Dermatica - help please

[funtimefrank]

I started on Dermatica about 3 months ago. Anti ageing formula - mid 40s not too wrinkly but a bit coarse. It's 0.05 of Tret and 4% Niacinamide. I use it maybe 5 days out of 7.

Cleanse face with either cetaphil or cerave twice a day and an oil based face wash once a week (my Sunday bath face wash - I'm so 80s). On the days I don't use the dermatica I use a cerave moisturiser at night.

In the morning I use hada labo super hydrator, a tinted moisturiser and an spf if I leave the house.

My skin feels so sore! It's a bit less congested and the texture is marginally better according to dh but I get random spots and peeling skin. I think it's worse since using the hada labo but wouldn't swear to it. I think it's redder. I certainly am not glowing unless it's similar to a side of bacon.

Advice? I've just got this month's dermatica so shall I try that without the hada labo or give it up as a bad job.

My face hurts!

I would scale the Dermatica right back, every 3/4th evening and scale it up very slowly.
I would also use a moisturizer like lrp cicaplast to combat the dry/soreness

Agree. I know the leaflet says to use it every day but I usually use it every other night. You can also buffer it (apply it after a moisturiser to dilute it). Once your skin has recovered you can then try without buffering.

For now you might just want to give your skin a break.

Thank you - I just found a YouTube link someone posted on another thread and I suspect I've been putting it on when my skin is too damp.

I'll reduce it down and try it over moisturiser.

Stop the hado labo super hydrator because it contains retinol using this plus tret is too much.

For hydration in the am use the plain hado labo, or use superdrug simply pure hydrating serum under spf which contains ceramides to build up/protect your skin barrier.

Ensure in the am to use a basic cleanser such as cerave (which contains ceramides) or simple moisturizing wash then do not to dry your face instead pat on hydrating serum or hyaluronic acid, when almost dry pat on moisturizer and spf.
At night double cleanse with simple oil cleanser and or cerave . Pat face dry after 5 mins apply tret then a simple moisturiser such as cerave, any basic moisturizer really, then if skin feels dry pat a little bit of oil on such as the ordinary squalane (not sure I have spelt this correctly) or boots hemp oil which i use it is gorgeous.

Dont use anything else for a good few months such as glycolic ....keep it simple and after a few months if you do use glycolic masks etc dont use tret that evening.

Have a night off such as Sunday and simply cleanse and moisturize

Ps used tret almost everyday for 8 years apart from sundays
I

Ah brill, thank you. I hadn't realised there was retinol in the hada labo.

I have used the Superdrug serum before and got on really well with it so will pick some up

The super hado labo is the culprit, just make sure if you pick up hyaluronic to use plain only but unless there is moisture in the air it dries skin out especially with central heating.

Just stick to the superdrug hydrator it is excellent

I leave my face to dry 30 mins before applying dermatica.

I had awful trouble with my dermatica product. Went from a few spots and blackheads to big sore areas on my face which would weep and bleed. Ended up swapping to Skin + Me and two months in am finally seeing a difference.