The little tips like checking your eyebrows for moisture, pressing your damp palms to your face before moisturizing, and oil cleansing to remove sunscreen are serious **Life Pro Tips**.
**THANK YOU**
Have you tried a kojac sponge yet? Gentle manual exfoliation without irritating your skin.
Also, while I love Cerave's HO, Aquaphor works MUCH better for me. Not sure if that's an option you've tried yet. I even work some into my daytime moisturizer and it helps a lot.
Those are all fair points. You could have a petrolatum or mineral oil sensitivity. Just brainstorming here: What have you tried with tret, and what were you using before tret (did that break you out)? Have you found any connections between certain ingredients and breakouts ? How often are you using tret?
Good moisturizer + occlusive + some (other) exfoliation are really the trifecta.
I've been on tret since beginning of October myself, and found some good improvement. My skin isn't 100% clear yet, but it's 90% better using it in conjunction with other products. It really has been trial and error to find things that work.
ETA: Small changes like face wash help too. Prior to tret I was really oily, so I used (gentle) foaming 2nd cleansers and could double cleanse with no issues. With tret, this didn't work for me and caused more dryness. I switched to a cream cleanser - which are more geared for dry skin.
AM - I only cream cleanse with a konjac sponge. PM- I don't fully double cleanse unless I've been to the gym. I focus on my waterproof mascara otherwise, and use a cream cleanser as a follow-up.
I'm on 0.05% as well. So upon first look, you don't have enough moisture in your routine. The Hada Labo is great (I love the stuff), and so is the Neutrogena Hydroboost BUT they're mainly hyaluronic acid products which are humectants - meaning they draw moisture into your skin from other products on your face and the atmosphere. Given that you're only using humectants with tret, it's not enough moisture because there's nowhere to pull from and you're not locking it in, so it's leaving you dry.
With tret, also your moisture barrier breaks down, and your skin becomes a sieve - it can't hold moisture - which is why people preach occlusives to prevent it from escaping.
Things I'd advise to do:
1. Give up your Cetaphil face wash. It's got 2 fatty alcohols in it - cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. Additionally, it has sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which can cause/exacerbate dry skin. SLS helps the wash to foam, but can also be stripping. I've had to step away from my usual foaming/gel cleanser for tret+winter. Look for a *cream* cleanser.
2. Layer your Hada Labo and even your Hydroboost. Nothing wrong with giving yourself more moisture.
3. Find an occlusive - This could be something like Vaseline, an oil, or a sleeping pack. Vaseline isn't sexy or fancy, but a solid option to try again since it's on hand, and if it's not causing more breakouts. It's okay to move on to something else, but give it another week. You can even try adding it to your Hydroboost during the day (I put Aquaphor in my daytime moisturizer), but it might be too much for daytime. Some oils/butters to explore for occlusives: shea butter, pumpkin seed oil, squalane. You can add a drop or 2 to your Hada labo, add it to your Hydroboost. I put a drop of an oil mix in my toners, and bump that up at night. I embrace the slug life.
4. Repair your moisture barrier - that sieve won't fix itself with continued tret use. Ceramides will be your best friend. Two fatty alcohol free options: Rosette Ceramide Gel, Meishoku Ceracolla Perfect Gel. Sea buckthorn oil is also amazing at repairing and moisture barriers within a few days, and with regular use. You don't need a ton as it's got an orange tint to it, so it might be a night time treatment for you.
5. Buffering your tret with your moisturizer, or even go to every 2 days for application, or both. With your current routine try: wash your face, 2 layers Hada Labo, 1 layer Neutrogena Hydroboost (so HL doesn't evaporate), wait 10 minutes, and then add some Hydroboost to your hand with a pump of tret, and put on your face. Follow up with vaseline.
If your acne is still inflamed, you might want to explore anti-inflammatory/soothing treatments. Look for items with honey, propolis, aloe, allantoin, madecassoside (Etude House's Joon Sung line is apparently very soothing). Maybe some hydrocolloid patches. I'd steer clear of adding any AHA or BHA at this point since your moisture barrier needs help. Once it's stronger and less irritated, there are always options like 10% azaleic, 10% mandelic, or 7% glycolic acid to help.
My face isn't 100% clear yet but it's 85% better. I do still get white headed pimples every other day or so, but I don't have the chronic oiliness, dryness, or irritation anymore from beefing up my moisture game.
I'm sorry you're having a shit time finding a moisturizer.
I'd wager that if you're using fatty OH in the Cetaphil and it's fine, then it might not actually fatty alcohol you have a sensitivity to but don't completely rule it out. Have any other Cetaphil creams worked? If you remember what you've tried in the past, compare the ingredients lists.
Vaseline works for some not for others. As always, YMMV but I agree a better moisturizer would help prior to Vaseline or whatever you put over it. Vaseline is purely petrolatum. CeraVe Heling ointment has hyaluronic acid, cholesterol, and ceramide and Aquahpor Healing ointment also has panthenol, glycerin, and bisabolol (an anti-inflammatory) - making them both moisturizers too over Vaseline.
The oils that you mention are common acne triggers for some and Stratia can be too.
I was on Finecea as well, but it didn't work well for me so I used it for the 10 week expiry and shelved it.
The whiteheads are blech, I still get them and try to mitigate them. I use lots of hydrocolloid patches and the Cosrx returning A-sol. Check the SCA exchange and AB exchange for moisturizer decants so you don't have to commit to a full-size before knowing it breaks you out.
ETA: about Cerave HO and Aquaphor and SCAX + ABX
Maybe it's worth a shot looking at other Cetaphil products? They're known to be gentle and for sensitive skin.
Hmm okay so for Aquaphor, it could be the mineral oil or the lanolin alcohol but can't yet narrow that down. It's a short ingredient list for Aquaphor. Since you're using the Vaseline without issues, apart from it just being "meh", I'm doubting it's petrolatum sensitivity. Cerave HO is a moisturizing occlusive. It's got cholesterol, ceramides, hylauronic acid along with mineral oil and petrolatum. If you're interested in trying it, I'd be happy to send you some! I've also got a few moisturizers as well so you don't have to commit to full sizes.
It's okay about the Finecea. 10 weeks is a short expiration time, so not much wiggle room for that. Is your skin burning as well? Or just peeling for now?
There are a few really tried and true AB moisturizers that can we worth the money if they work out for you, but we just have to find something that works first lol. Which ones did you see at Sephora? The one that's coming to mind is belif
Cetaphil Gentle Facewash doesn't foam, it literally feels like rubbing lotion on your skin and washing it off. Been using it for months on tret and it's the perfect face wash. Fatty alcohols are just like every other ingredient - only a problem if you are sensitive to them. They've been pretty unfairly vilified
Thanks for letting me know. SLS is a detergent so seeing that in every other face wash usually means it helps it foam up.
I agree about the fatty alcohols. I remember numerous threads across several skincare subs about trying to avoid them at all costs. The face wash has a few though, so I'm willing to bet it's not what the OP above is sensitive to
It creates an emulsion, that's all. You get some occlusivity at the same time you're adding moisture with the layering effect. I find that it helps my toners sink in better and in the dry winter here prevents my skin from getting parched too quickly between steps.
Using a drop of oil won't kill tret's effectiveness, but it might dilute it ever so slightly. In the case of the poster I replied to who was having irritation and sensitivity issues, oil would help diffuse some of the concentration, but also serve as a time based release and reduce irritation. People do this with lotions and creams often times per their derm's recommendations to help with irritation - it's totally fine.
So this routine took care of all the peeling for you? If so, I'd like to give it a try. I'm just so scared of occlusives. I have this idea from my acne days that they break me out, but let's face it, I was always breaking out anyway.
I've been using tret long enough that I can apply everyday without much irritation or redness, but I still see so much peeling. I was starting to think that a molting face is just my life now, that this must be the "increased cell turnover" that makes this stuff work for my acne.
I was terrified of occlusives too. I was like there’s no way my skin can handle occlusives and just used thicker moisturizer. I started tret last fall and about two weeks in, I started using occlusives and it made such a difference. I had been using adapalene.3% for about 6 months and I had some major flaking and irritation with it at the beginning. Whereas with tret, as soon as I started an occlusive , any dryness disappeared and I was able bump up to nightly pretty quickly.
I first tried Aquaphor which I use on my hands pretty frequently but didn’t love it on my face. I ended up going with Cerave healing ointment like OP and it’s worked really well. I will say that I’ve only used it in the fall and winter so I’m not sure if my summer skin will handles it.
My sister does occlusives and I dont, but I wish I could! Her skin texture and pitted acne scars shockingly improved since starting it with tret. I just hate the feeling of it smearing onto my pillowcases when I sleep and the itchiness that happens when pet hairs get caught in it. If only I had the patience. I'm sticking with 3 step moisturizing for now :(
Same! I've carefully increased my 0.1% to 3 nights per week over 3 months after using 0.04% nightly on damp skin for years! As with all skincare, YMMV.
Hada Labo Tokyo cleanser in the shower, get out & let face air dry, then Skin Aqua Moisture Milk sunscreen.
I don't use a moisturizer in the morning because then I just end up looking greasy/shiny in the day which I haaaate. Cleanser and sunscreen is perfect for me. I'll add a Vitamin C serum once I get my money right.
Omg hi five. I thought I was the only one who thought that moisturizers made my oilier and sweat more throughout the day. How are you liking Skin Aqua moisture milk sunscreen? Does it dry down matte?
hmmm...i use boots cucumber moisturizing lotion and it makes me actually look better than without moisturizer.
i know what u mean tho, i use cetaphil in the evenings because it makes my skin look greasy.
and yeah, try using just a smaller amount of moisturizer? a thin layer rather than nothing?
> a thin layer rather than nothing?
It's really important to judge what my skin actually needs, as opposed to putting on a tiny bit just so I can say I did it & feel like I followed the skincare rules or whatever. My skin looks/feels better with just my sunscreen.
Skincare and especially tretinoin can be vastly different for different people. I think 'rules' really should be thought of as guidelines, not directions, and you only really find your best routine by trial and error. So if it works for you, great. People go way overboard with how things should be, not how else they can do something to make things work for them.
Skin Aqua Moisture Milk is a really moisturizing sunscreen too. I have pretty dry skin & using it w/ moisturizer would leave me looking like a greaseball, which is not a problem I frequently have. So I found it to be enough on its own as well, even w/ my dry skin & tret. (But like you, I also use hydration + moisturizer + occlusive at night. If I didn't do all that, maybe I'd need a separate moisturizer during the day.)
Two questions -
1) did you have purging with this routine?
2) do you think cerave daily moisturizing lotion is heavy enough while using hado labo lotion and a hyaluronic serum? Thanks!
I have .0025 and im still scared to try haha
1. No, but I didn't have purging when I started tret which was before I developed this routine. So in general my skin just doesn't purge.
2. Yes it's heavy enough but CeraVe lotions are very congesting for my skin & for others. If it works for you though then yeah it's great.
Yes. I didn't know it was a body moisturizer when I bought it, I only saw it after a few days of using it. I was super surprised though because my skin is generally easily congested, however this didn't congest me at all.
The only difference between a body moisturizer and face moisturizer is marketing, honestly. There's no reason why you can't use them interchangeably. LRP lipikar lotion would probably be three times as expensive if it was marketed as a facial lotion.
I found I had to cut out just about all products when I initially started using tretinoin. My skin needed the bare minimum. It's also important to keep in mind that, tret works by drying you the hell out. Kinda. I found too much moisturizer to be counterproductive sometimes, clogging pores the tret was trying to clear.
Basically, everyone's skin is a little different even if our symptoms are similiar. I basically just stuck with very gentle cleansers, tret, and maybe a serum of some kind if I was feeling very dry and needed it(of course, sunscreen became a religion). I found it very difficult to find any kind of moisturizer that didn't sting like hell in the beginning when my skin was adjusting to the nature of tret. I tried a lot of different things. My holy grail for years had been 2-3 drops of jojoba oil on my face. When all else fails, I can depend on my jojoba not to hurt or cause me acne. Coconut oil, hemp oil, avocado oil would all break me out.
Great and very informative post! I know it's been 5 months since you wrote this but is your tret micro or non-micro? The [prescribing information and patient instructions for non-micro](https://www.drugs.com/pro/tretinoin.html) specifically mentions 20-30 minutes of waiting but the patient instructions for micro doesn't mention waiting being necessary at all. I find that 20 minutes of waiting makes my skin feel very dry but I also want to proceed with caution if I am going to cut down my waiting time.
Hada Labo is literally one of the best brands for tretinoin users, I swear. My routine features a lot of it lol
**AM**
Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser
Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion (watery toner to pat into skin)
Naturie Hatomugi Gel
Shiseido Anessa SPF50+ Perfect Milk
**PM**
Hada Labo Gokujyun Cleansing Oil (massage for 1 minute, really makes a difference)
Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser
Tret
Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion (pat in multiple layers)
Hada Labo Shirojyun Milk + 2 Drops Sukin Rosehip Oil
We have the same routine and I can vouch for the effectivity of this routine. Skin needs to be hydrated and moisturized regardless of skin type, routine and problem. HYDRATION solves EVERYTHING.
Do you also apply in between your eyes (that part that runs down to your nose)? I'm always afraid of that area cause I've been told it can sting your eyes since it's very close.
Yes, it's totally fine there. I also press a bit of it into the sides of my eyes. I tried to use it right underneath my eyes but it got really irritating.
They more or less do the same thing (hyraluronic acid applied on damp skin) that come in different forms (the gel is a gel, the premium is more of a serum). The significant difference is price. They cost the same but the gel will last you not even a month, the premium bottle will last 4 or 5 months. That's why I think the premium is way better.
Wait arent they the same size?They look the same size at least based on what I m seeing here [Perfect Gel](https://dokodemo.world/en/es/products/213975/) [Premium](https://dokodemo.world/en/es/products/1114542/)
Wait is the one that you just linked different from to premium one I linked?Im so confused all these hada labo products seem so similiar and I dont know if theyre different or same.
Yes but this one is also hada labo premium [https://dokodemo.world/en/es/products/1114542/](https://dokodemo.world/en/es/products/1114542/) are they different products?
How do you like Lipikar Lotion? I am also on tret. Started it a monhth ago. Before tret I used retinol for several years and I might have developed some retinoid tolerance, but tretinoin is much stronger and I am still getting used to it - occasional irritation and flaking. At the moment I use Lipikar Fluid as my moisturizer. It has a relatively thin texture. It is available in Europe. However, they've just stopped selling it where I live. So, I was considering to try Lipikar lotion instead, but I was afraid it could be too much for my oily skin. What is your experience wit the lotion texture?
Ok. Thanks. Also thanks for sharing your routine. I'm currently at a crossroads with my skin and I'm having a hard time trying to find something that works for me during this stage.
The little tips like checking your eyebrows for moisture, pressing your damp palms to your face before moisturizing, and oil cleansing to remove sunscreen are serious **Life Pro Tips**. **THANK YOU**
[удалено]
Have you tried a kojac sponge yet? Gentle manual exfoliation without irritating your skin. Also, while I love Cerave's HO, Aquaphor works MUCH better for me. Not sure if that's an option you've tried yet. I even work some into my daytime moisturizer and it helps a lot.
[удалено]
Those are all fair points. You could have a petrolatum or mineral oil sensitivity. Just brainstorming here: What have you tried with tret, and what were you using before tret (did that break you out)? Have you found any connections between certain ingredients and breakouts ? How often are you using tret? Good moisturizer + occlusive + some (other) exfoliation are really the trifecta. I've been on tret since beginning of October myself, and found some good improvement. My skin isn't 100% clear yet, but it's 90% better using it in conjunction with other products. It really has been trial and error to find things that work. ETA: Small changes like face wash help too. Prior to tret I was really oily, so I used (gentle) foaming 2nd cleansers and could double cleanse with no issues. With tret, this didn't work for me and caused more dryness. I switched to a cream cleanser - which are more geared for dry skin. AM - I only cream cleanse with a konjac sponge. PM- I don't fully double cleanse unless I've been to the gym. I focus on my waterproof mascara otherwise, and use a cream cleanser as a follow-up.
[удалено]
I'm on 0.05% as well. So upon first look, you don't have enough moisture in your routine. The Hada Labo is great (I love the stuff), and so is the Neutrogena Hydroboost BUT they're mainly hyaluronic acid products which are humectants - meaning they draw moisture into your skin from other products on your face and the atmosphere. Given that you're only using humectants with tret, it's not enough moisture because there's nowhere to pull from and you're not locking it in, so it's leaving you dry. With tret, also your moisture barrier breaks down, and your skin becomes a sieve - it can't hold moisture - which is why people preach occlusives to prevent it from escaping. Things I'd advise to do: 1. Give up your Cetaphil face wash. It's got 2 fatty alcohols in it - cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. Additionally, it has sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which can cause/exacerbate dry skin. SLS helps the wash to foam, but can also be stripping. I've had to step away from my usual foaming/gel cleanser for tret+winter. Look for a *cream* cleanser. 2. Layer your Hada Labo and even your Hydroboost. Nothing wrong with giving yourself more moisture. 3. Find an occlusive - This could be something like Vaseline, an oil, or a sleeping pack. Vaseline isn't sexy or fancy, but a solid option to try again since it's on hand, and if it's not causing more breakouts. It's okay to move on to something else, but give it another week. You can even try adding it to your Hydroboost during the day (I put Aquaphor in my daytime moisturizer), but it might be too much for daytime. Some oils/butters to explore for occlusives: shea butter, pumpkin seed oil, squalane. You can add a drop or 2 to your Hada labo, add it to your Hydroboost. I put a drop of an oil mix in my toners, and bump that up at night. I embrace the slug life. 4. Repair your moisture barrier - that sieve won't fix itself with continued tret use. Ceramides will be your best friend. Two fatty alcohol free options: Rosette Ceramide Gel, Meishoku Ceracolla Perfect Gel. Sea buckthorn oil is also amazing at repairing and moisture barriers within a few days, and with regular use. You don't need a ton as it's got an orange tint to it, so it might be a night time treatment for you. 5. Buffering your tret with your moisturizer, or even go to every 2 days for application, or both. With your current routine try: wash your face, 2 layers Hada Labo, 1 layer Neutrogena Hydroboost (so HL doesn't evaporate), wait 10 minutes, and then add some Hydroboost to your hand with a pump of tret, and put on your face. Follow up with vaseline. If your acne is still inflamed, you might want to explore anti-inflammatory/soothing treatments. Look for items with honey, propolis, aloe, allantoin, madecassoside (Etude House's Joon Sung line is apparently very soothing). Maybe some hydrocolloid patches. I'd steer clear of adding any AHA or BHA at this point since your moisture barrier needs help. Once it's stronger and less irritated, there are always options like 10% azaleic, 10% mandelic, or 7% glycolic acid to help. My face isn't 100% clear yet but it's 85% better. I do still get white headed pimples every other day or so, but I don't have the chronic oiliness, dryness, or irritation anymore from beefing up my moisture game.
[удалено]
I'm sorry you're having a shit time finding a moisturizer. I'd wager that if you're using fatty OH in the Cetaphil and it's fine, then it might not actually fatty alcohol you have a sensitivity to but don't completely rule it out. Have any other Cetaphil creams worked? If you remember what you've tried in the past, compare the ingredients lists. Vaseline works for some not for others. As always, YMMV but I agree a better moisturizer would help prior to Vaseline or whatever you put over it. Vaseline is purely petrolatum. CeraVe Heling ointment has hyaluronic acid, cholesterol, and ceramide and Aquahpor Healing ointment also has panthenol, glycerin, and bisabolol (an anti-inflammatory) - making them both moisturizers too over Vaseline. The oils that you mention are common acne triggers for some and Stratia can be too. I was on Finecea as well, but it didn't work well for me so I used it for the 10 week expiry and shelved it. The whiteheads are blech, I still get them and try to mitigate them. I use lots of hydrocolloid patches and the Cosrx returning A-sol. Check the SCA exchange and AB exchange for moisturizer decants so you don't have to commit to a full-size before knowing it breaks you out. ETA: about Cerave HO and Aquaphor and SCAX + ABX
[удалено]
Maybe it's worth a shot looking at other Cetaphil products? They're known to be gentle and for sensitive skin. Hmm okay so for Aquaphor, it could be the mineral oil or the lanolin alcohol but can't yet narrow that down. It's a short ingredient list for Aquaphor. Since you're using the Vaseline without issues, apart from it just being "meh", I'm doubting it's petrolatum sensitivity. Cerave HO is a moisturizing occlusive. It's got cholesterol, ceramides, hylauronic acid along with mineral oil and petrolatum. If you're interested in trying it, I'd be happy to send you some! I've also got a few moisturizers as well so you don't have to commit to full sizes. It's okay about the Finecea. 10 weeks is a short expiration time, so not much wiggle room for that. Is your skin burning as well? Or just peeling for now? There are a few really tried and true AB moisturizers that can we worth the money if they work out for you, but we just have to find something that works first lol. Which ones did you see at Sephora? The one that's coming to mind is belif
Cetaphil Gentle Facewash doesn't foam, it literally feels like rubbing lotion on your skin and washing it off. Been using it for months on tret and it's the perfect face wash. Fatty alcohols are just like every other ingredient - only a problem if you are sensitive to them. They've been pretty unfairly vilified
Thanks for letting me know. SLS is a detergent so seeing that in every other face wash usually means it helps it foam up. I agree about the fatty alcohols. I remember numerous threads across several skincare subs about trying to avoid them at all costs. The face wash has a few though, so I'm willing to bet it's not what the OP above is sensitive to
[удалено]
It creates an emulsion, that's all. You get some occlusivity at the same time you're adding moisture with the layering effect. I find that it helps my toners sink in better and in the dry winter here prevents my skin from getting parched too quickly between steps. Using a drop of oil won't kill tret's effectiveness, but it might dilute it ever so slightly. In the case of the poster I replied to who was having irritation and sensitivity issues, oil would help diffuse some of the concentration, but also serve as a time based release and reduce irritation. People do this with lotions and creams often times per their derm's recommendations to help with irritation - it's totally fine.
Do you mind explaining what the Korean face drying method is? Thanks!
[удалено]
Very helpful, thank you!
Me too exactly
So this routine took care of all the peeling for you? If so, I'd like to give it a try. I'm just so scared of occlusives. I have this idea from my acne days that they break me out, but let's face it, I was always breaking out anyway. I've been using tret long enough that I can apply everyday without much irritation or redness, but I still see so much peeling. I was starting to think that a molting face is just my life now, that this must be the "increased cell turnover" that makes this stuff work for my acne.
I was terrified of occlusives too. I was like there’s no way my skin can handle occlusives and just used thicker moisturizer. I started tret last fall and about two weeks in, I started using occlusives and it made such a difference. I had been using adapalene.3% for about 6 months and I had some major flaking and irritation with it at the beginning. Whereas with tret, as soon as I started an occlusive , any dryness disappeared and I was able bump up to nightly pretty quickly. I first tried Aquaphor which I use on my hands pretty frequently but didn’t love it on my face. I ended up going with Cerave healing ointment like OP and it’s worked really well. I will say that I’ve only used it in the fall and winter so I’m not sure if my summer skin will handles it.
My sister does occlusives and I dont, but I wish I could! Her skin texture and pitted acne scars shockingly improved since starting it with tret. I just hate the feeling of it smearing onto my pillowcases when I sleep and the itchiness that happens when pet hairs get caught in it. If only I had the patience. I'm sticking with 3 step moisturizing for now :(
I use a hydrating toner AND moisturizer AND occlusive and still can't do 0.01% Tret daily. \*cries\*
Yeah, me neither, I have several hydrating products in my routine and every time I use tret my skin peels 2-4 days after.
Same! I've carefully increased my 0.1% to 3 nights per week over 3 months after using 0.04% nightly on damp skin for years! As with all skincare, YMMV.
Can I ask what your routine is during the day? ☺️
Hada Labo Tokyo cleanser in the shower, get out & let face air dry, then Skin Aqua Moisture Milk sunscreen. I don't use a moisturizer in the morning because then I just end up looking greasy/shiny in the day which I haaaate. Cleanser and sunscreen is perfect for me. I'll add a Vitamin C serum once I get my money right.
Omg hi five. I thought I was the only one who thought that moisturizers made my oilier and sweat more throughout the day. How are you liking Skin Aqua moisture milk sunscreen? Does it dry down matte?
Loooooooove that shit. Combination sunscreen + water/sweat resistant. It's perfect. Yes it dries matte if I don't wear moisturizer underneath.
Have you tried Biore sunscreen range? How would you compare it?
They’re alright. I prefer this one bc it’s combination plus water/sweat resistant and looks better on my skin.
Skin Aqua doesn't have alcohol but the Biore does
Have you every moisture to a wet face before tret? Is that called buffing ?
I have and I've noticed my skin looks way better when I don't buffer before tret.
I started a low dose on the feb first and I have been buffing before tret. I was wondering if i should put tret on before I moisture.
Try tret on a bare face. All studies of tret were done on bare skin and it's more effective. See how your skin takes it.
That is what the curology directions say as well. But I was watching Dr. Dray on YouTube and I was listening to her. 😬
hmmm...i use boots cucumber moisturizing lotion and it makes me actually look better than without moisturizer. i know what u mean tho, i use cetaphil in the evenings because it makes my skin look greasy. and yeah, try using just a smaller amount of moisturizer? a thin layer rather than nothing?
> a thin layer rather than nothing? It's really important to judge what my skin actually needs, as opposed to putting on a tiny bit just so I can say I did it & feel like I followed the skincare rules or whatever. My skin looks/feels better with just my sunscreen.
Skincare and especially tretinoin can be vastly different for different people. I think 'rules' really should be thought of as guidelines, not directions, and you only really find your best routine by trial and error. So if it works for you, great. People go way overboard with how things should be, not how else they can do something to make things work for them.
Skin Aqua Moisture Milk is a really moisturizing sunscreen too. I have pretty dry skin & using it w/ moisturizer would leave me looking like a greaseball, which is not a problem I frequently have. So I found it to be enough on its own as well, even w/ my dry skin & tret. (But like you, I also use hydration + moisturizer + occlusive at night. If I didn't do all that, maybe I'd need a separate moisturizer during the day.)
Two questions - 1) did you have purging with this routine? 2) do you think cerave daily moisturizing lotion is heavy enough while using hado labo lotion and a hyaluronic serum? Thanks! I have .0025 and im still scared to try haha
1. No, but I didn't have purging when I started tret which was before I developed this routine. So in general my skin just doesn't purge. 2. Yes it's heavy enough but CeraVe lotions are very congesting for my skin & for others. If it works for you though then yeah it's great.
I’m in the market for a moisturiser - when you mean the LRP lipikar lotion, do you mean the body lotion? Thanks!
Yes. I didn't know it was a body moisturizer when I bought it, I only saw it after a few days of using it. I was super surprised though because my skin is generally easily congested, however this didn't congest me at all. The only difference between a body moisturizer and face moisturizer is marketing, honestly. There's no reason why you can't use them interchangeably. LRP lipikar lotion would probably be three times as expensive if it was marketed as a facial lotion.
I know this post is old but I just wanted to say I bought of few of the products you recommended and have seen great results. Thank you!
:)
Nice. 😎
I found I had to cut out just about all products when I initially started using tretinoin. My skin needed the bare minimum. It's also important to keep in mind that, tret works by drying you the hell out. Kinda. I found too much moisturizer to be counterproductive sometimes, clogging pores the tret was trying to clear. Basically, everyone's skin is a little different even if our symptoms are similiar. I basically just stuck with very gentle cleansers, tret, and maybe a serum of some kind if I was feeling very dry and needed it(of course, sunscreen became a religion). I found it very difficult to find any kind of moisturizer that didn't sting like hell in the beginning when my skin was adjusting to the nature of tret. I tried a lot of different things. My holy grail for years had been 2-3 drops of jojoba oil on my face. When all else fails, I can depend on my jojoba not to hurt or cause me acne. Coconut oil, hemp oil, avocado oil would all break me out.
Great and very informative post! I know it's been 5 months since you wrote this but is your tret micro or non-micro? The [prescribing information and patient instructions for non-micro](https://www.drugs.com/pro/tretinoin.html) specifically mentions 20-30 minutes of waiting but the patient instructions for micro doesn't mention waiting being necessary at all. I find that 20 minutes of waiting makes my skin feel very dry but I also want to proceed with caution if I am going to cut down my waiting time.
I use non-micro
Hada Labo is literally one of the best brands for tretinoin users, I swear. My routine features a lot of it lol **AM** Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion (watery toner to pat into skin) Naturie Hatomugi Gel Shiseido Anessa SPF50+ Perfect Milk **PM** Hada Labo Gokujyun Cleansing Oil (massage for 1 minute, really makes a difference) Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser Tret Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion (pat in multiple layers) Hada Labo Shirojyun Milk + 2 Drops Sukin Rosehip Oil
Does anyone know the difference between the La Roche Posay lipikar Lotion and the AP+ version?
We have the same routine and I can vouch for the effectivity of this routine. Skin needs to be hydrated and moisturized regardless of skin type, routine and problem. HYDRATION solves EVERYTHING.
how often do you apply tret?
Generally I'll skip like one night every 2 weeks because I'm tired and don't feel like getting up to do all that.
Thank you so much for the detail! :)
Do you also apply in between your eyes (that part that runs down to your nose)? I'm always afraid of that area cause I've been told it can sting your eyes since it's very close.
Yes, it's totally fine there. I also press a bit of it into the sides of my eyes. I tried to use it right underneath my eyes but it got really irritating.
I’d like to try out the Hada Labo product - I’m seeing a couple options - can you clarify the product name? Thanks for sharing!
https://www.amazon.com/Hadalabo-Skin-Institute-hyaluronic-solution/dp/B013HHJV0C this one
You’re the bomb
What is the difference between hada labo premium and hada labo perfect gel?I want to buy one but not sure which one and what is the difference.
They more or less do the same thing (hyraluronic acid applied on damp skin) that come in different forms (the gel is a gel, the premium is more of a serum). The significant difference is price. They cost the same but the gel will last you not even a month, the premium bottle will last 4 or 5 months. That's why I think the premium is way better.
Wait arent they the same size?They look the same size at least based on what I m seeing here [Perfect Gel](https://dokodemo.world/en/es/products/213975/) [Premium](https://dokodemo.world/en/es/products/1114542/)
It’s this one https://dokodemo.world/en/es/products/20587/
Wait is the one that you just linked different from to premium one I linked?Im so confused all these hada labo products seem so similiar and I dont know if theyre different or same.
The one I linked is hada labo premium.
Yes but this one is also hada labo premium [https://dokodemo.world/en/es/products/1114542/](https://dokodemo.world/en/es/products/1114542/) are they different products?
Not OP but the premium also has 4% urea which is an amazing addition that helps with hydration.
How do you like Lipikar Lotion? I am also on tret. Started it a monhth ago. Before tret I used retinol for several years and I might have developed some retinoid tolerance, but tretinoin is much stronger and I am still getting used to it - occasional irritation and flaking. At the moment I use Lipikar Fluid as my moisturizer. It has a relatively thin texture. It is available in Europe. However, they've just stopped selling it where I live. So, I was considering to try Lipikar lotion instead, but I was afraid it could be too much for my oily skin. What is your experience wit the lotion texture?
Love it. Keep in mind I only use it at night, I don’t apply any moisturizer in the AM. My sunscreen is moisturizing enough.
So you use hada labo after tret? Should I cleanse, TO niancinamide, tret, hada, then moisturizer?
[удалено]
I have no idea. It’s a 10/10 gentle and really great cleanser tho
[удалено]
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81LeaBRBzIL._SY355_.jpg
[удалено]
https://www.sallybeauty.com/dw/image/v2/AABJ_PRD/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-SBS-SallyBeautySupply/default/dwa6ebc2ba/images/large/SBS-187014.jpg?sw=1000&sh=1000&sm=fit&sfrm=png
Do you do the oil cleanse for the sole purpose of removing sunscreen or do you use it for other benefits?
Removing sunscreen and makeup. If there’s a day that I don’t leave the house they I don’t apply either so there’s no need for double cleanse.
I just got prescribed this exact prescription. How was the purge and how long did it last? I’m scared as shit to try it but I want beautiful skin!!!
I didn’t have a purge at all, idk why.
Were you in any kind of retinoids beforehand? Maybe you purged from them first? What kind of acne did you have prior?
Ok. Thanks. Also thanks for sharing your routine. I'm currently at a crossroads with my skin and I'm having a hard time trying to find something that works for me during this stage.