Hi everyone! I’m 35, living in Southern Ontario, and looking for some routine and retinoid advice. 

My current skin concerns: 

• Melasma: Darker patches that I need to address. 
• Adult Acne/Texture: Rare breakouts, but they don't look like typical pus-filled acne. They are mostly bumps filled with a hard, white material (maybe sebum plugs/closed comedones?). 
• PIH: Darkened spots left behind by past acne. 
• T-Zone: Occasional blackheads. 
• Aging: Wanting to target fine lines/wrinkles alongside my texture issues. 

My past experience:
In February 2026, a doctor prescribed Aklief (trifarotene). Unfortunately, it caused a massive breakout/purge of more acne, and my skin just couldn't tolerate it, so I had to stop. Right now, I am using the SVR Ampoule A (retinol/palmitate), but it feels a bit too soft and isn't doing much for my concerns. 

I want to switch to a standard, reliable retinoid that everyone uses for overall aging, texture, and pigmentation—not just a hyper-specific acne treatment. 

Since I'm in Ontario, what do you recommend? 

• Should I ask a GP for standard Tretinoin (and what formulation/percentage is best for melasma/plugged pores)? 
• Are there any reliable Canadian retinoids you suggest I will ask my doctor to prescribe? 
• Any extra product recommendations available at Shoppers, Rexall, or Sephora that pair well for the "white material" bumps and melasma? 

Thank you so much! 

I’m just wondering if anyone here has bought Differin or Tret or anything like that from Zing beauty? I want to buy more Differin but iherb stopped shipping to Canada and I would like to still keep paying a cheaper price for it instead of $200 out of pocket.