I get 3 sessions of IPL treatment roughly every 3-5 years to give my skin the freshest possible slate, and I had my last session about 2 weeks ago. My “downtime” had been non-existent.
I’ve been using Retin-A for roughly 2 months now and just like I expected, there hasn’t been any side effects at all. My skin is naturally quite resilient so I haven’t had any peeling, redness, or sensitivity that people often experience.
AM 🌞
HERA White Program Cleansing Foam: I found a few mini tubes tucked away in one my storage boxes so I’ve been keen to use them up before they expire.
Paul & Joe Beaute The Oil: I add 1–2 drops of it to the watery lotion
Paul & Joe Beaute Herbal Lotion
Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster
Curel Intensive Moisture Cream
JMsolution Glow Luminous Flower Sun Milk Rose SPF50+ PA++++: Love its texture and finish, and it makes skin look smoother and brighter. It is, however, heavily fragranced.
PM 🌛
HERA White Program Cleansing Foam
Paul & Joe Beaute The Oil: I mix 1–2 drops of it to the watery lotion.
Paul & Joe Beaute Herbal Lotion
Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster (on nights I’m not using Retin-A)
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (only when I’m using Retin-A): For my skin, niacinamide doesn’t do much, at least I can’t see a difference when I use it versus when I don’t use. Maybe I just haven’t tried the right product for my skin, because the results from various research papers indicate (and there is plenty of high quality evidence) that niacinamide can help the skin in various wonderful ways. Since niacinamide has been shown to minimise tretinoin’s irritating effects (the study here) when applied first, that is what I do.
Retin-A 0.025% Gel (every other night): I have a prescription of it and I bought this directly from the pharmacy.
Azclear Action 20% Azelaic Acid Medicated Lotion (on nights I’m not using Retin-A): I had been very curious to see whether my own skin can benefit from azelaic acid after reading a lot about it. My friend picked up 2 tubes for me in Australia. It’s available there at any pharmacy without a prescription for about AU$10. A lot of people say this pills when layered over or under other products, but I haven’t experienced any issues with it at all.
Interesting you like Azclear! We can get Finacea (15% AzA) in Aus OTC too and I find it’s much more pleasant to use. Azclear honestly feels like PVA glue! It’s good it works well with and in your routine though
It certainly looks a lot like glue out of the tube! But it absorbs immediately into my skin, leaving no sticky, greasy, or filmy residue behind. That being said, I use less than half a pea-sized amount. I’ve also tried it in the daytime and everything layers perfectly fine over it. I actually briefly tried a sample tube of Finacea, but I was put off by the cream formula.
Do you notice a difference in the effect Paula’s Choice C15 has on your skin compared to Melano CC essence?
It’s hard for me to compare since they’re very different even though they both feature vitamin C. Melano CC is a targeted spot treatment for acne and acne marks, not a regular vitamin C serum that you apply all over for brightening and antioxidative purposes. You could — many people do — but I never did, whereas I apply Paula’s Choice C15 liberally all over.
What are your thoughts about using retinoids (Retin-A, Differin) near the eye area? I have some pigmentation around my eyes (not just blood vessels showing though, but actual pigmentation), so I would like to use it around that area.
But I’ve seen lots of conflicting information about whether or not it’s recommended/safe. Some sources state that you can and should use it near your eyes (once you are acclimated), but others state that it can affect the oil grands near eyes and cause dry eyes!
Do you personally use it around your eyes and if so, what has been your experience? What is your opinion about using retinoids near eyes in general?
It might cause irritation or dryness since the skin there is a lot thinner and delicate, but I don’t see how that can be an issue unless it’s getting into your eyes. Just avoid applying closer to eyes than the orbital bone to avoid any potential migration.