Meet Dr. Ali
Board-certified derm. Honest skincare. Zero gatekeeping.
I'm Dr. Ali Dempsey, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. I started The Amaranthine Collective because I was tired of watching patients waste hundreds of dollars on products that were never going to work for their skin, sold to them by influencers without credentials.
This blog is what I would tell you if you were sitting in my chair. Evidence-based, honest about what does and does not work, and never influenced by sponsorships or product samples.
Welcome in
My Story
How I ended up here, writing about moisturizer.
I've been obsessed with skin for as long as I can remember. The way it reflects everything from sleep and stress to nutrition and hormones. The way the right routine can quietly change how someone shows up in the world. The way the wrong routine can wreck someone for months.
I went to medical school knowing I wanted to be a dermatologist, then spent the next several years training in dermatology in New York City, learning everything I could about acne, aging, pigmentation, sensitive skin, hair loss, and the thousand other things people walk into our clinics with. Every patient encounter taught me something. Every product I tested in my own routine taught me something else.
What I kept noticing was a gap. The advice patients were getting online (from influencers, brand marketing, and TikTok) often had very little to do with what we actually know about skin. It was confidently delivered, beautifully packaged, and frequently wrong. People were paying for that misinformation with their wallets and their skin.
I started The Amaranthine Collective to close that gap. To write the same advice I give patients in clinic, with the same research backing, but in a tone that doesn't feel like a textbook. To recommend products honestly, including the drugstore ones, including the ones that are not exciting but actually work. And to say "this is overhyped" when something is overhyped, even if it would be more profitable not to.
Training & Credentials
- SpecialtyBoard-Certified Dermatology
- Based InNew York City
- MemberAmerican Academy of Dermatology
- FocusMedical & Cosmetic Dermatology
What I Write About Most
- 01Tretinoin and retinoid routines
- 02Sensitive and reactive skin
- 03Drugstore vs luxury comparisons
- 04Barrier repair and skin science
- 05Sunscreen and photoprotection
My Philosophy
The best skincare routine is the one that actually works for your skin, not the one with the best marketing.
I don't accept paid sponsorships in exchange for endorsements. I use affiliate links because they let me keep writing for free, but I only recommend products I have personally used or recommend in clinic. If a $14 drugstore moisturizer is better than a $140 luxury cream for your skin type, I will tell you that, every time.
Beyond Dermatology
A few personal things, since you asked.
The product I personally use every single day
EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46. I have tried every sunscreen in the dermatology world and this is still the one I reach for. Lightweight, zero white cast, plays well with makeup, and the niacinamide is a quiet win for redness.
The most underrated skincare ingredient
Niacinamide. It calms redness, supports the barrier, helps with pigmentation, regulates oil, plays well with literally everything. If I could only keep three ingredients in my routine, it would be retinoid, sunscreen, and niacinamide.
The most overrated skincare ingredient
Hyaluronic acid as a standalone product. It is great inside a moisturizer, but most "HA serums" do not deserve the hype or the price tag. Glycerin in a basic cream does most of the same work for a fraction of the cost.
One piece of skincare advice I wish everyone knew
Less is almost always more. Most skin problems I see in clinic are caused by too many products, not too few. If your skin is misbehaving, the first move is usually to subtract, not add.
Outside of derm, I'm probably
Walking around New York City with an iced coffee, recording an episode of Derm Next Door with my best friend Reem, or browsing a Sephora I do not need to be inside of.
My favorite kind of email to get from a reader
"I tried what you said and my skin actually got better." Nothing makes me happier than someone breaking out of a cycle of expensive, ineffective products and finding a routine that just works.
Get In Touch
Have a question, a pitch, or a booking issue?
The fastest way to reach me is by email. Whether you're a reader with a skincare question, a brand interested in working together, or someone running into trouble booking a consult, drop a note. I read everything that comes in.