Perricone MD Cold Plasma Sub-D

Celebrity-endorsed beauty products abound, but determining which ones you can trust to deliver what they promise is a far more difficult challenge. Cold Plasma Sub-D skin cream is one such product that claims to address the visible signs of aging along your jawline, chin, and neck.

Dr. Nicholas Perricone is a board-certified dermatologist, founder of Perricone MD, American celebrity doctor known for his self-help books on weight loss and staying youthful. Guthy-Renker, Perricone MD’s parent company, is one of the world’s largest direct marketing companies for beauty, skincare, entertainment and wellness products.

Cold Plasma Sub-D, a flagship product of the brand, will purportedly infuse your skin with a blend of proprietary ingredients through “Plasma Technology” to take years off your face. The idea is that using this cream will result in firmer, more youthful-looking skin, a crisper, more defined appearance along your chin and jawline, and less loose skin around your face and chest.

Can you trust Cold Plasma Sub-D to deliver what it promises? Learn from our analysis whether this skincare solution makes sense for you.

How Does Cold Plasma Sub-D Work?

Cold Plasma Sub-D works as a neck cream with a proprietary “liquid crystal delivery system” to penetrate the skin with key ingredients that restore a youthful appearance.

According to the company’s self-reported consumer-use study, 87% of customers reported an improvement in the firmness of the skin around their neck area after 45 days of regular application.

To use, apply Cold Plasma Sub-D around your chin, jawline, neck, and chest, massaging it into place with circular motions. For best results, the company recommends using it twice daily in the morning and evening.

Analysis of Ingredients

Cold Plasma Sub-D’s complete ingredients list is:

Water, Glycolic Acid, Tyrosine, Dimethyl MEA, Isopropyl Palmitate, Acetyl Carnitine HCl, Arginine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Phosphatidylcholine, Thioctic Acid, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil, Ceteareth-20, Caffeine, Dimethicone, BHT, Saccharomyces Ferment, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytic Acid, Carnosine, Disodium EDTA, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Astaxanthin, Copper Gluconate, Tocotrienols, Sorbic Acid, Fragrance/Parfum, Limonene, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linalool, Alanyl Glutamine

Many of these ingredients act as skin nourishing and restoration agents.

Glycolic Acid, for example, is commonly used for chemical peels. It’s an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that works to loosen dead skin cells off the surface of your skin so that new cells take their place. It’s also used to stimulate collagen and elastin production to ensure that these new skin cells are of high quality.

Likewise, dimethyl MEA (DMAE) is a compound produced by the brain that is also considered beneficial for reducing fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, as well as to improve the overall appearance of aging skin. One small study found that the compound enhanced water content in the skin after eight weeks of regular use.

Others, such as glyceryl stearate, tyrosine, isopropyl palmitate, and acetyl carnitine HCI, act as thickeners, preservatives, and emulsifiers.

A few of these ingredients may have potentially harmful side effects. The ones that caught our attention are:

• PEG-100 Stearate: This moisturizing ingredient is made from natural oils and stearic acid, and the EWG Cosmetic Database indicates that it it’s been linked to a host of health problems, including cancer, reproductive problems, and kidney toxicity. Despite these concerns, the FDA considers PEG-100 stearate to be safe for topical use at concentrations under 25%, and it’s a common ingredient in skincare products.

• Ceteareth-20: As an emollient and emulsifier, ceteareth-20 thickens solutions and helps other ingredients dissolve. Though there’s considered to be little evidence for toxicity, the ethylene oxide content of ceteareth-20 can lead to contamination with 1, 4 dioxane, which is a known carcinogen that can penetrate the skin. For this reason, cereareth-20 shouldn’t be used on damaged skin.

• Phenoxyethanol: Used as a preservation agent in cosmetics and perfumes, phenoxyethanol is a known skin irritant that can cause eczema or severe allergic reactions. If infants accidentally ingest this compound, it can trigger nervous system problems.

• Limonene: As a chemical found in citrus fruit rinds, limonene is a popular additive in food, cosmetics, and cleaning products. Though the FDA classifies this compound as a safe food additive, it’s known to cause skin irritation for some people when applied topically.

• Tocopherol: This antioxidant-rich form of vitamin E is commonly used in skin care products for its ability to combat free radical damages. While there’s an increased risk of prostate cancer associated with taking high doses in supplement form, it shouldn’t cause any problems when used topically.

Key Takeaways

Cold Plasma Sub-D seems to have at least two active ingredients that show clinical evidence of reducing wrinkles, improving your skin cell’s regeneration rate, and helping you look younger.

However, packaged within these ingredients are compounds that have the potential to cause adverse side effects that range from skin irritation to severe organ toxicity.

You will need to assess whether the benefits may be worth the potential risks.

Pricing, Guarantee, and Ways to Buy

Cold Plasma Sub-D isn’t currently available on the Sub-D website as a standalone purchase. Instead, you can purchase this product as part of two kits:

• Face, Eye & Neck System: Includes Cold Plasma Sub-D, High Potency Amine Face Lift, and three bonus items—Face Finishing Moisturizer, High Potency Eye Lift, High Potency Evening Repair ($79.95).

• Face & Neck Firming Duo: Includes both the Cold Plasma Sub-D and the High Potency Amine Face Lift ($49.95).

Shipping for both kits is $5.99.

Note that buying either of these kits will sign you up for an auto-ship program. One month after purchase and every three months after that, you will receive a new supply of Cold Plasma Sub-D.

You will be charged $79.95 plus $3.99 for shipping each month for the Face, Eye & Neck System, which makes the total cost of each new shipment $239.85 plus $11.97 shipping. The Face & Neck Firming Duo costs $49.95 plus $2.99 per month, for a final price of $149.85 plus $8.97 per delivery.

Every Cold Plasma Sub-D purchase includes a 60-day money-back guarantee for the purchase price, minus shipping and handling. There is also no requirement that you stay in this auto-ship program after your first order, and you can cancel your subscription at any time by contacting customer service.

You can purchase Cold Plasma Sub-D on other sites without signing up for a subscription program, including Sephora, Ulta Beauty, and Amazon. On these sites, the product retails for $74–$95 per jar.

Analysis of Customer Reviews

There are customer reviews for Cold Plasma Sub-D on HighYa (1.6/5), Sephora (3.7/5), Ulta Beauty (4.2/5), and Amazon (3.6/5). Here’s a summary of what they say:

Common Compliments:

• Produced real improvements on the skin
• Created tighter looking neck skin over the long term
• Lightweight and non-greasy for easy application

Common Complaints:

• Produced bumps on some user’s necks
• All Perricone creams seem the same, regardless of intended use
• No difference for skin after using the whole jar
• Fishy smell when first applied
• Led to skin irritation after regular use

The Bottom Line

Cold Plasma Sub-D includes a few ingredients that show real potential for delivering skincare benefits like fewer wrinkles, a better dead skin cell turnover rate, and a generally tighter appearance.

However, these benefits come at the cost of a formula filled with questionable ingredients that show evidence of causing skin irritation and potential organ problems over time.

In the same way, the real cost of this product will likely be deceiving for many customers, as all orders on the company website automatically enroll you in a subscription program where you will pay more than three times the price of your initial order for every future delivery.

Customer reviews indicate that many users loved this product, while others didn’t think their skin looked any different after using it. Some even complained of skin irritation.

We advise you to be cautious when purchasing Cold Plasma Sub-D. If you plan to try it, purchase it somewhere other than the company website so that you aren’t inadvertently looked into an auto-ship program until you know whether you like it enough to commit.