The Founder
Dr. Zenovia Gabriel, MD, FAAD
Dr. Zenovia Gabriel, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist, fellowship-trained Mohs micrographic surgeon, and the founder of Dr. Zenovia Skincare. With over 15 years of clinical experience spanning medical dermatology, surgical dermatology, and aesthetic treatments, she has dedicated her career to understanding skin at the deepest level — examining its structure, function, and physiology at the biochemical level to achieve results that go far beyond the surface.
She received her bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley and graduated with Highest Distinction. She earned her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego, and completed her dermatology residency at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where she served as chief resident. She is the founder and head dermatologist of ZENA Medical in Newport Beach, California, where she treats patients ranging from complex skin cancers to persistent adult acne.
Every product in the Dr. Zenovia Skincare line is developed directly from the clinical science she uses to treat patients every day. This is not celebrity skincare. This is not influencer skincare. This is skincare built by a physician who has spent her career studying what actually works — and why.
Why She Created the Line
Most skincare brands start with a marketing idea. Dr. Zenovia Skincare started with a clinical observation.
In her dermatology practice, Dr. Zenovia kept seeing the same pattern: patients whose skin concerns — persistent acne, accelerated aging, sudden sensitivity, unexplained redness — didn't fully respond to standard treatments alone. She realized that even though we can see our skin, the symptoms and reasons we develop skin disease are often due to internal imbalance.
She spent several pivotal years closely examining the connection between hormonal fluctuations and skin health. Her research revealed that internal shifts — stress, hormonal cycles, life stages like puberty, perimenopause and menopause — were directly affecting the skin in ways that topical treatments alone weren't addressing.
That discovery became the foundation of her entire approach: treat skin from the outside using clinical-grade topicals while accounting for what's happening on the inside. She developed her proprietary REG-ulate360 Complex — a proprietary blend of clinical-grade actives including medical-grade Resveratrol, Vitamin E, Green Tea, and Bakuchiol that work synergistically to support skin health — without any systemic effects.
The result is a skincare line built the way she treats patients: address the root cause, not just the symptom.
"Science is the basis of everything I do as a physician and as a formulator of skincare."
— Dr. Zenovia Gabriel, MD
More Than Skincare — A Scientific Standard
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Expertise You Can Trust
As a board-certified dermatologist with over 8 years of rigorous medical training, Dr. Zenovia is a true expert in the biology of the skin — treating everything from skin cancer and autoimmune disorders to acne, aging, and beyond. What truly sets her apart is her unwavering commitment to science.
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Skincare Backed by Research
Early in her career, Dr. Zenovia recognized a major gap in the skincare industry: most products overlooked the root causes of imbalance — like inflammation, bacteria, and excess oil. This inspired her to spend years studying how internal and external stressors impact the skin on a cellular level. Her research led to a breakthrough approach: clinical-grade skincare designed to work with the skin to restore balance, not just mask symptoms. Today, she continues leading clinical trials and advancing the field of medical and aesthetic dermatology.
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Recognition
Named Orange Coast Magazine Top Doctor and Aesthetic Everything Top Dermatologist West. Key opinion leader and Advisory Board member for industry leaders and global skincare companies. Global lecturer for select laser and pharmaceutical companies. Frequently featured as a medical authority in national media. Founder and Head Dermatologist, ZENA Medical — Newport Beach, California.
The "Deeper Than Skin" Philosophy
Dr. Zenovia's approach is built on a simple principle: your skin doesn't exist in isolation. Your skin is the largest organ in the body and the largest immune organ in the body. It responds to everything happening inside your body and outside — stress, hormones, topicals, allergens, infections, inflammation, nutrition, and sleep.
That's why she doesn't formulate products to temporarily mask symptoms. She formulates to address the underlying biology driving your skin concerns.
Clinical-grade ingredients only. All raw materials are sourced with medical-grade botanicals and pure chemicals. For example, the aloe vera sourced for the Aloe Vera Blemish Soothing Moisturizer is high-grade aloe vera without the anthraquinones — toxic metabolites commonly found in many aloe formulations. No filler ingredients. No marketing-driven formulations. Every ingredient earns its place based on research and clinical evidence — the same standard she applies when prescribing to her patients. The skin is an absorptive, bio-active organ like the lungs and gut. What you put on the skin changes the chemistry underneath — and understanding this chemistry is the basis of how to improve your skin, change your complexion, and avoid harm.
Proprietary science you can't get anywhere else. Creating a skincare formulation is more than marketing slogans and fancy packaging. As a dermatologist, Dr. Zenovia's board education in all things skin provides her with a unique edge in knowing how skin biology works and what ingredients actually do to tissue. The REG-ulate360 Complex is her own creation — a proprietary blend of clinical-grade actives including medical-grade Resveratrol, Vitamin E, Green Tea, and Bakuchiol that work synergistically to support skin health. The carefully formulated mixture of actives creates powerful chemical pathways to boost efficacy and allow for redundancy in the system. For example, in the Inflamm-aging Night Repair Treatment she added a triple antioxidant cocktail: resveratrol and green tea polyphenols plus caffeine. Once the resveratrol is consumed through free radical scavenging, the formula leans into the green tea polyphenols to absorb the next phase of cellular stress. The caffeine then backs up the system even further.
Results that go beyond the surface. She doesn't chase trends. Her formulations target acne, aging, redness, barrier damage, and discoloration at their root causes — not just their visible symptoms. The proprietary formulations are carefully created to never be one-ingredient wonders. The human body is a complicated system. The skin must work to defend against invaders like bacteria and viruses while also working against internal aging and inflammatory signals — so no single ingredient can do it all. Thoughtful chemistry is the cornerstone of every Dr. Zenovia formulation.
What Makes Dr. Zenovia Skincare Different
Dr. Zenovia Skincare is not white-labeled. It's not manufactured by a third party and stamped with a celebrity name. Every formula is developed by Dr. Zenovia herself, using her clinical research and her understanding of skin biology at the biochemical level.
The formulations are proprietary — meaning the specific combinations, concentrations, and delivery systems were designed by Dr. Zenovia to work together as a clinical system, not as standalone products competing for shelf space.
Every product is cruelty-free and never tested on animals. Gluten-free. Free of parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfates, petroleum mineral oils, propylene glycol, and artificial colors. Packaged in recyclable, biodegradable materials.
"As an evidence-based physician and dermatologist, I lean on where the research is and what's tried and true. I base my information on what is known today. I'm not interested in trends — I'm interested in what the science tells us actually works for your skin. My name is on every bottle, and that means every formula has to meet the standard I'd hold in my own practice with real patients."
— Dr. Zenovia Gabriel, MD, FAAD
Board-Certified Dermatologist and Mohs Surgeon
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Zenovia a real doctor?
Yes. Dr. Zenovia Gabriel is a board-certified dermatologist (FAAD) and fellowship-trained Mohs micrographic surgeon. She earned her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego, and completed her dermatology residency at the University of Southern California where she served as chief resident. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology (FAAD). She actively practices at ZENA Medical in Newport Beach, California.
Does Dr. Zenovia formulate the products herself?
Yes. Unlike many celebrity or influencer skincare brands, Dr. Zenovia personally develops every formula. The formulations are proprietary — they are not white-labeled or manufactured generically by a third party. Every ingredient, concentration, and delivery system is designed by Dr. Zenovia based on clinical research.
What is the REG-ulate360 Complex?
The REG-ulate360 Complex is Dr. Zenovia's proprietary technology found in every product. It is a proprietary blend of clinical-grade actives including medical-grade Resveratrol, Vitamin E, Green Tea, and Bakuchiol that work synergistically to support skin health. It is the result of her years of research into the connection between internal balance and skin health.
Where did Dr. Zenovia go to medical school?
Dr. Zenovia earned her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). She completed her dermatology residency at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, where she served as chief resident.
What is Mohs surgery?
Mohs micrographic surgery is a precise surgical technique used to surgically remove skin cancer. The surgeon removes thin layers of cancer-containing skin and examines each layer under a microscope during the procedure, ensuring all cancer cells are removed while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible. Dr. Zenovia is fellowship-trained in this technique and performs Mohs surgery at her practice.
Is Dr. Zenovia Skincare sold at Sephora?
Dr. Zenovia Skincare has been available at Sephora. For the most current availability, visit drzenovia.com for the full product line and authorized retailer information.
