How to Start on Tretinoin (Retin-A) and Retinol

My Routine for Starting on Tretinoin (Retin-A) Cream

I recently started using a prescription tretinoin cream, a generic version of Retin-A (Stieva-A). Tretinoin is probably THE most popular and evidence-supported retinoid (vitamin A derivative) ingredient in skincare. It works as an acne treatment, for anti-aging (both wrinkles and uneven pigment) and a generous handful of other skin issues. I’ve had a lot of requests for advice and tutorials …

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How to Use Comedogenicity Ratings

rabbit-ear-test-comedogenicity

You’ve probably seen a comedogenicity chart like these ones (and the one further down the page) before, rating different ingredients on their ability to cause pimples. Supposedly you check the ingredients list of your product against the comedogenicity list. If it has highly comedogenic ingredients, it will cause pimples, if it doesn’t, then it won’t. It’s simple, systematic and foolproof, right? …

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My Emergency Routine for Treating an Irritant Breakout

My Emergency Routine for Treating an Irritant Breakout

A couple of weeks ago I had an irritant breakout reaction from testing a product, and I posted about it on Instagram. I’m still not 100% sure which product it was, but I used an anti-breakout routine that flattened my pimples in about 24 hours, and they were almost completely gone in around 3 days. I had a lot of …

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The Pros and Cons of Accutane (Isotretinoin) for Acne

The Pros and Cons of Accutane (Isotretinoin) for Acne

This is a guest post from Facing Acne. In the history of acne treatments, there has never been a medication that has caused more controversy than Accutane. There is also no treatment that has ever produced such startling results. For this reason, Accutane has both its passionate defenders and its equally passionate detractors. The choice of whether to try Accutane …

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Video: Is My Skin Purging or Breaking Out?

Video: Is My Skin Purging or Breaking Out?

Here’s my second video. It’s based on my Purging vs Breakouts post, which I got a lot of questions on – I’m hoping that this video makes things a bit clearer if you’re trying to work out if you’re purging or breaking out from a new product! In it I cover: the science behind purging and breakouts tips on working …

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Meditate Your Way to Better Skin: The Science of Stress

Meditate Your Way to Better Skin: The Science of Stress

It’s pretty obvious that psychological stress impacts on your physical health and skin, but exactly how they’re linked isn’t well understood. “Stress” is a bit vague and difficult to measure. But there’s more and more research on how stress impacts your body, and how reducing stress can help. A small amount of stress can actually be a good thing. Humans …

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All About Over-the-Counter Differin (Adapalene) for Acne

All About Over-the-Counter Differin (Adapalene) for Acne

The popular prescription acne treatment Differin is now available over-the-counter without a prescription in the US. Here’s what you need to know about whether or not you should consider it… (Note: This isn’t intended to be medical advice. Please seek professional advice if there’s anything you’re unsure about!) What is Differin? Differin is the brand name for adapalene, a chemical …

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Why Benzoyl Peroxide Is a Great Acne Treatment

Why Benzoyl Peroxide Is a Great Acne Treatment

If you have mild to moderate acne, one of the first treatments your doctor or pharmacist will recommend is benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide (also known as BPO or BP) has been used for treating acne since the 1930s, and it’s still going strong! Here’s why: How Does Benzoyl Peroxide Fight Acne? Benzoyl peroxide is a powerful antimicrobial Benzoyl peroxide kills …

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