Face flaking with retinol

[Anonymous]

My best and favorite exfoliation is to wash with diluted dr Bronner’s and then just rub with my wet fingers. Sounds weird, is kind of gross, works great. No flakes. It’s a little irritating but way better for my skin than any of the acids or scrubs or anything like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would start by sandwiching between moisturizer then as your skin becomes used to it you can just do one layer. So wash face, apply moisturizer, wait until face dried down, apply tret, wait about 20-30 minutes, apply moisturizer. I would highly recommend also using the La Roche Posay Ciciplast Balm and Cicaplast Gel B5 Skin Protectant.

Fwiw op I could never pull of something like the above. I just smear it on, then put on moisturizer and I go to bed. I don’t wash it off in the morning, I just put sunscreen over it and go. I think the flakes are already dead so you need to exfoliate them. You couldn’t pay me to wait for my face to dry and then another thing 30 min later.

[Anonymous]

I had no idea people wait 30 min after washing and then before using moisturizer - you all take 1 hour for your p.m. skin routines?

I wash, pat dry, apply some moisturizer around my nose (bc my skin is most sensitive there), apply pea sized amount of tret, then apply moisturizer over my whole face. The whole routine takes me 5 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Use plenty of moisturizer with it. Only use once or twice a week until peeling stops. Sunscreen every day and lots of it. You won't regret it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had no idea people wait 30 min after washing and then before using moisturizer - you all take 1 hour for your p.m. skin routines?

I wash, pat dry, apply some moisturizer around my nose (bc my skin is most sensitive there), apply pea sized amount of tret, then apply moisturizer over my whole face. The whole routine takes me 5 minutes.

I don’t think people are twiddling their thumbs for an hour. I wash my face after dinner, then put retinol on when the kids are getting in bed, then put moisturizer before bed. It’s not precise but it just ensures time between each step.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had no idea people wait 30 min after washing and then before using moisturizer - you all take 1 hour for your p.m. skin routines?

I wash, pat dry, apply some moisturizer around my nose (bc my skin is most sensitive there), apply pea sized amount of tret, then apply moisturizer over my whole face. The whole routine takes me 5 minutes.

I don’t think people are twiddling their thumbs for an hour. I wash my face after dinner, then put retinol on when the kids are getting in bed, then put moisturizer before bed. It’s not precise but it just ensures time between each step.

My kids are older and their bedtimes are usually after mine haha- when I go up for the night (9:30-10) is when I get ready for bed- not infrequently I have an evening meeting or zoom or agter work drink. Also what about on the weekends when you go out at night, do you compact your nighttime face routine then?

[Anonymous]

+1 to sandwiching it if you're too dry/sensitive.

When I started tretinoin, I had absolutely not problems - which I think is because I'd been using prescription strength azaleic acid for years for rosacea. I use it every other day, and put it on first right after I pat my face dry. I then add the azaleic acid, the moisturizer. I wait only as long as it takes a layer to dry before adding the next.

[Anonymous]

I would use snail mucin gel on damp skin after washing. Then cicaplast, let dry, tret, then moisturize. Stop using it until after your meeting.

[Anonymous]

You’re not slugging. Every time I read one of these posts it’s totally apparent that your moisturizer use is insufficient.

You need MOUNDS of Cerave in the tub. To the point it’s sitting on your face. I do this and use Tret .05 and my skin has never been better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re not slugging. Every time I read one of these posts it’s totally apparent that your moisturizer use is insufficient.

You need MOUNDS of Cerave in the tub. To the point it’s sitting on your face. I do this and use Tret .05 and my skin has never been better.

This is op. I'm acne prone so hesitant to do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My best and favorite exfoliation is to wash with diluted dr Bronner’s and then just rub with my wet fingers. Sounds weird, is kind of gross, works great. No flakes. It’s a little irritating but way better for my skin than any of the acids or scrubs or anything like that.

What's in Dr. Bronners that exfoliates, or why different than regular facial cleanser? I'm curious since it's something I actually have in my house since I use it to fill the hand soap dispensers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re not slugging. Every time I read one of these posts it’s totally apparent that your moisturizer use is insufficient.

You need MOUNDS of Cerave in the tub. To the point it’s sitting on your face. I do this and use Tret .05 and my skin has never been better.

This is op. I'm acne prone so hesitant to do this.

I was going to post this too. I can’t tell if my extra pimples are due to Tret or mound of moisturizer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had no idea people wait 30 min after washing and then before using moisturizer - you all take 1 hour for your p.m. skin routines?

I wash, pat dry, apply some moisturizer around my nose (bc my skin is most sensitive there), apply pea sized amount of tret, then apply moisturizer over my whole face. The whole routine takes me 5 minutes.

I don’t think people are twiddling their thumbs for an hour. I wash my face after dinner, then put retinol on when the kids are getting in bed, then put moisturizer before bed. It’s not precise but it just ensures time between each step.

My kids are older and their bedtimes are usually after mine haha- when I go up for the night (9:30-10) is when I get ready for bed- not infrequently I have an evening meeting or zoom or agter work drink. Also what about on the weekends when you go out at night, do you compact your nighttime face routine then?

I’m the PP you’re responding to and I think maybe I’m just really casual about the routine— I’ve never even thought about it in terms of a face routine. I rarely go out at night on the weekends, and if I do, I just skip the Tret or wait 15 mins between each step. Maybe I shouldn’t be so lax about skipping.

For those of you who say your face looks amazing on Tret, what do you mean? I don’t have fine lines or wrinkles yet but I do have lots of sun spots. Will the tret take those off eventually?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My best and favorite exfoliation is to wash with diluted dr Bronner’s and then just rub with my wet fingers. Sounds weird, is kind of gross, works great. No flakes. It’s a little irritating but way better for my skin than any of the acids or scrubs or anything like that.

What's in Dr. Bronners that exfoliates, or why different than regular facial cleanser? I'm curious since it's something I actually have in my house since I use it to fill the hand soap dispensers.

I think nothing? Maybe because it’s alkaline? It doesn’t actually exfoliate, but after I rinse it I rub gently with my fingertips on my wet skin and all the dead skin comes right off. I can do it after using “face wash” but it doesn’t work as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had no idea people wait 30 min after washing and then before using moisturizer - you all take 1 hour for your p.m. skin routines?

I wash, pat dry, apply some moisturizer around my nose (bc my skin is most sensitive there), apply pea sized amount of tret, then apply moisturizer over my whole face. The whole routine takes me 5 minutes.

I don’t think people are twiddling their thumbs for an hour. I wash my face after dinner, then put retinol on when the kids are getting in bed, then put moisturizer before bed. It’s not precise but it just ensures time between each step.

My kids are older and their bedtimes are usually after mine haha- when I go up for the night (9:30-10) is when I get ready for bed- not infrequently I have an evening meeting or zoom or agter work drink. Also what about on the weekends when you go out at night, do you compact your nighttime face routine then?

I’m the PP you’re responding to and I think maybe I’m just really casual about the routine— I’ve never even thought about it in terms of a face routine. I rarely go out at night on the weekends, and if I do, I just skip the Tret or wait 15 mins between each step. Maybe I shouldn’t be so lax about skipping.

For those of you who say your face looks amazing on Tret, what do you mean? I don’t have fine lines or wrinkles yet but I do have lots of sun spots. Will the tret take those off eventually?

For me, it took me from navel orange to a nice clementine. Just a lot smoother. Hasn’t helped with redness and idk about wrinkles, I’m only 40.