7:57
- Source: Dermatologist's Top 10 Skincare Finds Under $10 - Aug 2, 2025
- “I like using Vaseline's body balm on my lips even more than the regular Vaseline ointment”2:51–2:57
- “It has a little bit more grip when it melts for my body temperature”2:57–3:00
- “Usually, the petroleum ointment can get a little bit slippery when it starts to get warm and it doesn't stay in place as well as this stuff does”3:00–3:04
- “It's also really easy to travel with”3:06–3:11
- “I tend to get super dry on flights, so I just swipe this on anywhere that feels dry or tight on my face or body during travel”3:09–3:14
- Source: Dermatologist's Top 10 Skincare Finds Under $10 - Aug 2, 2025
- “The Dollar Tree version is really hard to spread unless it's warm”5:55–6:00
- “And nobody has time for that”6:00–6:02
- “I just want to apply it and go”
- “It wants me to save even more money by not letting me use it in the first place”6:01–6:06
- “And it'll last forever since it doesn't transfer well onto my skin”6:06–6:12
- “This was disappointment number one for me because before I tried it, I thought, how hard can it be to make a Vaseline stick? And the answer is it must be hard”6:10–6:16
- Source: Dermatologist Compares Dollar Tree vs High-End Skincare - Jan 24, 2026
- “The list price is $395”
- “I chose an FDA cleared mask to use myself because it requires more transparency”1:20–1:27
- “I get a little stripe on my nose for a few minutes after I take it off”6:47–6:52
- “My daily use mask, which is just useful for rejuvenation”9:44–9:52
- Source: Can This $180 LED Mask Compete With $395 Luxury Masks? - Jan 3, 2026
- “The Currentbody Series 2 eye shields also do a good job at reducing light without covering so much of your eyelids”7:21–7:26
- Source: Can This $180 LED Mask Compete With $395 Luxury Masks? - Jan 3, 2026
- “These are sold by Anua 60 pads for about $4 US”8:16–8:21
- “A million other companies make these and for even less money and I am not partial to any particular brand”8:27–8:31
- Source: Dermatologist's Top 10 Skincare Finds Under $10 - Aug 2, 2025
- “Useful for slugging, lip care, wound care, removing makeup, people with sensitive skin, and people with dry skin”2:33–2:37
- “If I could only buy one non-sunscreen skincare product, I would buy white petroleum ointment”2:44–2:48
- Source: Dermatologist's Top 10 Skincare Finds Under $10 - Aug 2, 2025
Omnilux$395.00
Omnilux Clear
- “You'd have to buy a whole different mask for that, like the Omnilux Clear, for another $395”0:17–0:24
- Source: Can This $180 LED Mask Compete With $395 Luxury Masks? - Jan 3, 2026
- “If you have low-maintenance skin that's not sensitive... and you tolerate prescription retinoids like tretinoin or its stronger cousin tazarotene, I would just stick with those”6:52–6:58
- Source: Dermatologist: Best Retinoids at Every Price - Mar 14, 2026
- “Pimple patches from Korean brands like COSRX and TM are an even better value”1:53–1:58
- Source: Dermatologist's Top 10 Skincare Finds Under $10 - Aug 2, 2025
About
Stanford-trained Korean-American dermatologist practicing in the Seattle area. www.drsarahsheu.com drsarahsheu@gmail.com https://shopmy.us/shop/drsarahsheu Disclaimer: This channel is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment or medical advice. Content provided on this Youtube channel is for entertainment purposes. Please consult directly with your physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical or health-related diagnosis or treatment options. Information on this YouTube channel should not be considered a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional. Views shared are my personal opinion and not the opinion of my employer.