Tretinoin Advice!!

[goddamnitshanny]

I'm on a nightly dose of tretinoin for my chronic cystic acne caused by PCOS. and I live in Northern Ontario, and already have snow, and it's in the negatives. I have a pretty good routine right now, but I'm looking for what others on retinols/with dry skin use, and reccomend!! Currently using Kiehls Dry skin face balm, or FAB ultra repair cream! 3 months of nightly tretinoin + daily vitamin C/NEVER skipping spf have finally given my the skin of my dreams, just gotta keep it hydrated now!!

[greeneyedgirl107]

@goddamnitshanny I recently increased my Tretinoin from .05% to .1%, and my skin was dry and burning.  I started using  The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL

and it has been AMAZING!  I also use Cetaphil Night Moisturizer over trouble spots, and  Drunk Elephant Lala Retro™ Nourishing Whipped Refillable Moisturizer 1.69 oz/ 50 mL on my eye area (I could probably use oil, but used a Clinique oil and got a bump and that scared me away - I can be neurotic about skincare at times).

But the real hero is TO oil!

[jmpcaligirl1975]

Are you using the rose hip oil after the tretinoin? Or alternate days? I have oily skin and a bit apprehensive 

[goddamnitshanny]

I SWEAR by the Ordinary rose hip seed oil!! been using it morning and night, for 2 years!! I'm so glad it's working for you as well!!!

[kel70]

I use THE ORDINARY - 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil as well on those really dry days, when I have overdone a little with the acids I use. I did try the DE cream that you mentioned, but I find that I can buy a drug store brand that is superior to it and a third of the price.

[xcicee]

I just started a low dose of tret and my skin is peeling like crazy too! It was already dry and now the flakes won’t stop. I’m using many layers right now and applying every other day: CosRX snail mucin essence, YTTP Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream, Another layer of the YTTP moisturizer, orBiossance Omega Repair Cream, then Topped with Josie Maran’s Argan Oil Reserve. I’ve just ordered kate Somerville’s KX omega & ceramides serum too. Hoping this will help but haven’t found many non-influenster reviews on it!

[kel70]

Have you tried a Squalane in oil or just straight up Squalane moisturizer? That works well to hydrate and helps ALOT with irritation and prevents moisture loss. I believe The Ordinary carries a 100% Plant Derived Squalane product in an oil solution. I use their THE ORDINARY - Squalane Cleanser everyday to help with irritation caused by my retinol use. It just calms the face and soothes it when you have that stinging, kind of hot feeling. And it's a really good cleanser. Leaves the face soft and supple.

[AMK721]

I layer a serum under my moisturizer as well like @suzyo said.

[suzyo]

@goddamnitshanny  I use Tretinoin every night, and layering is key for me. I like to use CLINIQUE - Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator as a moisturizing serum under my daily moisturizer. At night I use Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Night Cream + Mask with Vitamin C 2 oz / 59 ml over my night cream, then JOSIE MARAN - 100 percent Pure Argan Oil on top of that. It sounds like a lot, but my skin drinks it up.

[kel70]

Hi! Nice to see someone here from my neck of the woods. I live in northern Ontario too. I'm north of Timmins, but we don't have any snow on the ground yet, just a few flurries that never amounted to much. I know all about dry skin and the brutal winters here. What I use is a drug store purchase and it's on sale right now at Shopper's Drug Mart for, I think $20. I use CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream. It's super nourishing and has peptides and ceramides in it. A little goes a long way too. The jar is a 50ml size and if you use it at night, every night, it should last at least a month. I find that the Kielhs isn't nearly as good and I have used it before. I got it in a kit last Christmas, I believe and it only lasted me a few weeks, so I don't know if I would have had a different result had I used it longer. With the CeraVe cream, I use it as a last step in my night time regimen after all my serums and eye treatments. I use a retinol, right now the DRUNK ELEPHANT - A-Passioni™ Retinol Cream every other night and this night cream every night. I wake up with super soft and well hydrated skin. I would give this a try. For 20 dollars it's worth a shot. I don't use tretinoin (I wish) so I really can't relate to just how drying it is, but I've tried many different moisturizers over the last 5 months and wasted ALOT of money buying high end brands. When I first started my skin care journey I thought that the more expensive a product meant that it had to be better and that couldn't be further from the truth