Pls recommend your Retinol product!

[Blossom4538]

Hi all,

I’ve started recently using Olay Retinol 24 Serum, which I love, but guess it is a mild retinol. Good place to start as I read to build up the strength slowly, but can’t decide whether to buy another or try a stronger, different retinol product now. Are there any you swear by?

Also, Alpha H Liquid Gold...understand this isn’t retinol and more of a glycolic acid product, but is it as good or poss better than retinol?

Thanks all! (From a stressed, tired 39 year old!)

Dermatica/Skin and Me. £20 a month prescription. Easy peasy. Every second/third night to start. SPF every day.

A great brand is Medik8, their Crystal Retinal is brilliant. Start at strength 3 and work your way up. No irritation. Facethefuture have good prices.
Or Indeed Labs is good but prob not much stronger than what you are using. In your position I'd hold off on going the prescription route until you're more used to it.

@Ponks, interesting that you mention Medik 8 as that’s what I’ve thought about moving to next. i’ve started with the Inkey List retinol which probably isn’t much of a retinol product but it was just a starting point. Have you used any other Medik 8 products? I also have my eye on their Press and Glow which is their pha tonic.

OP, sorry to hijack but your thread has caught my eye as in same boat.

Cant comment on the retinol but I love my Liquid Gold. Two to three times a week at night after cleansing, no moisturiser or anything on top and I wake up to a new face. I use it on my neck, chest and back of hands too. Definately make sure you have SPF though with both glycolic and retinol products.

@Lululu22 I've used the Crystal Retinal (up to 10), the R-Retinoate and currently using the R-Retinoate Intense , alternating nights with Crystal 10. Also used the retinol eye serum. Never had any irritation, the creams feel lovely. Can't say my skin looks like a 20 yr old though 😊. Still got crows feet! And age spots! But think the overall texture of my skin is improving.
Also wouldn't bother with the R-retinoate but the intense version seems much better.

Is 55 too late to start using retinol do you think? Have good skin thanks to dark complexion and generous use of SPF over many decades. But you know... 55!

I wouldn't hold off on the prescription route because they start on such low percentages. I've seen people on here have had 0.015 Tretinoin to start.

55 is definitely not too late to start scentedgeranium, it can reduce the rate of collagen loss.

Skin and me prescription

Thanks @Ponks, that’s a great recommendation! Just one more question! Would you start at 3 rather than 1? My skin isn’t sensitive! Thanks!

@Lululu22 I think I actually started with 6, after using others like Indeed Labs and The Ordinary. Maybe I have tough skin! Though I am more sensitive to glycolic and vitamin c, which can make my skin flare up.

@Ponks, maybe just a case of you using better quality starter retinols rather than tough skin!

Just ordered some Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3!

Thanks all!

@Blossom4538, please report back on it! I’m building up my skincare routine and will order their Press and Glow this weekend but intend to try their Crystal Retinal when I finish what I’m using so would love to hear how you find it ... first impressions obviously!

I've started applying vitamin A supplements directly to my skin, piercing the gel capsule and applying the oil inside. I'm experimenting on my crepey hands before trying my face.
Too early to tell if it's doing any good, but no bad reaction and if it works it will be a very cheap way of getting the benefits of retinol.

A313 £19.50 on amazon. I also use a retinol serum and a hyaluronic serum.

Just got my trial Dermatica prescription/sample.

Consider Paula’s choice. The purple ‘intense’ retinol is very strong at 1%, but they also have a retinol ‘booster drops’ product which lets you mix it into other products and work your way up to the hard stuff. Smart idea.

Another rec for Dermatica. I have sensitive skin, and they've been helpful about spacing out deliveries and so on. Works out pretty cheap too.

@LillithTheLynx I was wondering about this. It says it's a monthly subscription, but starting out I'm sure I wouldn't use up a bottle in one month - so seems potentially wasteful?

@LillithTheLynx should I use the Dermatica every day and (sorry to be dim..) will I notice any difference in first month? I want to be able to cancel if the whole thing is hog wash!

Can I just ask if anyone found taking 3 photos of themselves sans make up a little traumatic? I am nearly 50. I thought I was half tidy but my camera says otherwise

@CoffeeandCakeEqualsLove and
@scentedgeranium especially if you've got sensitive skin, I'd build up slowly and carefully. Maybe 2/3 days a week for the first month, with lots of moisturiser. If you use a pea-sized amount you won't use the bottle in a month, even if it's every day. I get a new order every 6-7 weeks.

I started noticing some difference in a couple of months (in pores and pigmentation and general 'glowiness' rather than fine lines, but I'm in my early 30s so not v wrinkly). It's not a quick fix, for sure

@LillithTheLynx
So do you pay £20/month for it to come every 6-7 weeks? Or is less because a bottle lasts you longer?

Trying to work out if it's £20/month or £20/bottle, if that makes sense!

[quote CoffeeandCakeEqualsLove]@LillithTheLynx I was wondering about this. It says it's a monthly subscription, but starting out I'm sure I wouldn't use up a bottle in one month - so seems potentially wasteful? [/quote]
@LillithTheLynx you can alter your delivery.
To six weeks etc... :)

So I can mix it with my ordinary (bland) nighttime moisturiser?
I've used it for three nights and don't seem to have suffered any irritation. And I'm using lots of spf in the daytime (as usual tbh)