Walk into any conversation about skincare in Pakistan and the same names come up: CeraVe, The Ordinary, La Roche-Posay. All excellent brands. All imported. All priced accordingly.
What gets overlooked is that a handful of Pakistani brands are now formulating at a genuinely competitive standard — and one of the most underrated is Dermasation.
Full disclosure: Skin Mart and Dermasation share ownership. We're telling you that upfront because you should weigh this article accordingly. What follows is our honest case for why the brand deserves more attention than it gets, and you're free to judge the formulas on their own merits.
The Problem with Imported-Only Skincare
Imported actives work. The issue is what it costs to get them here. Import duties, shipping, and the risk of counterfeits mean a basic routine built entirely on international brands runs into serious money — and for many people that means skipping steps, buying smaller sizes, or worse, buying fakes from unverified sellers.
Locally formulated skincare solves a real problem, provided the formulation is actually good. That's the part most local brands get wrong, and it's why the category has a reputation problem.
Glycolic Acid Without the Import Markup
Start with the product that best makes the case. Glycolic acid is one of the most researched actives in skincare — an alpha hydroxy acid that exfoliates the surface of the skin, helping with dullness, uneven texture, and the marks left behind after breakouts clear.
Anyone who has checked the glycolic acid price in Pakistan for an imported toning solution knows the problem: the well-known international options sit well above what most people want to spend on a single step in their routine, before you even account for shipping.
Dermasation's DS Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution lands at Rs. 2,000 for a full-size bottle. The 7% concentration is a sensible choice — strong enough to work on texture and tone, mild enough that most people can use it several times a week without the irritation that pushes beginners off acids entirely.
That is the honest argument for the brand. Not that it's cheap, but that the formulation decisions are the ones a thoughtful formulator would make, at a price that doesn't require importing.
Sunscreen: Where the Price Gap Hurts Most
Sunscreen is the step where cost does the most damage, because sunscreen only works when you use enough of it, every day. A bottle you're rationing is a bottle that isn't protecting you.
This is why the sunscreen price in Pakistan matters more than the price of any other product in your routine. Imported mineral sunscreens frequently cost several times what a locally formulated equivalent does, and the predictable result is people applying a thin layer to make it last.
Dermasation's mineral sunscreen range starts at Rs. 1,200 for the SPF 50, with an SPF 70 in the same line. Both use mineral filters, which sit on the skin's surface rather than absorbing — generally the better choice for sensitive or acne-prone skin. At that price, applying a proper amount daily stops being a financial decision.
What Else Is Worth Your Attention
- DS Super Charged 10% Niacinamide Serum — niacinamide at a meaningful concentration for oil control, pore appearance and tone. A direct alternative to the imported serums most people start with.
- DS Skin Renewing Retinol Serum — retinol remains the best-evidenced ingredient for texture and fine lines. Locally formulated retinol at an accessible price is genuinely rare.
- DS Rapid Glow Hyaluronic Serum — a straightforward hydration layer that works under any moisturizer.
- DS Ultra Rich Oil Free Moisturizing Cream — rich texture without the heaviness, suited to skin that needs moisture but not more oil.
Where the Brand Still Has Ground to Cover
Being fair about this: Dermasation doesn't have the decades of clinical testing behind it that CeraVe or La Roche-Posay do, and it isn't stocked in pharmacies internationally. If third-party dermatological validation is what you weight most heavily, the established imports still have the edge.
What Dermasation offers instead is sensible formulation at a price that lets you actually complete a routine. For a lot of people, a full routine of good products beats one excellent product and four gaps.
Try It Alongside What You Already Use
You don't have to choose. Plenty of people run an imported cleanser with a local sunscreen, or an imported retinol with a local niacinamide. Build the routine that fits your skin and your budget.
Dermasation products are available at Skin Mart alongside our full range of imported brands, and you can browse the complete range and read more about the formulations directly at Dermasation.com.
Shop the Dermasation range at Skin Mart — free shipping on orders over Rs. 2,000.