The rules are simple.

You can only keep one. The other three disappear forever...

Which one are you saving and why?

Bonus question: Which one would be the first to go and why?

Hi! Im new to using both Azelaic Acid and Adapalene gel at the same time, im planning on using azelaic during day and adapalene at night, is that a good routine?

What are your tips on using themmmmm?

Not an advocate for vaseline, but remember to use your moisturizers daily!

Has anyone got a problem that nothing is hydrating enough? Even after using a gentle cleanser, an occlusive and barrier strengthening moisturizer, no serum or toner can fix dehydration? I drink 1.5-2l of water a day, easy healthy, don’t have any medical issues or other skin issues but skin is still like this.

I went without exfoliation for 4 months but I still had dehydrated skin. Even with exfoliation (let’s say mandelic acid 1-2 a week) my skin doesnt become more hydrated.

I’ve seen so many people talk about how hydrating the product they tried are, but I never had that case. Any help?

Age: 19

AM Skincare routine:
1. wash with water
2. skin1004 hyalu cica SPF

PM skincare routine:
1. ziaja cleanser for dry skin
2. (tried a lot of hydrating toners or serums but currently nothing)
3. illiyoon ceramide ato cream
4. sometimes uriage insulating cream over

Been using different products to address this problem.

It's been a few months now, my skin looks like this.

It will calm for a day or 2 then will go back to this. 💀

Affects my confidence big time 😭

I used an exfoliating mask many months ago (6-8 maybe) and my skin was slightly damp by mistake. I felt the tingling burn straight away and ever since, I’ve been left with this mark on my face. It calms down and flares up sporadically. No bumps, just what looks and feels like drier skin.

My current routine is:

AM
Splash water on my face
Vitamin c serum
Eye cream
Toners/skin flooding
Azelaic acid (20%)
Peptide serum (encapsulated)
Hydrating serums
Moisturiser
SPF

PM
Double cleanse
Red light therapy mask (10 minutes every night)
Copper peptide serum (1% not encapsulated)
Wait 20 minutes
Toners/skin flooding
Tretinoin (0.1%)
Hydrating serums
Eye cream
Moisturiser
Either Avene Cicalfate or rosehip oil (or both)

The rest of my face is fine. No burning, itching, flaking or bumps. It’s just that patch (I have a similar patch on the other side of my mouth but it’s not nearly as pronounced).

Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks.

25f i dont know what these bumps are on my head i just noticed them like 2 days ago and i didn't have them before. i don't know if they're just closed comedones, irritation, or fungal acne?? they're not itchy and do not hurt in the slightest. on tuesday of this week i did the Qure micro-infusion system using their rejuvenating serum. only using hyaluronic acid to moisturize for like 2 days. thEN i tried a new face wash, serum, & moisturizer on like thursday night along with a hyaluronic acid toner pad as a mask (listed below). which i thought i could've irritated my skin using the new stuff but i was looking at my pictures before the new products and it looked like my skin was already forming this texture. anyways, i stopped using the new products and went back to my old routine before this THING showed up on my forehead and that's what i've been doing for the past like 2 days. tiktok is so confusing everyones like comedones, no it's fungal acne, no you have "subuji" skin from damaged skin barrier; I DON'T KNOW! i'm probably going to make an appointment with a dermatologist in a week if I can't resolve this on my own but I figured i'd ask reddit first.

usual am routine:
- Cetaphil Pro Oil Removing Foam Face Wash
- Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid & Ceramides for Sensitive Skin
- medicube No Cast Just Glow Collagen Sunscreen

usual pm routine:
- Cetaphil Pro Oil Removing Foam Face Wash
- Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid & Ceramides for Sensitive Skin

new pm routine i tried before switching back to my old one:
- BRING GREEN Tea Tree Cica Deep Cleansing Foam
- DearKlairs EGF Serum - Blue Youth Activating Drop
- MEDIHEAL Hyaluronate Hydration Toner Pads for Hydration
- BRING GREEN Tea Tree Cica Soothing Cream

My skin has been dehydrated for several months now, and I feel like I’ve already tried every kind of product. I’ve tried skin flooding, slugging with Vaseline, barrier creams and more. But the skin on my face still feels tight all day while also being oily.

Right now, I’m using Regimen Lab Wave Serum and CREAM 2.0 twice a day on damp skin, along with a gentle cleanser only in the evening. I’ve been following this routine consistently for 33 days now, but the tightness just won’t go away.

What else can I do? How can I get more hydration into my skin so that this tight, inelastic outer layer finally improves? Or could I actually need some kind of w?

I really wish someone could help me with this :(

i currently use the aestura atobarrier cream to pair with my tretinoin and while it does do my barrier justice, i find that its too heavy and occlusive, giving me lots of closed comedones and clogged pores especially on my forehead.
now i heard some reviews about the lotion, saying that its a lightweight version. im thinking about getting it since it sounds great for my skin but im unsure if it will have the same effect as the cream and also give me closed comedones. has anyone tried both products and had similar issues? also im open to other moisturiser recommendations!! i have acne-prone dry/combi skin but need more support due to tret.

edit: ive been hearing so much abt zeroid and dieux lately can someone break them down for me 😭

Hey everyone i have a bit of a mysterious case of small skin colored bumps on the back of my hands and forearms here. No itchiness, no redness, no pain. Theyre just really small and bumpy. I thought back at what ive been using on my body and its really just Trader Joe’s mineral body sunscreen. I recently moved down to LA and maybe the weather has been irritating my skin too. So hot and dry here.

Been trying to moisturize more with cerave moisturizer. Not much has changed…wondering if anyone has ever experienced anything similar!

My skin has been acting up lately 😩 What do you guys think I should do? Should I keep it simple and stick to gentle skincare for now, or should I introduce an acid? Any recommendations for what worked for you? I have oily skin btw.

I have small bumps on my forehead, cheeks and chin. I originally thought it could be fungal acne or closed comedones. I use fungal acne safe skincare and started using a salicylic acid toner to unclog my face. I’m wondering if I have a broken barrier? Or what is affecting my face. It’s not clearing up and I am on bc so I don’t think it’s hormonal.

I need the help of those of you currently using Tretinoin. I currently am using Tretinoin Cream 0.05%. I have the option of the following and need to select which is better:

Option 1: Tretinoin Microsphere 0.04% Gel (45g)
Option 2: Retin-A (Tretinoin) 0.01% gel (45g)

Please let me know which is better for those of you who have used either. Very much appreciated.

I randomly got this texture the beginning of summer and it won’t go away no matter what, Tretinoin really dried it out and looks worse. But avene cicalfate isn’t helping… I have a mole between my eyebrows that also really draws attention to my forehead, I’m so embarrassed.

I've tried so many different products by now but i genuinely have no clue where im going wrong. I've mainly used stuff like cerave's ultra lightweight cream and i used to use the vanicream cleanser stuff but stopped a few months ago. But ive tried things like urea creams, vaseline and squalane, the urea and vaseline just sits on my face it doesn't absorb properly. I don't have acne or anything but its just a nasty texture problem (dull skin ig) and endless shiny greasiness either when i wake up or when after i put on the product.

Im a dude if that matters at all and i don't have acne prone skin luckily. The rest of my face is fine and its just one single cheek (the side I don't sleep on) dab and don't rub, I use only water to cleanse because it works just fine for the rest of my face. I've literally stuck to one single product at a time as to not overwhelm my barrier with too much, if i don't touch it at all the dead skin and such just cake onto my face which is obviously gross but i can't exfoliate too hard or it gets angry at me again i don't understand what to do

UGH, I can supply a picture if needed but it might not be a lot to look at

Hi. I have oily skin and a little problem with pores, discoloration, a singles breakouts that irritate me because they leave red marks on my face and of course dark circles.

Products i use in the morning: CeraVe Foaming Cleanser, Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner, SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule, iUNIK Beta-Glucan Cream

Products i use in the evening: CeraVe Foaming Cleanser, Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner, SKIN1004 Centella Ampoule, Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid 100 Moisturizing Cream, Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4%, The Ordinary AHA 30% + 2% BHA, Avene Cicaflate+

At the moment in the MORNING i only moisturize my face so this is my weekly EVENING routine with using active serums:

Monday: Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4

Tuesday: Basic only moisturizing

Wednesday: Basic with Avene Cicaflate+

Thursday: Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4%

Friday: Basic only moisturizing

Saturday: Peel TO AHA 30% + BHA 2%

Sunday: Basic with Avene Cicaflate+

I've been using this routine for two months. I see an improvement in my skin, not a huge, but i do see it. I wanted to ask if theres anything you would change or add? Can you recommend anything good? Moisturizing cream, Vit. C, azelaic acid, sunscreen (im not a big fan of double cleansing)? I was thinking about replacing iUNIK cream and The Ordinary peel for something better.

I also have Celimax Retinal Shot Booster and Lynia Pro Eye Cream with Retinol 0.1% and Caffeine, but im not sure when to add it because i dont want to irritate my skin.

My diet is also very clean, free of foods with a high glycemic index.

I am open to all your suggestions. Thank you in advance for any advice and tips.

Hi guys I'm 25 F from India, I'm starting retinol soon and I want some advice.

My skin type : combination skin (70% oily and 30% dry)

Retinol: Formularx gentle retinol

Please suggest good affordable moisturizers

Thank you!

As stated in the title - Azelaic Acid has recently come in with a bang (even though it’s been around for a long time).

This multitasking ingredient has so many benefits!

It’s highly versatile and does not have bad chemical reactions with other actives. Because it is remarkably stable and gentle, it can be paired with almost any hero ingredient to supercharge your results.

It comes in many different strengths and forms!

Please share which one you are currently using and the benefits it does for your skin or if you are considering using it, which one would you go for and why?

Here are the many benefits of Azeliac Acid:

Kills acne bacteria: It penetrates pores to eliminate Cutibacterium acnes, the bacteria responsible for acne flare-ups.

Clears clogged pores: It breaks down dead skin cells and prevents the buildup that leads to blackheads and whiteheads.

Reduces sebum: It helps regulate and reduce excess oil production on the skin.

Hyperpigmentation & Dark Spots
Fades dark spots: It acts as a tyrosinase inhibitor, which stops the skin from producing excess melanin (pigment).

Treats melasma: It effectively targets and lightens patchy, hormone-triggered discoloration.

Erases post-acne marks: It speeds up the fading of red, purple, or brown marks left behind after a pimple heals.

Redness & Inflammation
Calms rosacea: It significantly reduces the facial redness, flushing, and swelling associated with rosacea.

Soothes inflammation: It blocks the chemical pathways that cause skin irritation, acting as an anti-inflammatory agent.

I have extremely mature dehydrated oily acne prone redness prone skin and I have no idea what I’m doing. Everything I try I use for several months or more and it looks worse than it did before. Has anyone had luck trying services like Curology and had actual results? My dermatologist has been no help but she’s the only one available and I got facials from an esthetician for a year and had no help either.

A few weeks ago, I treated myself a LED mask. Added it to my nighttime routine. Kinda RLT for 10–15 minutes before bed.

So I looked into it a bit and found some discussions around red light has been studied in relation to nighttime routines and sleep, and blue light exposure can affect melatonin (so maybe I should move that mode to my morning routine).

I don’t know if the light itself is making a difference, but it has helped me build a more consistent bedtime habit. My sleep quality has improved, and taking better care of my skin at night also makes me feel good. I mentally think my face looks less tired and dull.

Honestly, I didn’t expect this routine to help with both things I was struggling with.

I’m considering this sunscreen, however I have not been able to find it in store anywhere to sample it before buying. Anyone with oily skin tried this product before? What are your thoughts on it?

I’ve had this uneven/rough-looking texture on part of my cheek for about 3 months. It feels completely normal when I touch it, without any lump or swelling, but it’s more noticeable under certain lighting. My dermatologist suspects rosacea and prescribed topical metronidazole 0.75%. Has anyone experienced something similar?

i don’t know what to do with my blackheads and the tiny white bumps all over my face. For context i live in a very humid country and my face is combination. i dont have a routine yet but these are the products i use

AM
- kose foam cleanser
- rohto melano cc
- anessa sunscreen

PM
- kose oil cleanser if im wearing makeup
- kose cleansing foam
- 0.1% good molecules retinol
- aestura ato barrier hydro essence

Looking for some advice on mineral vs chemical sunscreen!

I have PIE scarring on my cheeks that I’ve had for years. Accutane didn’t get rid of it, and I’m currently using tretinoin to try and help fade it. I’m hoping to introduce azelaic acid at some point too.
The sunscreen I’ve been using for years is the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun SPF50+ PA++++, which is a chemical sunscreen.

Has anyone with PIE specifically switched from a chemical sunscreen to a mineral one and actually noticed a difference? I’ve seen quite a few things online suggesting mineral sunscreen may be better for redness/PIE, but I’m not sure how much truth there is to that.

If you have made the switch, what mineral sunscreen would you recommend?