From what I’ve seen so far The Ordinary The Acne Set has a great serum and moisturizer for acne. Try it out!

does the irritation come after washing? Or is it there 24/7? If it comes after washing use a more gentle cleanser. Or even a soothing moisturizer could help as well. If it’s like that 24/7 then I would suggest seeing a dermatologist! Pimple patches help with my acne a lot. They suck it all out and the pain goes away after a day!

I have them too! Use a cleanser and after that use the Paula’s Choice exfoliant! It workers wonder I’m not even kidding you. After a week you’ll see a difference or even after a few days. The Tatcha face washes they are good for that stuff too! You got this!

Hey @Bxterfly ! Adapalene and retinol are 2 different members of the vitamin A (retinoic acid) family. Adapalene is FDA-approved and regulated as acne medication: that stuff’s good and safe for acne. Retinol isn’t regulated as a drug/medication; the FDA considers it a cosmetic ingredient. Maybe retinol can help your acne (it’s one of the things vitamin A’s generally known to treat), but it won’t work as efficiently as adapalene which is formulated for acne treatment. Stick with your dermatologist’s recommendation. Dry flaky skin is a known side effect of vitamin A. It’s not quite the same kind of flaking that happens when your skin’s over-exfoliated (contrary to popular belief, vitamin A doesn’t exfoliate your skin like AHA does). It’s a specific reaction; you’ll sometimes hear it called “retinization.” Here’s how you can minimize it: Start slowly with adapalene - use it just once or twice a week for a few weeks. Then increase to 2-3 times a week for a while. Keep gradually increasing use until you’re at nightly use, or every other night. Heck, you can even keep using adapalene just 2 or 3 nights a week and it’ll still work well. Apply adapalene after your moisturizer - let moisturizer act as a buffer. That way, your skin will already be hydrated and moisturized before adapalene joins the party. Your moisturizer won’t stop adapalene from working unless it contains lots of petrolatum or mineral oil. Those are fantastic moisturizing ingredients because they’re very occlusive (prevent water loss), but that also means they can block a lot adapalene from entering your skin. Wear broad spectrum sunscreen (at least SPF 30) - this is mostly to stop the sun from worsening your acne and causing more skin dryness/flaking. Vitamin A doesn’t make your skin more sun-sensitive; instead, vitamin A itself is sensitive to UV light. I don’t remember if adapalene is stable in sunlight (tretinoin, for instance, definitely isn’t)—but even if it is, you should still wear sunscreen when the sun’s above the horizon. If you still have questions, please talk with your dermatologist. If you don’t trust your derm, you could ask your parent/guardian to take you to a different derm so you can get a second opinion. But derms are medical professionals: they go through med school, complete residency, and get licensed and board-certified.

I think starting small so you don't get overwhelmed might be helpful, or going to see a dermatologist to help you get on track with skins unique needs. @eloised29 When it comes to trying new products, I think only adding one new product at a time is a good approach. It gives your skin a few weeks to adjust before adding anything else. This is helpful because your not overwhelming your skin with different things, and if you do have a negative reaction, you'll know what caused it. And, I've heard it takes weeks to see the results of new skin care you try, so be patient. It's a long process sometimes finding what's right for you and your skin. 🩷 Can I ask,What are you liking in your routine right now, how are you enjoying Glow Recipe?

Hi @exploreinspo ! Here’s how I’d use those products: Cleanser (every PM, optional AM) - gotta remove the day’s crud and cooties. Some folks don’t need to wash their face in the morning. I usually just gently wipe my face with a wet plush microfiber cloth or use micellar water in the AM, but sometimes I do use a very gentle non-lathering cleanser where needed (usually just around my eyes). I always use my regular facial cleanser at night, in addition to a makeup remover if I wore makeup during the day. The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner 8 oz/ 240 mL (1-3x a week, AM or PM, never twice on the same day) - if this is your first time using an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid: glycolic, lactic, & mandelic are the usuals), start off using this toner just once or twice a week—on different days, never twice in one day. You don’t wanna over-exfoliate your skin. Actually, I’d skip over this step completely for a few weeks to let your skin get used to all the other steps. Then you can add this glycolic acid toner a couple times a week and see if your skin tolerates it. I know The Ordinary says it can be used daily but don’t do that. Seriously, over-exfoliation will damage your skin barrier, leading to all kinds of badness: flaking, peeling, redness, burning/stinging, increased sensitivity, and bacteria that can worsen your acne. The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Exfoliating Acne Solution 1 oz / 30 mL (daily, AM or PM) - The Ordinary makes 2 salicylic acid serums and I don’t know which one you have, but this applies to both of ‘em. Salicylic acid (a BHA, or beta hydroxy acid) is also an exfoliant, but some folks can handle it daily. Start off using it just a few times a week to see how you tolerate it. This will be more helpful for acne than AHA/glycolic acid because BHA gets down into your pores to degunk ‘em. AHA is better for reducing raised acne scars. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Oil Control Serum and The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum 2 oz / 60 ml (as needed, AM &/or PM) - frequency and order of application are entirely up to you. Both of these can be used daily if you want, and it doesn’t matter which one you use first. You may wanna pick just one to use for a few weeks though, and then introduce the second serum. That way, your skin’s less likely to be overwhelmed by lots of new products at once. Moisturizer (every AM & PM) - if your sunscreen (next step) contains a good moisturizing ingredient (dimethicone, squalane, petrolatum, shea butter, etc.), you can maybe skip this step in the AM and let sunscreen pull double duty. Do you already use a moisturizer? Broad spectrum sunscreen (AM, while the sun’s up) - absolutely needed since you’re using glycolic acid, which makes your skin more sensitive to UV rays. Make sure the sunscreen’s at least SPF 30. Apply generously to all skin exposed to sunlight, all year long, regardless of weather or season. Do you already use a sunscreen?

Heh, fun pic @dddddd31 . You can change it by going to the profile tab. The profile picture is the little one you see with your username, background is for the profile.