Just received my Tretinoin, advice needed

[User170451]

I finally took the plunge and ordered tretinoin. I have just received my order today and I’m just looking for advice on what products to use with it. Which cleanser and nighttime moisturiser do you use? I have an spf50 for mornings already

Where did you get your Tretinoin from?

Ordered it? You really need to go to a GP and get this prescribed.

I use an oil cleanser and add cerave creme at night. what dose did you get? start very slow. it's powerful stuff.

I use cerave in the mornings too plus sun block. I don't use anything else.

Go slow
Put it on dry skin, not damp
Use it once a week, then twice a week and build it up
Moisturise afterwards
If you start badly flaking etc then back off and drop back how often you're applying it

A GP isn't going to prescribe it, it's either buy it or go via skin and me/dermatica etc

Agreed with starting slow! I use a very basic balm cleanser (bought from Aldi and not available any more), cerave moisturiser (or the cream version is also good - both are massive so last ages) and a bit of caster oil on top. Just keep it very simple and no actives at least to begin with.

I’m guessing it’s dermatica or skin&me?

don’t stress it’s easy and your face won’t melt…

i used every other night on dry clean skin.
in the morning I used any old cleanser to clean my face and I put on moisturer (I use my kids cream QA I think? It’s an emollient)
then 30mins later spf50.
If no irritation move up to nightly

if you get irritation sandwich technique is good (you moisture before and after tret). Also if you get cracked edges of mouth use some Vaseline pre-tret. It’s good near delicate eye area too.

im now on 0.1% tret and had no purging shedding or anything else weird except people telling me my skin looks great.

Apply a thin layer.

Yes I got it from dermatica. The dose they have sent is 0.05%
perfect thank you for all the tips. I’ve been thinking of starting for months. My DD turning my phone camera to face me was the push I needed to get started 😂

I found it irritated my eyes overnight and got onto the edges of my lips despite my best efforts. Now I cover my eye socket area with vaseline and go over the edges of my lips with vaseline and this has fixed it.

I really recommend getting a barrier cream just to pop on sensitive areas (corners of mouth and nose) despite using moisturiser religiously I got really painful cracks in those areas and had to stop for a month.

Dermatica is quite a high dose, I often do it every other night.

How do we layer it?
Is it tret on top of bare skin and then moisturiser or Vaseline....or is it tret on top of moisturiser?

I'm reading so many different variations....

@ihatecoffee no tret is always before moisturiser.

I think Dermatica said: cleanse, tret, leave 10 mins, then moisturiser.

If you're using SPF use that last, I like to wait for my moisturiser to have sunk in a bit (which means I forget it a lot though!)

I use after my hyaluronic acid serum has dried down (don't use on wet or damp skin) then put a thick moisturiser on top. I've never had any peeling or purging.

My friend said it was too much for her skin so she puts on a thin layer of moisturiser, treat and then a thicker layer of moisturiser

I would never use sunscreen at night though which is when I'd use my tret.....

@ihatecoffee sorry yes good point I don't use tret in the morning, I use vit C in the morning.

@ihatecoffee so just ignore the sunscreen point lol, cleanse, tret, 10 mins, moisturise.

But use sunscreen in the morning because tret makes you more susceptible to UV.

0.05 is a higher than normal starter dose, I would suggest be cautious at first, maybe a tiny amount every other night for the first few weeks ,i always put moisturiser first, make sure your skin is not wet and don't put around the nose , corner of the mouth or near the eyes. Irritation from tret can take a week or two to start. If you can tolerate it, build up to daily after a few weeks but don't rush it as the irritation from tret takes a while to die down once it starts . Good luck, it is amazing once you've adapted to it..

GPs will not prescribe it for cosmetic reasons!

Yes I do use factor 50 every morning.....but strangely I tan really easily and always have some colour.
When I had a facial recently the lady said I had amazing skin and I've not even started tret yet so I hope it'll keep my skin looking good!