A Complete Guide to Dr. Diamond’s Metacine Skin Care Line

Some brands chase TikTok virality, and others don’t even have to. Dr. Diamond’s Metacine is proof. The luxury, highly curated, actives-led skin care brand founded by double-board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jason B. Diamond only launched three years ago and has amassed a loyal, cult-like following in the process. The premium packaging alone is worth some shelf space, but in a highly crowded skin care market, looks aren’t enough. After several swipes, rolls, and pats over several weeks of testing, it took no time to see why the formulas, built around Dr. Diamond’s in-office procedures and treatment philosophy as a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, rather than traditional skin care categories, increasingly convert new believers.

One of the first differentiators of Dr. Diamond’s products is that they focus on the treatment layers of a routine. So you won’t find any cleansers or toners in the streamlined six-product mix.

Ahead is a breakdown of each product and how they worked on my combination, dry-leaning skin.

InstaFacial® Plasma

When introducing a new ingredient or product to your routine, it’s best to start slow. Knowing that these were potent actives, that’s precisely what I did. After cleansing, I applied the Plasma. The formula is laced with platelet-rich plasma to help stimulate my skin’s own cellular turnover process. There are also five different kinds of bioengineered growth factors to ramp up even more collagen production, along with elastin and the hyaluronic acid my body naturally produces to keep my skin moisturized. Copper tripeptide 1, a peptide naturally found in human plasma, is also in there to help diminish hyperpigmentation (one of my skin’s biggest pain points). Topping off the formula is sodium hyaluronate for deeper and more immediately visible skin hydration and a Botox-like peptide that helps relax overly expressive facial muscles.

Plasma has a very light, almost watery consistency that soaked right into my skin and didn’t leave any stickiness or film behind. The quick absorption made it easy for me to go right in with the Infusion.

InstaFacial® Infusion

Next, I applied a light layer of the Infusion, which pumps out into a milk serum. To me, this is the most versatile of the products. Formulated with a biomimetic microcollagen matrix, cell signaling peptides, red macroalgae, and proteoglycans—both of which are rich in antioxidants—and moisturizing sodium hyaluronate, this is the layer that’s doing the deep restructuring over time to transform the skin.

InstaFacial® Emulsion

The Emulsion is so cushiony and lovely. Two pumps were enough to cover my full face, and like the others, it’s lightweight and absorbs very easily. The texture feels similar to a water gel moisturizer, except there’s some slip to it that helps it glide so easily onto my skin. The key ingredients here are hydroxypinacolone retinoate, a resurfacing retinoid that gently works on roughly textured skin and enlarged pores without irritation. Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) is identical to what we have naturally in human skin to boost collagen and cell communication. A peptide that mimics retinoic acid also works on collagen production, as do brightening niacinamide and moisturizing hyaluronic acid.

My skin, while combination, has some sensitive spots, and this didn’t cause any tingling or dry patches even after a few uses.

HYDR/O

HYDR/O was the easiest to weave into my regimen. Even if you’re not specifically looking to treat specific skin concerns like fine lines and wrinkles or use this entire collection, there are a lot of benefits to be had in the one product. Diamond says, “Particularly during the colder months or any time the skin feels especially dry, depleted, or compromised. I think of it as that extra layer of comfort and moisture when your skin needs a big hug of hydration.” It’s non-greasy and has a proprietary and patent-pending blend of 27 biomimetic micro-molecules that is pretty much a combination of ingredients mixed together to moisturize and restore compromised skin barriers. There are also seven different weights of hyaluronic acid for moisture replenishment at different levels of the skin, humectants to absorb moisture, and fatty acids to keep skin from unnecessarily losing moisture.

EyeLift

Two things I really love about EyeLift: the size and the cooling roller ball. So many eye creams I’ve tried are in tiny tubes. Sure, it’s a smaller area to treat, but with this one, I didn’t feel like I needed to be precious about how much I rolled on. Secondly, the treatment is lightweight, just like the other products. It has just the right consistency that wasn’t super thick like other eye treatments that also require a lot of rubbing to blend it in; and it’s not sticky, so my eye area didn’t feel uncomfortably tight after it absorbed.

LipLift

The newest of the Dr. Diamond’s Metacine batch is LipLift. The texture is hard to put your finger on at first swipe, but I’d compare it to a lip oil/serum hybrid. The treatment is packed with a combo of hyaluronic acid and castor oil to moisturize lips, and ceramides and fatty acids to keep thin lip skin from losing moisture. As for the texture, I had to ask Dr. Diamond about going this route instead of a traditionally more viscous format. He says the oily, fluid, serum-like texture of LipLift was very intentional. It was designed to mimic the feel and behavior of the thinnest hyaluronic acid filler Dr. Diamond might use when treating the lips in office: lightweight, fluid, and able to integrate seamlessly rather than simply sitting on the surface. “The formula contains HA spheres that expand as they interact with moisture in the lips, helping to deliver a plumper, more hydrated appearance over time. It also helps support collagen, hyaluronic acid, and adipose tissue synthesis, targeting the supportive fat tissue that naturally diminishes as the lips age,” Diamond says.

LipLift is meant to be treated as an active treatment step rather than a traditional balm or gloss, Diamond also notes. “Its fluid consistency allows it to absorb into the lips, so we recommend applying it after Plasma, giving it time to absorb, and then following with Infusion.”

What’s the best way to layer Dr. Diamond’s Metacine products?

If you’re new to the brand, Dr. Diamond says InstaFacial® Plasma is really the hero product and the best place to begin. “I typically recommend starting with Plasma, Infusion, and Emulsion as the foundation of the routine.” Plasma and Infusion can be used twice daily, while Emulsion is best introduced at night, either every evening or every other evening depending on how well your skin tolerates a retinoid,” says Diamond.

Once you have that core routine established, Diamond suggests adding in EyeLift and LipLift to more specifically support the eye and lip contours, on a more targeted, as-needed basis.

For fans of the full collection, Diamond suggests starting with Plasma, then applying LipLift and EyeLift to give each a moment to absorb. Follow with Infusion, then Emulsion (only at night), and finish with HYDR/O as the final layer of moisture and barrier support. “Not every product necessarily needs to be used at full frequency all at once. Emulsion can be adjusted based on tolerance, while HYDR/O can be added whenever the skin needs extra hydration or comfort. The goal is to build a complete routine that feels effective while still responding to what your skin needs day to day,” Diamond explains.

The final verdict.

All of the formulas are very lightweight and fragrance-free, so it never felt like one was competing with the others. They were luxurious and gentle, and after a few weeks, I noticed changes to my skin. I’m a believer.

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