Dr. Gregory Bays Brown, the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon behind RéVive, shares the history of the brand, the science behind our products and his favorite products and regimens. Discover more in this exclusive Q&A.
Q: While being a successful plastic and reconstructive surgeon, what sparked your interest in the skincare field?
Dr. Brown: My mother was always devoted to skincare and I saw it in my house from a young age. When I started doing plastic surgery, I noticed that not all aesthetic end points could be achieved with surgery alone. Patients would complain to me about their skin being dull and not looking rested. I realized that skincare was so important to achieve optimal results. There are many things you can address with surgery, but surgery can’t bring back the glow of youthful skin. Skincare can help to revitalize the skin and return that dewy glow.
Q: What makes RéVive products different than other luxury brands in the market?
Dr. Brown: RéVive really did come from medicine – it truly happened because of medical treatments I used to heal burn wounds. By applying Epidermal Growth Factor (“EGF”) the wound was able to heal more effectively. I then applied that theory to skincare and aging skin. I think that is one of the things that really sets us apart.
Q: How did you come up with the name RéVive?
Dr. Brown: I am a Francophile! It took me many months to come up with the name. You know, the word RéVive is not a real French word, but it says what it does - it revives the skin - so we “Francophiled” it to become RéVive.
Q: What do you think is the #1 mistake people make in their skincare routine?
Dr. Brown: I think there are several. First of all, the most important thing to combat aging is using a sunscreen every day. And then I think a lot of people, especially well-informed people, overdo and exhaust their skin with too many products or too many aggressive products. So, I think less is more, everything in moderation is very important and not always adhered to.
Q: What would you recommend people do to combat “maskne”?
Dr. Brown: First, the most important thing I can say is to wear your mask! I’ve worn masks for years – up to 10 hours a day and never experienced skin issues. However, I certainly see and hear the concern about skin breakouts due to protective masks. I would recommend some products that could help address blemish prone skin. For example, we have Masque de Glaise which is a clay mask that can help to purify skin, we have Acne Reparatif which is a great product that could be used as a spot treatment or even all over the face if there’s a full outbreak, and use our Foaming Cleanser first to effectively cleanse skin. Those three products together can help combat almost any acne that develops from wearing a mask.
Q: Why is a nighttime skincare routine important?
Dr. Brown: Our circadian rhythm relates to our body’s fluctuation with sleep/wake patterns. It is connected to respective hormonal and physiologic cycles that support the bodies repair and renewal while we sleep. This makes nighttime skincare very important as this is the time our bodies naturally renew and rejuvenate making your skincare work more effectively.
Q: What are your 3 favorite products for a night routine?
Dr. Brown: Moisturizing Renewal Cream and Intensité Les Yeux Eye Cream are two of my top picks, but often forgotten is our whole body! If you think about it, only 5% of our skin is our face but 95% is the rest of our body; it’s our largest organ. To be really healthy we have to have our whole body in tip-top shape. Our Supérieur Body Serum, in a sense, is unique because it helps exfoliate the stratum corneum, which accumulates especially in the winter on the elbows, knees, and back of arms where it is really noticeable and visibly shows the signs of aging. Our serum has two acids: glycolic which acts fairly quickly and is a little more aggressive, and lactic acid which is less aggressive and acts over a longer period of time.
Q: What product in the RéVive line do you think is underrated/a secret weapon?
Dr. Brown: Acne Reparatif is really special because it truly combats acne without benzoyl peroxide. Most acne products do contain benzoyl peroxide which does cure acne but also accelerates aging by creating free radicals. I formulated Acne Reparatif with salicylic acid vs benzoyl peroxide specifically for those struggling with acne who also want to address signs of aging.
Q: If you were to recommend ONE RéVive product, which one would that be?
Dr. Brown: I always tell everybody that if they were to buy just one product it would have to be our first product which is Moisturizing Renewal Cream Nightly Retexturizer. You really do see a difference within 48 to 72 hours and the result is that wonderful dewy glow of youth.
