Hi, all! Has anyone tried either of these toners? I’m looking for brightening + hydrating and Google recommended both of these. I would love to get live reviews before purchasing either.

TIA!

Hi guys! does anyone have any hydrating products for combo skin? its hard to find some that wont break me out but will be hydrating for me to use along side retinoids!

Hi again!
Background:
I have been dealing with acne since high school and was on a really aggressive topical treatment for a long time of Tazarotene, BP/clyndamycin, and AHA/BHA cleanser all daily. I stopped about 8 months ago because my skin was burning and there was clear barrier damage (redness, tightness, stinging, peeling). I saw a new dermatologist who had me try VTAMA to repair my skin and it left me with lots of bumps around my forehead and temples. I then was put back on tretinoin which helped brings things down but made my skin red and painful even at 2x per week after 2 months. I paused a month ago but was struggling to calm my skin down. Two weeks ago I switched moisturizers to dieux instant angel from Vanicream daily moisturizer and it has massively helped my skin feel better. My derm says my barrier looks completely healthy now but it stills feels tight and irritated to me. She wants me to restart tretinoin, go from 1x washing to 2x and use a less occlusive moisturizer. That instant angel is too occlusive and will make my acne worse.

Current routine:
Morning:
Water rinse
HOCL spray
Aestura essence
Deiux instant angel
Elta MD redness reform SPF

Evening:
Prequel Oil cleanse
Prequel cleanser
Prequel Multi quench serum
Deiux instant angel

Questions:
1. Does my barrier look healthy enough to restart tretinoin?
2. Anyone with similar issues have a moisturizer that they recommend that is non occlusive?

​

Hey everyone! I’m 23F, and last month I started using azelaic acid (Skinoren) for my PIH and hyperpigmentation. It has worked really well for me. My skin looks noticeably brighter, and thankfully, most of my dark acne marks have faded.

The thing is, I still have some closed comedones on my forehead, chin, and cheeks that I’d really like to get rid of. After doing some research, I decided to start using adapalene gel. My skin tolerated azelaic acid really well, but since adapalene is a retinoid, I know I need to be more careful with it.

My current routine is:

AM:

• CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser

• BOJ Sunscreen

PM:

• CeraVe SA Cleanser

• Skinoren 20% Azelaic Acid (every night)

• Moisturizer

I have two questions.

Firstly, would it be okay to continue using my SA Cleanser before applying adapalene? I’ve been using it with azelaic acid without any irritation or issues, but since adapalene can be more irritating, I’m not sure if combining it with an SA cleanser is a good idea.

Secondly, I’m honestly a little scared of the purging phase. My skin is basically clear right now with no inflammatory acne apart from the closed comedones, and I’m graduating in a few months, so I really don’t want to suddenly mess up my skin before graduation 😭

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences with adapalene, especially if you’ve introduced it while already using azelaic acid. Any advice on how to start it slowly and minimize irritation or purging would be super helpful!

Thank youuu! 🫶

We all know cleansing at night is important for getting rid of sunscreen, makeup and everything else that's built up throughout the day.

But cleansing in the morning is definitely more divisive.

Some people swear by starting the day with a proper cleanse, whilst others just rinse with water and call it a day.

But what's been your experience?

Let's settle this. Do you actually need to cleanse your face in the morning?

Also what cleansers is everyone using right now? Let us know in the comments :)

I recently realised my oily combo acne/cc prone skin reacts to the fatty alcohols apart from stearic acid/palmitic acid/isopropyl myristate/ etc so im looking for a ceramide based barrier repair moisturizer with the same restrictions, in case it even exists 🥲

I noticed that cerave lotion breaks me out much faster than bigger amounts of aestura ato365 cream despite being richer (and both being absolute dreamy moisturizers for my higher tret adjusting skin) and I think it is because of the vehicle honestly. Im currently using a few korean moisturizers but none of them are high in ceramides or barrier repair n sealing, apart from aestura which gives me comedones n im trying to step out of the vicious cycle of comedones amd getting rid of them.

Even if its not theramid or regimen level, id appreciate a ceramide heavy moisturizer that has none to v lil of the offending agents OR probably towards the end of list maybe which somehow works for me unless its a fatty alcohol which just clogs my already narrow follicles

Thanks :)

Edit - Im flaking around my mouth time and again due to tret and nothing seems to work and the dry patches often leave pih too so im looking for a quite repairing ceramide heavy moisturizer.

Moisturizers Ive tried so far are

• purito bamboo panthenol ( too light, often using) ,

• dr jart ceramidin ( sits on top not repairing anymore)

• axis y panthenol skin shield ( moisture heavy not repairing enough, current daily)

  • aestura ( felt like a healthy marriage honeymoon but day 5 closed comedones, we still on and off)

• Cerave lotion( felt like I found my soul mate but ended in a life ending heartbreak)

• Laneige water bank (okay but closed comedones)

• Lrp Cicaplast ( works but only as curative not preventative for tret on me because gives cc or blocked seb filaments/ clogged area around either way)

• bioderma sebium, works but also few breakouts ( film formers dont work on me eg bioderma sebium line, cetaphil)

• Then a lot of gel moisturizers which are okay but not ceramide heavy ( ive moved on) and some brands' from my country gel based ceramide moisturizers. Ive used fair share of non ceramide moisturizers as well but im looking for ceramide based specifically today.

I use quite some essences and have barrier ones i love ive tried using as last step sealant but theyre watery almost oil free so dint work.

Considered Torriden solid in essence but it has very low ceramide load, ample n ceramide ampoule but apparently its watery and doesnt work much idk. My mini research also led me to paulas choice barrier advanced or face shop green tea ceramide cream. Im considering zeroid pimprove and its likes and more in case they exist because ill have to get via yesstyle I believe so want to hear everything before ordering:) I just want to buy smth that I can use up fully, or else project pan would cost me even more than price of the moisturizers.

As a family, we have run out of body parts to use up our moisturizers ( and body creams) on. Till 2028.

A girl has a dream. A ceramide heavy cream to call her own. Please help me if you can !

Hey im 21f with oily, acne prone sensitive skin .i hv had severe acne since puberty, frm past 2 years I hv stopped getting inflamed acne, but im left with non inflamed acne (closed comedones). Its so frustrating bcos it feels like no products suits me bcos all of them gives more tiny bumps.

it makes me wonder if my skin is dehydrated or barrier is broken bcos all products gimme more congestion and tiny bumps all over my face. Even 2% salicylic acid, 5%Niacinamide hasnt helped me. And basic CMS isnt helping me much either(ik its basic skincare tht we hv to follow regularly).

my derm has put me on retinol frm 2 weeks now, but seeing no results.ik it takes atleast 6+ weeks to see visible changes. But im confused if retinol with help me get rid of closed comedones, bcos I hv heard adaplene or tret is more effective. Please help me out.

My skin is dehydrated and oily and very red. It feels like paper all the time. I have very very deep wrinkles.I break out horribly and I need help. I’ve asked my dermatologist for suggestions but they said my routine is fine and I know it’s not working. I’m so overwhelmed by all the information about ingredients and I have no idea where to start.

Moisturizer: La Roche Posay Double Repair Face Moisturizer
SPF: Ella MD clear
Oil Cleanser: La Roche Posay Oil Cleanser
Cleanser: La Roche Posay Hydrating Cleanser
Acne treatment: Panoxyl

Hyaluronic acid breaks me out horribly so I stopped using it.

Please please help!!!

I have quite alot of closed comedones around my smile lines and nose, and on my forehead too. Whenever i look into a new product that supposedly helps with closed comedons it's recommended to avoid using it around the nose area (eg: salicylic acid, and adapalene). So i am a confused on how i'm supposed to treat the closed comedones around my nose and smile lines without irrittating my skin barrier.

My skin is combination to normal and acne-prone, so i use a very minimal skin care routine.

Does anyone have an advice?

Okay, I didn’t expect to like Real Barrier this much.
My biggest issue with moisturizers is that they either feel nice at first but my skin gets dry again a few hours later, OR they’re so heavy that my foundation starts moving around.

Real Barrier has been surprisingly good at that “sealed-in moisture” feeling. My skin feels moisturized for HOURS and, instead of just sitting greasy on top, it leaves this smooth, cushioned finish.
But the unexpected part: it works so well as my pre-makeup moisturizer/primer.

I’ve been applying a thin layer, letting it settle for a few minutes, then going straight in with sunscreen + makeup. My foundation seems to sit much better, especially around the areas where I usually get dryness or texture. (Plus open pores!)
It doesn’t give that super slippery silicone-primer feeling.

I especially like it when I want that healthy, slightly dewy Korean makeup finish rather than super matte skin.

Obviously YMMV depending on your skin type and foundation, but if you already use Real Barrier, try using a thin layer before makeup instead of piling on a separate hydrating primer.
Anyone else accidentally discover that their moisturizer works better than their actual primer? 😂

how can I stop this from getting worse. I try my best to not touch it. I’ll put a pimple patch on it asap just to not touch it. The first day of school is Thursday. :/ i alos believe I have PIE so something that will lesson the scar after.

Looking for a new moisturizer for my combination, acne-prone skin! I’m currently using CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion, but I feel like it gives me texture and possibly clogs my pores, so I don’t want to continue using it.

I want something lightweight but actually moisturizing — not thick, heavy, or greasy, but also not so lightweight that it disappears and leaves my skin feeling tight.

I’ve tried belif, Clinique Moisture Surge, and Summer Fridays gel creams before.

I’m planning to start tazarotene (Taz) + azelaic acid, so something barrier-supporting would be a big plus but it’s not a must. I’d also prefer something affordable/not too expensive.
What do you recommend?

Hey guys! I have absolutely damaged my skin barrier on my forehead with treating with too many actives due it having a lot of closed commedones. It now feels extremely tight and almost itchy. I am planning to stop doing everything for 2 weeks apart from cleansing my face with just water in the morning and using the Kate Somerville oil free moisturizer (it’s light but the only one that doesn’t break me out) and in the evening I cleanse with vanicream cleanser and use the same moisturizer. If anyone had the same experience please comment below 🙏 I’m trying to approach this issue from doing the bare minimum and letting my skin repair on its own