For as long as I can remember, I've always had extremely oily skin. It also tends to be a bit sensitive and acne prone which makes choosing skin care products a bit of a challenge. I've been using Retin A for a couple of years now and love the difference its made on my skin. When using a Retin A product, it's advised that you start off with the lowest strength and gradually build to a higher strength as your skin gets used to the product. I started off using the .05 strength over a year ago, and most recently bumped up to the .1 percent formula. After a few months of trial and error and experimenting with products suited for the higher dosage (my skin was super dry the first couple of months!), I've finally honed in on a good routine. Read on for a glimpse of what my current Retin A skin care routine looks like.
In the mornings I like to keep it simple and to the point. I wash my face with Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser - I love that its a gel formula that doesn't strip or dry out my skin. I actually used to be a big fan of sudsy cleansers, which I've learned aren't all that great for oily skin. The suds may feel like they're getting the skin super clean, when in actuality they're overdrying the skin, causing it to produce even more oil. Yikes. I follow up with this gentle toner, then moisturize with this hydrating gel moisturizer from First Aid Beauty. This moisturizer is amazing, especially for those of us with oilier skin. Not only does it moisturize my skin without leaving it feeling greasy, it also acts as a mattifier and helps to keep the extra oil on my face at bay.
I've become a bit religious about taking my makeup off at night. I never really went to bed without washing my face, however I'd just wash with a cleanser before and never really put forth any extra effort to remove my makeup. I've seen a big difference in my skin now that I focus on actually getting all of the makeup off of my skin before I cleanse my face at night.
I start off by removing my eye makeup with this liquid remover. I then follow up with these makeup remover wipes - using one for any leftover eye makeup, and a separate one for my face makeup. I then tone with the same toner I use in the morning. After letting my face dry for about 10 minutes (your skin has to be 100% fully dry before applying Retin A products, or else it can cause irritation) I apply a prescription Retin A product in the .1 strength, followed by First Aid Beauty's Ultra Repair Moisturizer.
I exfoliate several times a week to remove dead skin and buildup. I keep a few exfoliators handy for this. The first is this Aveeno Brightening Scrub. It's gentle enough to use a few times a week after my normal cleanser. I love how soft it leaves my skin after I use it, and I can follow it up with my Retin A and normal moisturizer with no irritation. I also use this Philosophy Microdelivery Peel on occasion when I feel as though my skin could use a little boost. The infusion of Vitamin C, and blemish fighting ingredients leave my skin bright and radiant after every use. Ever so often I'll add this Vitamin C Radiance Peel to the mix. It tingles a bit during application, but after rinsing and moisturizing you'll wake up the next day to luminous healthy looking skin.
There you have it, my current skin care routine! Questions? Tips? Suggestions? I'd love to hear them!
