yet another tretinoin Q - whats your routine if you use more than just it but not 10000 thing

[Anonymous]

Please tell me what you use (doesn't have to be the brand, more like "a vitamin c serum"), in what order / time of day / whether you leave time for them to absorb before applying the next things etc

I just got an Rx for tretinoin and i'm not sure what I should still be using it with. Right now I just have a few random serums someone recommended at a facial (i think vitamin a and c but I'm not sure b/c they have vague names) that I apply in no particular order, back to back, in the morning....which is likely all wrong

[Anonymous]

Morning
Vitamin c serum
tret
sunscreen
moisturizer with HA

Evening
BHA
Niacinamide
Tret
moisturizer with HA

[Anonymous]

Where’s what works for me. Took a while to find all the right steps and products for me, but this is working great.

Morning:
Just rinse with water
Vitamin C serum
Moisturizer
Sunscreen
Then makeup after it’s all absorbed

Evening:
Wash with very gentle cleanser
Moisturizer
Tret 4 nights/week
Then moisturizer again

On non-tret nights, I use Paula’s choice BHA toner, moisturizer, followed by an even thicker moisturizer to really seal in the moisture those nights.

That’s it. Keeping it as simple as possible is working for me.

[Anonymous]

Summer I use tretinoin every night. Winter looks like the following.

Morning:
cleanse (I use Vanicream)
add Vitamin C powder + squalene oil to moisturizer & apply
SPF (TJ's Supergoop dupe)

Night:
Cleanse - with Vanicream (or other super gentle cleanser). If I worked out, I cleanse & rinse 2x.
Moisturize any dry areas if needed
Apply tretinoin
Slather on night cream

Every 3rd night or so, if I'm getting any dryness or redness:
Cleanse
Glycolic toner
Night cream and slug if necessary

Once a month(ish):
TO's AHA/BHA peel

Since you're just starting w/tretinoin, go SLOW. Like, way, way slower than you think you need to go. Once a week, then twice, then every other day. If you get redness, peeling, etc. back off until healed and begin again.
- Cleanse
- Moisturize
- Tretinoin
- Night cream

[Anonymous]

I just use moisturizers with it (general face plus eye). I ONLY use it at night to avoid increased sun damage due to the photo sensitivity it causes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where’s what works for me. Took a while to find all the right steps and products for me, but this is working great.

Morning:
Just rinse with water
Vitamin C serum
Moisturizer
Sunscreen
Then makeup after it’s all absorbed

Evening:
Wash with very gentle cleanser
Moisturizer
Tret 4 nights/week
Then moisturizer again

On non-tret nights, I use Paula’s choice BHA toner, moisturizer, followed by an even thicker moisturizer to really seal in the moisture those nights.

That’s it. Keeping it as simple as possible is working for me.

That doesn’t look simple to me!

AM: water or wipe with toner, sunscreen
PM: Cetaphil or Paula’s Choice oil, tretinoin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where’s what works for me. Took a while to find all the right steps and products for me, but this is working great.

Morning:
Just rinse with water
Vitamin C serum
Moisturizer
Sunscreen
Then makeup after it’s all absorbed

Evening:
Wash with very gentle cleanser
Moisturizer
Tret 4 nights/week
Then moisturizer again

On non-tret nights, I use Paula’s choice BHA toner, moisturizer, followed by an even thicker moisturizer to really seal in the moisture those nights.

That’s it. Keeping it as simple as possible is working for me.

That doesn’t look simple to me!

AM: water or wipe with toner, sunscreen
PM: Cetaphil or Paula’s Choice oil, tretinoin

Then you clearly haven’t seen the 10 step routines people have with 4 different serums and essences and oils.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where’s what works for me. Took a while to find all the right steps and products for me, but this is working great.

Morning:
Just rinse with water
Vitamin C serum
Moisturizer
Sunscreen
Then makeup after it’s all absorbed

Evening:
Wash with very gentle cleanser
Moisturizer
Tret 4 nights/week
Then moisturizer again

On non-tret nights, I use Paula’s choice BHA toner, moisturizer, followed by an even thicker moisturizer to really seal in the moisture those nights.

That’s it. Keeping it as simple as possible is working for me.

Same!

[Anonymous]

Morning:
wash face
BHA exfoliant
Antioxidant serum
Tinted moisturizer/sunscreen

Upon getting home in the evening:
Oil cleanse
Wash face
Retin-A

Before bed:
Nightime moisturizer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where’s what works for me. Took a while to find all the right steps and products for me, but this is working great.

Morning:
Just rinse with water
Vitamin C serum
Moisturizer
Sunscreen
Then makeup after it’s all absorbed

Evening:
Wash with very gentle cleanser
Moisturizer
Tret 4 nights/week
Then moisturizer again

On non-tret nights, I use Paula’s choice BHA toner, moisturizer, followed by an even thicker moisturizer to really seal in the moisture those nights.

That’s it. Keeping it as simple as possible is working for me.

That doesn’t look simple to me!

AM: water or wipe with toner, sunscreen
PM: Cetaphil or Paula’s Choice oil, tretinoin

Then you clearly haven’t seen the 10 step routines people have with 4 different serums and essences and oils.

I just assume they are product placements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Morning
Vitamin c serum
tret
sunscreen
moisturizer with HA

Evening
BHA
Niacinamide
Tret
moisturizer with HA

You need to stop using the tret in the am. It does not react well in the daytime.

[Anonymous]

Mine is similar to other routines here, but I've really paired it down recently to save money.

Morning:
- wash with water, or if I workout, wash with a gentile hydrating cleanser (currently using Cetaphil)
- apply moisturizer (currently using ELF Hello Hydration Moisturizer)
- apply SPF 50 (currently using Australian Gold Tinted Mineral Sunscreen)

Evening:
- first cleans with a cleansing balm (I do this to remove the mineral sunscreen - I am currently using the CleanIt Zero cleansing balm)
- second cleanse with gentile cleanser (Cetaphil)
- tretinoin .1 percent
- apply moisturizer (either the ELF Hello Hydration Moisturizer or the ELF Hello Hydration Sleeping Mask)

Maybe once a month I will use the Ordinary AHA/BHA peel in the evening instead of the tret.

In the past I've added other steps, including Vitamin C Serum, in the morning, and also a hydrating essence in the morning (I love the Naturium Niacinamide Essence). I've since paired down my routine to see if there is a difference in my skin when I have a more simple routine. I don't really miss the Vitamin C Serum; I've never really seen a difference in my skin form a Vitamin C serum. I've only used inexpensive ones such as the Timeless one and the Maelove one, so maybe the more expensive ones are a lot better? At this point in time I'm not willing to pay over $100 for any skincare product, so I just assume all Vitamin C serums are the same.

I do miss the Naturium Niacinimide Essence though - that product is great for really hydrating my skin, especially in the winter. The Australian gold mineral sunscreen is VERY matte, I feel like the Essence really helped give my skin a bit of a glow when I used that product.