- PPF Points
- 2,888
Starting retinol? Oh man, it’s a whole ride. I’ll never forget staring at those little tubes in the drugstore, absolutely certain I was either about to fry my face off or magically erase every pore. Seriously, the amount of conflicting advice in those skincare forums could make your head spin.
Here’s the deal: retinol is no joke, so don’t get all wild and start slapping the max strength stuff on your face unless you love chaos. If you’re new, go tiny. Like, microscopic. That 0.1% or 0.25% version might sound wimpy, but trust me, your skin will thank you. No shame in baby steps—especially if your skin freaks out whenever you look at it wrong.
I screwed up big time by going all in right away. Used it nightly, thinking I was hardcore—ended up looking like a lizard in molting season. Dry patches, red flakiness, the full disaster. Honestly, I almost gave up until I tried the “buffering” trick (bless the internet): mix a petit pea-blob of retinol with a thick dollop of moisturizer. Just two nights a week at first, easy does it. Also, slather it on dry skin only—don’t ask me why, something about less irritation or whatever, but it works. Top it off with the richest moisturizer you got; otherwise, say hello to crocodile face.
And let’s talk sunscreen—seriously, don’t mess around. Using retinol and skipping SPF is like buying new shoes and then stomping around in the rain. What are you even doing? Skin gets all fresh and new, and then, boom, sun comes in and ruins the party.
Eventually, things smoothed out. Less bumpy nonsense, breakouts chilled out, and even a faint glow if I squinted just right in the mirror. Retinol’s definitely a slow burn—you’re not gonna turn into a supermodel overnight. What about you? Any retinol rookie horror stories, or are you still hovering nervously by the shelf, trying to decide if you’re brave enough to jump in?
Here’s the deal: retinol is no joke, so don’t get all wild and start slapping the max strength stuff on your face unless you love chaos. If you’re new, go tiny. Like, microscopic. That 0.1% or 0.25% version might sound wimpy, but trust me, your skin will thank you. No shame in baby steps—especially if your skin freaks out whenever you look at it wrong.
I screwed up big time by going all in right away. Used it nightly, thinking I was hardcore—ended up looking like a lizard in molting season. Dry patches, red flakiness, the full disaster. Honestly, I almost gave up until I tried the “buffering” trick (bless the internet): mix a petit pea-blob of retinol with a thick dollop of moisturizer. Just two nights a week at first, easy does it. Also, slather it on dry skin only—don’t ask me why, something about less irritation or whatever, but it works. Top it off with the richest moisturizer you got; otherwise, say hello to crocodile face.
And let’s talk sunscreen—seriously, don’t mess around. Using retinol and skipping SPF is like buying new shoes and then stomping around in the rain. What are you even doing? Skin gets all fresh and new, and then, boom, sun comes in and ruins the party.
Eventually, things smoothed out. Less bumpy nonsense, breakouts chilled out, and even a faint glow if I squinted just right in the mirror. Retinol’s definitely a slow burn—you’re not gonna turn into a supermodel overnight. What about you? Any retinol rookie horror stories, or are you still hovering nervously by the shelf, trying to decide if you’re brave enough to jump in?
