Dry Skin

[stellajea]

recently, I’ve been trying to take care of my acne, but every time I use a product it dries up my skin. I’ve been using lotion which helps a little, but it’s still pretty bad. Does any have any recommendations?

[Drunkellaphant]

Hi I am new but for free you can use ice and turmeric for and also salt water but for products peace out pore perfecting stick helps the kale and green tea spinach vitamins super good cleanser works too.

[thebeautyhelper]

bubble soft launch cleanser 

Bubble super clear serum, Glow Recipe Plum Plump™ Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum 

Bubble fade away spot treatment 

Bubble slam dunk moisturizer 

[Drunkellaphant]

Bubble gives acne to me but i don’t no your skin type 

[WinglessOne]

@stellajea  What specific product(s) do you use to treat your acne? And what else do you normally use on your face, even if it’s just a cleanser and moisturizer? 

[stellajea]

@WinglessOne My dermatologist gave me Tretinoin Cream USP 0.025% cream which helps but like I said dries up my skin. I use the CeraVe moisturizing lotion since it’s cheap and easy for me but I feel like it  not really helping. The only other thing I use for my face before bed is Kiehl’s facial cream. Any suggestions on something from Sephora to help?

[WinglessOne]

@Drunkellaphant  Ah, you’re on tretinoin. That retinoid’s known to cause dry flakes during the first few months of use, but it is effective. I’ve got a few tips you may wanna try. 

Assuming you normally apply tretinoin before your moisturizer: 

• Apply a facial oil after tretinoin. Oil can smooth some of those dry flakes, and several oils contain fatty acids that help repair/boost the skin barrier. A popular option is The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil for Skin Elascicity 1 oz/ 30 mL, but also consider The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane for Skin and Hair Hydration 1 oz/ 30 mL which can improve moisturization. There’s also jojoba; if you’re in the US and have a local Trader Joe’s, they sell a good 100% jojoba oil in their beauty/skincare section. (I use it often on my hands and nails.) 
  
  
• Whichever oil you choose, apply moisturizer over it. You can also reverse the order: apply moisturizer after tretinoin, then apply facial oil. Some folks even mix oil into their moisturizer. I prefer to apply oil first because most plant oils aren’t as occlusive (water loss preventing) as my usual moisturizers. (Contrary to popular belief, facial oils don’t really “seal everything in” unless the oil is mineral oil, which is rather occlusive.) 
  
  
• Consider applying your moisturizer (and facial oil, if you choose to use it) before tretinoin. That way, you can apply moisturizer while your skin’s damp, which’ll help seal in hydration instead of dryness—and your face will be well moisturized before tretinoin joins the party. Tretinoin will still work if you apply it over moisturizer, unless your moisturizer is a petrolatum balm (Vaseline, Aquaphor, CeraVe Healing Ointment, etc.). And your moisturizer will act as a buffer to reduce irritation you might be getting from tretinoin. 
  
  
• Switch to a more occlusive moisturizer. CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion (the one that comes in a rectangular pump bottle) is my usual warm weather moisturizer AM & PM, but it’s not occlusive enough for me in cold weather because it doesn’t contain petrolatum, the most occlusive skincare ingredient on the market (aside from hydrocolloid or silicone patches/film). Have you tried CeraVe Moisturizing Cream—the one that comes in a jar? That product’s a blend of dimethicone and petrolatum, and it has a thicker consistency than the lotion. You mentioned you use Kiehl's Since 1851 Ultra Facial Refillable Moisturizing Cream with Squalane 1.7 oz / 50 mL and that’s a good moisturizer, but it also lacks petrolatum and might not be enough for your skin. Then again, you may find that adding a facial oil like squalane or jojoba to your routine helps boost the Kiehl’s moisturizer, so maybe try including facial oil first and see if that helps your skin feel less dry and flaky. 

Do you use a broad spectrum sunscreen (at least SPF 30) each day your skin’s exposed to sunlight, all year long, regardless of weather or season? I’m sure your derm’s already lectured you on this 😅 but if you’re not consistent with it yet: wear the hecking sunscreen. Not because tretinoin will allegedly make your skin more sensitive to sunlight (it won’t; tretinoin itself is sensitive to sunlight). Moreso because UV rays can cause a lot of skin damage, including worsening acne. Plus, many sunscreens are also an extra layer of moisturization since they usually contain ingredients like dimethicone and squalane. Your skin needs all the hydration and moisturization it can get right now. 

I haven’t recommended things like hyaluronic acid serums/toners/essences because that ingredient’s already in a lot of moisturizers. Eh, you could try adding a hydrating serum/toner to your routine: apply it after you wash your face. The Inkey List and The Ordinary make hydrating serums, as do many (many) other brands. 

[kayleeKaya]

I use In Beauty Product stuff it helps. I have acne, pimples, oily and bumpy skin. Hope this helps 😁