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i hate retinol sometimes but also god bless retinol

Is there any point to using retinol not for acne but to prevent wrinkles?

retinol solves almost every problem at the cost of dryness

retinol and other vit A derivatives (tret, retinoid, etc) work by making the skin renew itself faster, i.e., your face will have newer skin which looks and feels nicer than old skin

the downside is that you have newer skin consistently and if your skin is not used to it, it can be far more sensitive (and definitely far more sensitive to UV, so wear sunscreen. always wear sunscreen)

so in short, yes there always is a point to using retinol. most ppl say that under 25 maybe you don't need it because your skin is still rapidly rejuvenating itself, but if you can afford the initial sensitivity then i see no harm in using it. magic ingredient. start with less irritating retinoids (lower concentration and weaker), as u get used to it u can upgrade to retinol and then eventually tret (and tret is usually prescription only so ask ur derm)

I signed up for Curology which gave me a light 0.01% tret cream along with a cleanser and moisturizer. Haven't noticed much difference after two months but I like their moisturizer.

0.01% tret is pretty weak normally prescription tends to 0.1% so urs will be gentler

tbh im considering curology and demanding 0.1% tret and 4% azaleic acid just because it seems convenient to have two in one step and i can get prescription strength tret

its like $10 for 1 mo?

There are three options for with and without moisturizer/cleanser. The full set is $30/month, tret only is $20/month. They send the kit and charge your card once every two months. I haven't been able to use up the tret or cleanser, only the moisturizer. You get a "consultation" when signing up which just involves taking pictures of your face. A dermatologist will then recommend the strength of tret and give a basic routine. I wash my face with water in the morning and apply moisturizer, then use cleanser + moisturizer + tret in the evening. I think I'm gonna stick to it for a while if only because it gets rid of the hassle of having to look up and research different products.

this isn't so much skincare as it is haircare but i discovered the joy of tsubaki shampoo / conditioner / mask. good lord have i been missing out!!!

sorta related does the idea of dry shampoo boggle anyone else...? i feel like the ppl who use dry shampoo that i've met have rly smelly hair. dunno if that's a reason why but idk