Depology is a Korean beauty brand, and as Korean beauty has become a trend, the brand has increased in popularity. The company claims to have “years of experience in the fast-paced Korean beauty industry,” and their products are priced at a premium.
But is Depology skincare really better than your average drugstore skincare brand? Does it contain research-backed ingredients proven to have anti-aging effects? Are there any unhealthy additives? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Depology?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in two of Depology’s most popular products (Matrixyl 3000 and Deepcare+ patches) to give our take on whether or not they're likely to be effective, and whether or not they're healthy.
We’ll also feature real customer reviews, and share a popular video suggesting that it's possible to find Depology dupes for a fraction of the price.
Matrixyl 3000 Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Depology Matrixyl 3000 Collagen Serum are shown above.
This product is described as a “collagen-boosting serum,” and is one of Depology’s most popular products.
Matrixyl 3000 is a trademarked peptide blend manufactured by a French skincare brand, and a 2005 clinical trial found that after 12 weeks of use, this ingredient reduced visible wrinkles by over 30%.
Hyaluronic acid is one of the most well-studied anti-aging ingredients.
A clinical trial published in the Dermatology and Therapy journal found that this ingredient improved skin hydration, reduced wrinkles, and improved skin smoothness by 63%.
Aloe vera is an effective natural skin hydrator, as we documented in our Gotucream reviews article.
There are no ingredients in this formulation that we consider to be unhealthy, which is rare for a topical serum.
Overall, we consider Depology Matrixyl 3000 likely to improve skin quality, improve skin hydration and reduce the visible appearance of wrinkles.
A YouTube creator named Leah Kirschinger reviewed Depology Matrixyl 3000 and included before-and-after images:
Deepcare+ Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Depology Deepcare+ eye patches are shown above.
The brand claims that this product can reduce puffiness under the eyes and reduce signs of aging.
Hyaluronic acid, glycerin and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 (part of Matrixyl 3000) are all clinically shown to be effective, as we documented in the previous Ingredient Analysis section.
Sodium hyaluronate is a sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
As we documented in our DRMTLGY reviews article, sodium hyaluronate has a lower molecular weight than hyaluronic acid, which allows it to penetrate deeper into skin. It’s also clinically proven to reduce wrinkles.
Tripeptide-1 and acetyl hexapeptide-8 are topical peptides, and a clinical trial published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found that topical peptides significantly reduce wrinkles.
Adenosine may have skin rejuvenating effects according to a 2022 medical review, due to its ability to naturally stimulate collagen production.
Madecassoside is a phytochemical derived from gotu kola, which is clinically shown to have anti-inflammatory and skin hydrating effects.
There are no ingredients we consider to be unhealthy in this formulation.
Overall, we consider this product very likely to reduce visible signs of skin aging such as wrinkles.
A YouTube creator named Emma Rumble reviewed these patches in a video with before-and-after images:
Is Depology Overpriced?
The only real complaint that consumers seem to have about Depology is the price, since the formulations are very high-quality.
Depology products are formulated like a luxury brand and priced like a luxury brand.
Matrixyl 3000 is actually priced at a reasonable rate in our opinion.
It costs $40 (plus shipping) for 1 ounce, but since it’s a serum, that should last a while. How long it lasts will depend on use, but typically a skincare serum can last at least two months, which equals around $20 per month for a highly effective anti-aging product.
The eye patches are much more expensive.
16 pairs currently costs $116, which equals a cost of $7.25 per use.
This makes Depology eye patches more than 10x more expensive per-use than Depology’s anti-aging serum.
For cost-conscious consumers, we would definitely recommend the serum over the eye patches.
Both products contain effective ingredients, and we haven’t come across any clinical studies suggesting the eye patches would be more effective. Depology’s serum can also be used under the eyes.
Do Depology Dupes Work?
A medical esthetician and beauty influencer named Cassandra Bankson has a YouTube video suggesting that it's possible to hack your way to cheaper, equally effective eye patches:
Our Clean Anti-Aging Picks
Annie Mak Vitamin C Serum is our top anti-aging serum.
It contains hyaluronic acid which was described as a "skin-rejuvenating biomedicine" in a medical review due to its ability to reduce wrinkles and signs of facial aging.
Ritual HyaCera is our top anti-aging skin supplement.
It contains wheat oil extract which is clinically shown to "improve skin damages induced by aging."
Both of the products recommended in this section are entirely free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Depology Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of Depology in our opinion:
Pros:
- Highly effective formulations
- Both products reviewed contained many research-backed ingredients
- Both products reviewed are free of unhealthy additives
- Very positive online customer reviews
- Contains ingredients not found in many other skincare brands
- Beautiful branding
- Easy-to-use website
Cons:
- Skin patches are expensive
- Products don't appear to be clinically tested
