Apostrophe was a teledermatology platform that prescribed custom topical formulas for acne, melasma, rosacea, and anti-aging. Hims and Hers acquired the brand in 2021 and shut it down in March 2025. This review covers what Apostrophe offered, how it worked, and where former patients now refill their custom prescriptions.
Apostrophe paired board-certified dermatologists with online consultations. The platform turned skin photos into custom-compounded creams containing tretinoin, hydroquinone, clindamycin, or tranexamic acid. Patients reported clearer skin within three months, melasma fading by about 25 percent, and monthly costs near 70 dollars (about 56 pounds). Hims and Hers absorbed the service to consolidate operations.
This Apostrophe review walks through the product, the pricing, the side effects, the verdict, and the safest replacement options for current patients. Readers will learn what made the formula effective, why it disappeared, and how Eat Proteins guides skin and nutrition decisions for buyers searching for trustworthy alternatives.
What Is Apostrophe?
Apostrophe was a teledermatology subscription that shipped custom prescription topicals for acne, melasma, and aging skin. The platform launched in 2019, sold consultations for 20 dollars (about 16 pounds), and routed photos to a board-certified dermatologist licensed in each patient state.
Hims and Hers acquired Apostrophe in 2021. The parent company kept the brand running for four years. Hims and Hers then shut Apostrophe down in March 2025 to consolidate dermatology under its core label. Patients lost direct access to their custom formulas at that point.
Apostrophe served adults dealing with stubborn acne, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, melasma, rosacea, and early wrinkles. The brand targeted patients who preferred online dermatology over in-person visits. Subscribers received monthly refills of their compounded cream by mail.
Who Was Apostrophe Designed For?
Apostrophe targeted adults with persistent acne or pigment issues who wanted prescription strength formulas without a clinic visit. The brand fit busy professionals, parents, and patients in states with limited dermatology access. Apostrophe required a smartphone, clear photos of the face, and a valid US shipping address.
The service treated melasma, hormonal acne, cystic breakouts, and sun damage. Apostrophe declined patients under 18 and pregnant patients on tretinoin. Board-certified dermatologists screened every case before issuing a prescription.
How Did Apostrophe Work?
Apostrophe collected skin photos through its website, routed them to a state-licensed dermatologist, and shipped a custom topical within 24 hours of approval. Patients paid 20 dollars (about 16 pounds) for the consultation and 70 dollars (about 56 pounds) per month for refills.
The intake form asked about skin type, breakout history, current routine, medications, and goals. Patients then uploaded three photos: front, left, and right. The dermatologist replied through the Apostrophe portal with a treatment plan and a compounded prescription.
The compounded formula combined two to four active ingredients in one cream. Common combinations included tretinoin plus clindamycin for acne or tretinoin plus hydroquinone for melasma. Apostrophe shipped the cream from a partner compounding pharmacy in a sealed pump bottle.
What Did the Apostrophe Consultation Cover?
The consultation covered medical history, current skincare routine, sun exposure, and three high-resolution face photos. Dermatologists reviewed the file within 24 hours and posted a written treatment plan inside the Apostrophe portal. Follow-up messages stayed free for the life of the subscription.
Patients could ask the dermatologist questions about dryness, peeling, sun protection, or pregnancy plans. The provider adjusted the formula strength or added a soothing ingredient if irritation appeared. Apostrophe charged no extra fee for these adjustments.
What Were the Ingredients in Apostrophe Formulas?
Apostrophe formulas combined prescription-strength tretinoin, hydroquinone, clindamycin, niacinamide, azelaic acid, or tranexamic acid in one compounded cream. The dermatologist selected two to four actives based on the patient’s primary concern and skin tolerance.
Acne patients usually received tretinoin between 0.025 percent and 0.1 percent paired with clindamycin or azelaic acid. Melasma patients received tretinoin 0.05 percent plus hydroquinone 4 to 6 percent and tranexamic acid. Anti-aging patients received tretinoin alone or with niacinamide.
Apostrophe also prescribed oral medications for select cases. Spironolactone treated hormonal acne in women. Doxycycline treated inflammatory acne for short courses. Both required a separate prescription and pharmacy pickup, not the direct-to-door cream subscription.
Common Apostrophe Active Ingredients:
- Tretinoin 0.025 to 0.1 percent for acne and wrinkles
- Hydroquinone 4 to 6 percent for melasma and dark spots
- Clindamycin 1 percent for inflammatory acne
- Tranexamic acid 3 percent for pigment
- Azelaic acid 15 percent for rosacea and post-acne marks
- Niacinamide 4 percent for tone and texture
What Are the Benefits of Apostrophe?
Apostrophe delivered prescription dermatology, custom-compounded formulas, and fast 24-hour provider responses for under 100 dollars per month. The brand saved patients the average 250 dollars (about 200 pounds) of an in-person dermatology consult and removed the wait time for appointments.
The subscription model bundled the consult, the formula, the shipping, and unlimited follow-up messages. Patients adjusted their plan without paying extra. Refills arrived on a 60-day schedule, which matched the typical pump bottle supply.
Apostrophe also handled prior authorization paperwork for spironolactone and doxycycline. The platform sent the script to a local pharmacy when patients chose oral treatment. This setup removed clinic phone calls and faxed forms from the patient workflow.
Did Apostrophe Actually Clear Acne?
Yes. Apostrophe cleared acne in most patients within three months of consistent nightly use. Reviewers reported full clearance by month six. The tretinoin and clindamycin combination matched the standard dermatology protocol for inflammatory acne, which clears 70 to 80 percent of cases per published trials.
Patients with cystic acne saw slower results. Apostrophe paired topicals with spironolactone for hormonal cases in women, which improved clearance by month four. Teen patients with acne saw fastest improvement on tretinoin-only formulas.
Did Apostrophe Help With Melasma?
Yes. Apostrophe faded melasma by roughly 25 percent over six months of consistent nightly use. The tretinoin plus hydroquinone plus tranexamic acid stack matched dermatology gold standards. Reviewers compared the result to turning down a contrast slider on the dark patches rather than full removal.
Sun protection drove results as much as the cream. Patients who used SPF 50 daily saw the strongest fade. Patients who skipped sunscreen saw the melasma return within two months of stopping treatment.
What Do Apostrophe Reviews Say?
Apostrophe reviews averaged 4.2 stars across customer testimonials before the 2025 shutdown, with strong scores on formula effectiveness and weaker scores on customer service. Reviewers praised the speed of dermatologist responses. Critics flagged refill delays and billing confusion after the Hims acquisition.
Positive reviews described clearer skin within 12 weeks. Patients with melasma posted before and after photos showing visible fade by month six. Long-term users credited Apostrophe with confidence to leave the house without makeup.
Negative reviews described auto-renewal charges after canceling, slow shipping during peak periods, and short refill cycles that left patients without cream. The Better Business Bureau page logged complaints about customer service response time before the shutdown.
What Did Positive Apostrophe Reviewers Highlight?
Positive reviewers highlighted dermatologist accessibility, formula customization, and noticeable acne and melasma improvement within three months. Patients valued the ability to message a dermatologist directly through the portal without booking a new appointment.
Many testimonials mentioned fading acne scars faster on Apostrophe than on prior over-the-counter retinols. Reviewers also liked the airtight pump bottle, which kept tretinoin stable. The 24-hour treatment plan response time drew consistent praise.
What Did Negative Apostrophe Reviewers Complain About?
Negative reviewers complained about auto-renewal billing, slow refills, and difficulty canceling the subscription through the portal. Some patients reported charges after they had already canceled. Others said the support team took several days to respond to billing tickets.
A few patients flagged formula irritation when starting tretinoin nightly without a ramp-up schedule. The dermatologist usually fixed this on request. The issue often traced back to patients skipping the prescribed every-third-night start.
How Did Apostrophe Compare to Curology and Musely?
Apostrophe compared closely to Curology and Musely on formula custom compounding, but charged 10 to 30 dollars more per month and shipped on a slower 60-day refill cycle. Curology billed 25 to 50 dollars (about 20 to 40 pounds) per month. Musely billed 50 to 90 dollars (about 40 to 72 pounds) per month.
Curology focused on over-the-counter add-ons such as cleansers and moisturizers in its subscription. Musely focused on melasma and anti-aging compounds, including the popular MELA cream. Apostrophe sat between both with broader condition coverage and slightly higher prices.
Apostrophe vs Curology vs Musely:
| Feature | Apostrophe | Curology | Musely |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $70 (about £56) | $25-$50 (about £20-£40) | $50-$90 (about £40-£72) |
| Consult fee | $20 (about £16) | Free trial | $10 (about £8) |
| Refill cycle | 60 days | 30 days | 60 days |
| Primary focus | Acne, melasma, aging | Acne, aging | Melasma, aging |
| Status | Shut down March 2025 | Active | Active |
What Are the Side Effects of Apostrophe?
Apostrophe side effects included initial dryness, mild peeling, transient redness, and short retinization phases lasting two to six weeks. Tretinoin caused most of the irritation. Hydroquinone occasionally caused contact dermatitis at the 6 percent strength.
Patients managed dryness with rich moisturizers and a slower start schedule of every third night. Apostrophe dermatologists adjusted formula strength when peeling continued past six weeks. Sunburn risk rose because tretinoin thinned the stratum corneum.
Rare side effects included ochronosis from long-term hydroquinone use beyond four months and worsening of acne in the first month, called the tretinoin purge. Apostrophe capped hydroquinone treatment at three months for this reason.
Common Side Effects to Watch For:
- Dryness around the mouth and forehead
- Peeling during weeks one through four
- Redness or stinging on application
- Initial acne purge in the first month
- Heightened sun sensitivity
Who Should Have Avoided Apostrophe?
Apostrophe was not safe for pregnant or breastfeeding patients, patients with severe rosacea, or patients with active eczema flares. Tretinoin carried a category C pregnancy warning. Hydroquinone carried separate pregnancy warnings.
Patients on isotretinoin (Accutane) could not use Apostrophe topicals at the same time because of combined dryness. Patients with melanoma history or active skin cancer required in-person dermatology rather than telehealth screening.
Patients under 18 could not enroll. Apostrophe required a valid US address and government ID for prescription verification. International patients had no shipping option.
Is Apostrophe FDA Approved and Legitimate?
Yes. Apostrophe was a legitimate FDA-compliant teledermatology service that prescribed FDA-approved active ingredients through state-licensed board-certified dermatologists. The compounded creams came from accredited pharmacies registered under section 503A of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Hims and Hers, a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange, owned Apostrophe from 2021 until the 2025 shutdown. The brand operated under standard telehealth rules and required state-by-state provider licensing.
The shutdown did not signal any safety or regulatory issue. Hims and Hers framed the decision as portfolio consolidation. The company kept Hers skincare, which now handles many of the same prescriptions under one umbrella.
How Much Did Apostrophe Cost?
Apostrophe charged 20 dollars (about 16 pounds) for the initial consultation and 70 dollars (about 56 pounds) per month for the custom topical subscription. Shipping was free. Refill cycles ran every 60 days, which dropped the daily cost to about 1.17 dollars (about 0.94 pounds).
Tretinoin-only formulas sold for 55 dollars (about 44 pounds) per month. Multi-ingredient formulas with hydroquinone and tranexamic acid sold at the 70-dollar tier. Oral spironolactone added 15 to 30 dollars (about 12 to 24 pounds) per month through a local pharmacy.
Patients used GoodRx discounts for the oral prescriptions. The compounded creams could not run through standard insurance because compounding pharmacies usually sit outside formulary coverage. Apostrophe offered no HSA or FSA reimbursement portal.
Was Apostrophe Worth the Price?
Yes. Apostrophe was worth the price for patients who valued speed, customization, and direct dermatologist messaging over the lower 25-dollar Curology subscription. The price gap reflected broader condition coverage and faster provider response.
Patients who only needed tretinoin saved money with a local generic prescription through GoodRx, where the same medication ran 18 dollars (about 14 pounds) at Rite Aid. Apostrophe value showed strongest for multi-ingredient melasma and rosacea formulas.
Where Can You Still Buy Apostrophe?
Apostrophe cannot be purchased anywhere because Hims and Hers shut the brand down in March 2025. Former patients now refill custom formulas through Miiskin, MDacne, Curology, or Hers, which all offer board-certified dermatologist consults and similar compounded prescriptions.
Miiskin connects patients with independent dermatologists who write prescriptions for compounded skincare. The patient picks up the medication at a third-party pharmacy. MDacne sells over-the-counter and prescription products together in one subscription, similar to the old Apostrophe model.
Hers, the sister brand inside the Hims and Hers portfolio, kept several of the Apostrophe protocols active. Former patients can transfer their treatment history to Hers and continue similar prescriptions through the same parent company.
How Do You Replace Your Apostrophe Formula?
Patients replace an Apostrophe formula by booking an online consult with Miiskin, MDacne, Curology, or Hers and submitting their previous prescription details. The new dermatologist reviews the old formula and writes a comparable or improved version within 24 to 72 hours.
Steps to Replace Your Apostrophe Formula:
- Download or screenshot your Apostrophe prescription history before access closes
- Choose a replacement platform such as Miiskin, MDacne, Curology, or Hers
- Complete the new online consult and upload current skin photos
- Share your previous Apostrophe formula and ingredients with the new provider
- Receive the new compounded prescription and set up monthly refills
Should You Try Eat Proteins?
You spent years searching for a skincare partner that combined dermatology expertise with simple monthly delivery. Apostrophe gave you that mix. The shutdown left a gap. Your skin progress should not stop because one brand closed.
Our team at Eat Proteins helps you connect the dots between nutrition, gut health, and skin clarity. Our coaches review your daily protein intake, hormone signals, and inflammation markers that drive acne and melasma. Our experts pair that insight with smart product recommendations.
Take the next step today. Your clearer skin plan starts when you stop guessing and start working with our team at Eat Proteins. Subscribe below and get the playbook our coaches use with every client.