Beauty

[monicakm]

@SilleeMee 

I think I might have overreacted.  Yes, they're there but maybe I was looking in my 5 or 10x mirror when I freaked out lol  Today as I was applying my skincare and then makeup, they were hardly noticeable.  Even if I didn't wear bangs they wouldn't be noticeable (yet) to anyone else.  IF I get some retin A, what strength should I start out with?  I use 2.5% retinol on my face, neck and chest with no irritation.  

And speaking of retinol, if I upgrade to a 3% from my current 2.5%, can you suggest a few good brands please?  

[monicakm]

@gertrudecloset 

I thought Joan Rivers always had her aging issues removed with plastic surgery 

LOL, that's what I was thinking.

[SilleeMee]

---

@monicakm wrote:

@SilleeMee 

I think I might have overreacted.  Yes, they're there but maybe I was looking in my 5 or 10x mirror when I freaked out lol  Today as I was applying my skincare and then makeup, they were hardly noticeable.  Even if I didn't wear bangs they wouldn't be noticeable (yet) to anyone else.  IF I get some retin A, what strength should I start out with?  I use 2.5% retinol on my face, neck and chest with no irritation.  

And speaking of retinol, if I upgrade to a 3% from my current 2.5%, can you suggest a few good brands please?  

---

@monicakm 

Tretinoin is approx 20 times more potent than retinol. I can only say that I started with using 0.5% tret and had to work my way up to using it every night. Took months. Results also take months. It's very different from retinol in the time it takes to see results plus you will have to change your routine somewhat to use it according to recommended application. 

Since I haven't used retinol in a very long time I really have no idea what to recommend for that.

[SilleeMee]

@monicakm 

When you use tretinoin you're addressing most all of the signs of aging. In other words, you can stop using nearly everything you have as far as anti-aging is concerned when you use tret. It's a one-and-done situation with maybe the addition of an exfoliant and a moisturizer. Unless you have skin which needs extra care for one issue or another, tret is really all you need for your ant-aging skin care routine.

[monicakm]

@SilleeMee 

My biggest issues aren't lines or wrinkles or flakiness or rosacea or oil or pimples.  The only real issue I battle is dryness.  It doesn't look dry or feel dry because I throw  8-9 products on it every day to hydrate the heck out of it.  Will Retin A worsen dryness?  I use a gentle exfoliant every night (Tatcha Rice Powder) and that vibrating tool a few of us bought a couple of years ago.  It's nubby silicone facial cleanser. I use that with Tatcha Rice Wash or Naturium's Fermented Rice Cleanser.

[SilleeMee]

---

@monicakm wrote:

@SilleeMee 

My biggest issues aren't lines or wrinkles or flakiness or rosacea or oil or pimples.  The only real issue I battle is dryness.  It doesn't look dry or feel dry because I throw  8-9 products on it every day to hydrate the heck out of it.  Will Retin A worsen dryness?  I use a gentle exfoliant every night (Tatcha Rice Powder) and that vibrating tool a few of us bought a couple of years ago.  It's nubby silicone facial cleanser. I use that with Tatcha Rice Wash or Naturium's Fermented Rice Cleanser.

---

@monicakm 

Tret will make your skin dry b/c it increases cell turnover which means there will be dead skin on the surface. 

Tret is not a product that is to be used temporarily. It is a long-term treatment product (a drug to be precise) where it slows down the aging process. The sooner you start using it, the younger you will look in the years to come. I regret not using it starting in my 30s and even in my late 20s. Tret keeps you looking young for your age. 

[gertrudecloset]

I thought Retin A and Retinol were two different chemicals?  From what I gather they are.......

[SilleeMee]

@monicakm 

If your skin is dry, I would exfoliate less frequently so your skin barrier can regain it's moisture content. Cleansing too often, even sometimes with just water, can remove some the barrier so you want to leave it alone for a few days at a time.

[Tinkrbl44]

---

@monicakm wrote:

@SilleeMee 

I think I might have overreacted.  Yes, they're there but maybe I was looking in my 5 or 10x mirror when I freaked out lol  Today as I was applying my skincare and then makeup, they were hardly noticeable.  Even if I didn't wear bangs they wouldn't be noticeable (yet) to anyone else.  IF I get some retin A, what strength should I start out with?  I use 2.5% retinol on my face, neck and chest with no irritation.  

And speaking of retinol, if I upgrade to a 3% from my current 2.5%, can you suggest a few good brands please?  

---

@monicakm 

Well, here's a little advice .... no matter how curious you may ever get, DO NOT look at your face up close in a 15x magnification mirror!   

I was in a beauty supply store and mindlessly noticed "15x" and picked it up to look at my face.  Holy kwap!  A sales person was walking by and laughed at my expression ... she said everyone reacts the same way.  

I learned my lesson.

[monicakm]

@Tinkrbl44 

LOL

I should have known better.  But they're coming...