5 Surprising Things That Happened When I Quit Tretinoin

[@KellyDriscoll]

|| Discount Codes || YESSTYLE: *Use code KELLYDRIS to take 5% off your Yesstyle order (2% returning customers)* STYLEVANA: Use code SHOPKELLDRIS for 10% off your Stylevana order WISHTREND: Use Code KELLY15 for 15% off your Wishtrend order (some exclusions may apply) OLIVE YOUNG: Use Code KELLYDRIS1 for 5% off your Olive Young order STRATIA: Use Code KELLDRIS at Stratia Skin for 10% off your order || Chapters || 0:00 Intro 0:41 Why I Stopped Tretinoin 2:32 What I THOUGHT Would Happen 4:39 What Happened 4:51 Less Dryness 7:02 I Can Use More Actives 8:49 Simpler Skincare Routines 11:06 Less Breakouts 14:22 I Didn’t Get Old 17:23 Bottom Line and Why I’m Sharing this Experience || Social || TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@kellydriscoll Instagram: instagram.com/kelldris Check out The Unpacking Beauty Podcast: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unpackingbeauty Recently Worn: shopmy.us/kellydriscoll/closet

[@Ricalitch]

I have tried and tried with Tretinoin, but I just find that with consistency with Azelaic Acid, Vit C & Retinol & peptides, niacinamide + Centella products, masking... has been great. I'm so glad to see you are doing well without it!! :)

[@jennybee42]

My dermatologist told me it's far better to use whatever retinoid you can the most often. So if something is too strong to use 5 times a week, it would be better to use something weaker more often than using the strong product less often. I have found that Adapalene is a good happy medium for me. I wasn't seeing results with an inactive form. I've never tried Tret, I might in the future. I'm 41 and so happy with my skin, it is the best it's been in a long time.

[@joaogabriel1820]

@@jennybee42 this is not 100% true. tret 3 times a week is actually effective for wrinkles and fine lines, and arguably even more effective than everyday retinol. i would agree with your derm if one cannot ever tolerate tret 3 times a week, cause in this scenario your skin wouldn’t get the pharmacological properties of tret very often, so retinol(al) more frequently is actually better

[@fionac3578]

Imo the number 1 most important part of any anti-aging skincare regimen is keeping your barrier intact and reducing inflammation. You did the right thing Kelly ❤

[@janesmitson7404]

I think tretinion is one of those long haul things and basic to good skin care. Like brushing your teeth. Even if you use it 3x a week. But I'd never totally give it up. I think you'd see a difference in 20 years not using tretinoin to 20 years using it. It's as important as sunscreen to me, but that's just my opinion.

[@AnastasiaChekhova]

Your experience makes total sense, thanks for sharing. I’m three months in on tretinoin and my skin never looked better. For me it’s kind of backwards - I kinda think “why I spent years and astonishing amounts of money for all the actives, all the serums, all the steps if tretinion does it all for me and looks like does it better”. But I’m also super oily and having a drier skin is a new interesting experience for me. Also, I’m not a fan of mixing skincarec but I’ve tried your tip about adding Cicaplast in my evening moisturizer and it worked like a charm. Big thanks!

[@annlynngarviefinley5581]

I started tretinoin on 2/13/20 and it took me until this week, 9/30/24 to get to 0.1%. My compound formula contains the same other ingredients that Kelly mentioned in her previous formula. I’ve used the new formula twice so far this week and so far so good which actually really surprised me! But winter is coming so instead of using it 4 to 5 nights a week, I might need to scale it back a bit until Spring. Great video, Kelly!

[@KellyDriscoll]

Oh nice! It's really a slow game, we started around the same time and I got to .05%!

[@Espritlumiere]

May I ask why you had to go up to 0.1%?

[@nolankvn]

i'm a guy in his mid 30's and I just decided to stop tretinoin after 2.5 years because of the routine inflexibility + always super shiny skin, i feel like this video is perfectly timed for me! appreciated

[@skincarewithaustin]

I’m late 20s and been on tret for almost 10 years. I’ve considered stopping so many times because it makes my skin so shiny!! I guess some would consider it a ‘glow’, but I’m not sure men’s skin will ever be perceived as glowing… People just tell me I’m shiny all the time. 🙃

[@no.6377]

@@skincarewithaustin hey, did you stop it and find a good alternative? I'm a woman, but the shiny skin that tret gives me is so....uncanny. Reddit keeps calling it the "tret glow", but it legit just looks like grease to me. Even though my skin is perfectly dry😣

[@skincarewithaustin]

@@no.6377 I got a bad flare of perioral dermatitis recently and had to stop for about 3 weeks. With only 3 weeks off, my skin texture became a lot less taught, and I saw less elasticity around my eyes with a few lines sticking around. However, my skin became a lot less rosy and was no longer shiny. I’m now back on it 😅 I think to achieve all the benefits of tret without tret, I’d need to use a lot of different things. I prefer the one stop shop instead. I’ve just accepted the shine, despite how strange it is.

[@lorainemcgillivray77]

Hi Kelly I had to stop tretinoin a few years ago due to rosacea and menopause. During perimenopause I was using tretinoin fairly successfully outwith a few flares of rosacea, but once I hit true menopause my skin just became too sensitive to tolerate it as the rosacea worsened. The complete lack of oestrogen made my skin much drier as well, so tretinoin became too strong and too irritating. I had been using it consistently for a few years prior to that point, but inflammation is actually really aging and I wasn’t even able to use it with any consistency anyway. I had been dabbling at that time with azelaic acid during my breaks with tretinoin (I could not use both together even at the other end of the day) and truthfully azelaic acid was working better for me in how my skin looked and felt (15% finnacea). I have dabbled with retinaldehyde since, but my main active is azelaic acid. I’m more concerned with skin that isn’t painful and inflamed than wrinkles, so it was an easy choice tbh. Azelaic acid as a bonus keeps my pores really clear and improves skin texture over and above the redness reduction I mainly use it for. I also use niacinamide and peptides and a milder AHA etc within my routine for some collagen boost hopefully 😂. It’s been a journey. Tretinoin is an excellent ingredient for many many people, but it’s not suitable for everyone and especially difficult to use with rosacea and eczema as I have. Best wishes x

[@KellyDriscoll]

Thank you for sharing your experience, Loraine! Especially interesting to take into consideration how menopause affects the skin!

[@annikaknoche6362]

So refreshing to hear this! I live in a country( Sweden) where we can’t get tret anymore ( not even on prescription) and I use retinaldehyde instead. The majority of influencers that I follow on youtube always sing the praises of tretinoin… ” the gold standard” ” the gold standard” and it sometimes sounds like as if no other active ingredient is worth our time and efford…. Surely, tretinoin has existed for a long long time and lots of research has proven its benefits. But that’s just one ingredient. It’s now 2024 and there is so much more on the market. We jusr don’t know… maybe retinaldehyde and peptides are even more beneficial for well aging than tret is. Great video as always!❤❤❤

[@davidsentosa779]

Although it's well studied, it's not the only option that works. Also worth mentioning the irritating side effect is more likely with tret so it can't be for everyone. There are some influencers I know who chose to stop using it and switch to either retinaldehyde or retinol. Even there are people who think they don't need to use tret. Also dermatologists don't always prescribe it so there are derms who don't glorify it as it's the only great ingredient, they will look wether we actually need it or not. Btw may I know why is it not available anymore in Sweden? Is it totally banned?

[@annikaknoche6362]

@@davidsentosa779 Yes, right now it is not available at all and the only way to get it is via online services like Dermatica which is located in the U.K. You need to get an online consultation with a doctor first and upload photos of your skin. A friend of mine is using this service and sometimes it takes 3 weeks for the package to arrive. I’ve also ordered some tret from India once which got stuck in custom and I never received it. So it’s not that easy to get tret.

[@amberhamid6264]

In Sweden, you can use Dermatica to have a complete tret+other actives formula

[@barboradolejsova2156]

​@@davidsentosa779 I can't speak for Sweden, but in my country (Czechia) topical tretinoin is only available in a form of a gel (Acnatac) or a solution (Aknemycin plus) that combine 0.025 tretinoin with antibiotics and are only prescribed for severe forms of acne. Pure tretinoin is not available here either, it's perceived as medicine rather than an anti-aging holy grail. But different EU countries have different regulations.

[@JD-xd4sy]

Also Swede here. I "accidentally" starting using Tretinoin at the highest strength because that was the alternative I could get my hands on a couple years ago (some online pharmacy), but even though my skin is super sensitive to most actives and very reactive - for some strange reason it acclimated so fast to this particular ingredient! Then again, I always buffer it with cream and use it as the second to last step of a very lengthy routine :)

[@Bookoscopy]

Mine is opposite, my face can’t tolerate Ahas and Bhas but handles tretinoin so well . I only use my enzyme exfoliant to exfoliate twice a month

[@johanneshalberstadt3663]

The "I didn't get old" is hillarious. How much aging do you expect to happen within half a year? The yhing about Tretinoin use ( and why you arent seeing a difference yet) is: it is not making you younger. It just helps you slow down some of the aging related processes. So: if you start using it now, 10, 20, 30 years from now you'll look less aged than you would if you hadnt used it. But since you did use it, there is no way of telling, how you would have looked otherwise. And its not like whenbyou stop, you suddenly "revert" to the version of your self thst you would have otherwise become. It is not a magic spell that stops its illusion once the witch dies. You body doesnt keep a second "tretinoin free" version of you in the back, that then is revealed. The version you sre after Tretinoin use *is* the real you and when you stop it, regular aging set in from the starting point at the regular rate.

[@fernr3837]

I have had a similar experience. My skin had been so much calmer and less irritated using a lower concentration of Retinal every night (retinol on a “gentle” skincare day) versus a stronger one less often. Mt skin really got nice at every day use - any less often and I have more congestion. It surprised me, but it’s been my experience.

[@noname-of2yl]

Just started watching this video but I switched from tret to tazorac cream after 8 years because my skin never wasn’t irritated on tret and it’s insane how much gentler and effective taz is. I always thought it was the harshest but so many people switched and found it gentler on the tret subreddit so I tried it and sure enough, totally different experience. Something to consider if you want to ever try in the future!

[@sarahhagen2051]

I used tretinoin for several years, but as I got deeper into menopause, my skin started reacting to everything! So, I stopped all actives tor about a year. I just started using a really gentle vitamin c, and so far so good. I do still peptides, but they haven’t caused me any issues

[@sebumpostmortem]

Have you tried encapsulated (slow release) retinAL? It' s soft and gentle like diaper rash cream✨, way more than retinOL, but as much effective as tret. Hope it helps🧛🏻‍♀️🖤

[@sarahhagen2051]

@@sebumpostmortem Thanks, I’ll look into it!

[@binabina6196]

​​@@sebumpostmortemCan you recommend good products with encapsulated RetinAl? Thx!

[@cheex8876]

Your skin looks amazing!! Better than ever

[@KellyDriscoll]

Awww thanks!

[@dklfjladkjldjfkladskf]

Hey. That was interesting, thanks! I come from the other side to Retinaldehide. I went from Zero to the BoJ Retinal Serum and I use it every night now. My skin is already much brighter and also firmer. I‘m 42 and my biggest concern is sagging skin… The retinal definitly helps with that a bit and I‘ll soon add some peptides as well, which is easy, as my skin tolerates the BoJ Retinal very well. I think that the gentle way is a powerful way - even for aging skin.

[@lindak6669]

Wait until you’re in your 60’s and 70’s. I used Retin A Gel for years when I was in my 30’s. At this point in my life I used a mild face wash, a Centella toner, Moisturizer and sunscreen. No Breakouts on combination skin and I gave up foundation because my skin doesn’t have dark spots on it and I wake up with soft skin. I have no irritation and look in the mirror and like what I see.

[@ratanathokchom318]

Love ur honest view

[@sasfishadventures9729]

Yeah I'm so done with the dryness and flaking from tretinoin 🎉

[@joaogabriel1820]

i only disagree with the 2 point. 3 times a week of tretinoin has good evidence for results, so using more actives doesn’t necessarily mean = better, causa tretinoin itself can help with most of skin issues by itself

[@KellyDriscoll]

Yes it's clinically more proven but harder to get those results if you have to stop and start due to irritation.

[@joaogabriel1820]

@@KellyDriscoll yeah, i agree kelly. i don’t know if the climate plays a really big role, but i live in brazil, a hot and humid place. and had a relatively easy adaptation to tret. i guess that what really made the most difference for me was using the lowest concentration, using the cream form, and using it along side a good moisturizer like the cetaphil redness relief. i also think that we are to understand some irritation with tret is normal and self limited. this is just my opinion, not science based whatsoever (at least not that i know of) but i feel like using tret once a week for several months is prolonging the retinazation processes. 3 times a week seems like a good space to start with.

[@Espritlumiere]

​@@joaogabriel1820 I agree. I started Tretinoin with zero experience using any retinoid and my skin took a while to get accustomed to it, but it's SO worth it for me! I started on 0.001% in a thick cream base that my pharmacist compounded for me; and applied 2x week for the first 2 weeks, 3x week for 3 weeks, 4x week for 4 weeks, until I finally got to 5x week. I continued 5x week for about 6 weeks and then moved to daily. I moved up to 0.025% after 6 months, but it was more of a gel formula and I had to switch to every 1-3 nights due to irritation, before slowly working my way to nightly use. I started 0.05% in a cream base around a year later, and the step up was really hard on my sensitive, dry skin with rosacea! It took at least 2 months of 3x week use for me to work up to every other night. Now I use 0.05% every single night with the occasional off night for exfoliation and rest. Consistency over intensity!

[@THENIKITAW]

@@KellyDriscoll I can understand that. I have sensitive skin and have allergies every few days esp when I travel and thats alot... It becomes difficult even to keep up with retinol let alone tretinoin

[@mbear278]

My skin has never been better since dropping Tretinoin and switching to retinal. I’m able to use more actives and control my acne better. For example I’m able to use 15% azelaic acid, salicylic acid and retinal all in the same routine with zero irritation every night 🙏 everyone is different and I don’t think Tret is the end all, be all

[@KellyDriscoll]

That's amazing! I think I had the same benefit, being able to use more gives me more control!

[@ownsbytessa]

i went from tret to retinaldehyde to retinol because most retinaldehyde either made my face yellow or it has niacinamide in (i have niacinamide sensitivity). when i was searching for the right retinol for me, the oil texture in most retinol product kinda scares be a little bit because i'm afraid that the oil will be too heavy and make me feel greasy. thankfully i ended up choosing cosrx 0.5 retinol. the price is affordable, the product itself is easily accessible and the most important, the oil texture is very light and easily absorbed by my skin. i'm glad i made the right choice

[@Megzeazez]

It is truly wild how everyone’s skin is different!! Tret gave me some of the worst eczema of my life despite doing all the things to try and mitigate the side effects. Luckily I am able to tolerate adapalene without the same issue, and I’ve decided it’s just not worth it to continue with tretinoin.

[@KellyDriscoll]

It really is! Sometimes the internet is great at showing us all the different skin experiences and sometimes not! But it's so good you found what works well for you!

[@skincarewithaustin]

Just reinforcing your point about everyone’s skin being different: my skin responds well to tretinoin, but adapalene flares my facial eczema to hell and back. 😮

[@ironglaciers1988]

I started using 0.05% tretinoin cream earlier this year and my skin hasn't been this good since the 90s. 😅 I use it 4 times a week. I'm oily and dehydrated, so it's very odd for me to have to use heavier moisturizers now, but I'm also 36 and I don't get *quite* as oily as I used to. Still pretty oily if I get dehydrated, though. One note - I find I get more irritation with the gel formulas of tretinoin than I do with the cream formulas. I also buffer it with moisturizer. It's still been very effective.

[@KellyDriscoll]

A good moisturizer is a savior with tret, even for oily folks! I'm so happy it's working well for you!

[@sharonscott1776]

I’m 48 and started Tretinoin 0.05 a year ago. We can only get that strength here in Australia. I never had the purge, the dr never told me to use a moisturizer with it so I hated that dry feel at night. But I’ve been using Dr V Rattan CeraPep moisturizer after Tret 5 nights a week. I use lactic acid Saturday night, and just moisturizer and eye cream on a Wednesday night.

[@cally2895]

I took a break for a couple months and noticed how hydrated and healthy my skin looked. I’ve been using for about 10 years! And wondering now if less or zero low grade inflammation Interesting video!

[@fujikokun]

My skin unfortunately just never got used to tretinoin. My skin was overly sensitive and I couldn’t use anything else.

[@renataparker2824]

I am on week 3 of adapalene gel and loving it My goal is to keep my skincare as simple as possible My skin is fine with 2% BHA exfoliant 1x a week when not using adapalene 2 nights I do active free routine

[@nelsonquinney2316]

Great Video Kelly

[@stina9659]

I have used it 7 years, then i got a Lupus attack on the skin and then I stopped, Ill never stop again, the acne was back, the scars came, no no no. I dont handle even mild AHA or Vitamin C well, so for me, my doctor really know what I needed when they gave me the vitamin A cream.

[@maryv9832]

I would love an update after or during winter. I’m so curious how your skin responds. I’m thinking of reducing the number of days I use tretinoin this winter. I hydrate and moisturize to the max, but still wake up with skin feeling so thirsty and dry!

[@connie6410]

Thank you for sharing your journey and results so far, Kelly. I currently use a compound formula with tretinoin, but I've been considering just switching to all OTC products. I'm so glad to hear your results have been so positive! ❤

[@KellyDriscoll]

Happy this was helpful, good luck!

[@Desertxxrose]

Omg! Your routines have been almost like the core to mine. I started using them as a guide to introduce tret on my routine since 2021. I seriously cannot see myself without them! I was lucky enough to build up tolerance and now I'm able to do AHAs/BHAs and Vit C with no problem at all, all thanks to your wonderful reccomendations! ❤❤❤❤

[@KellyDriscoll]

That's amazing, so happy to help!

[@jenniferschmitt8996]

Stepping back as well,going back to retinal but will introduce azelaic and kojic acid, more concerned with healthy barrier and anti aging❤

[@BarbaraT.]

Such a great video, Kelly. Thanks! I'm also giving up tretinoin (at least for now) and this video is very helpful to me. Personally, my tret journey started fine, but as I went up in dosage, I started experiencing dryness, peeling and then some. Above all, and this is entirely my fault, I wasn't able to stick to tret and build it up properly because of my lifestyle (lots of travelling, for instance). I've changed my routine slightly and am adding peptides atm. I'll soon go back to retinal, which I had been using regularly and without any issues before I started tretinoin. My skin has never looked better, just in case you were wondering 😊. Lots of love, take care of yourself. And if you can, spare a positive thought for me: life is going to test me hard in the next couple of weeks and I really need some positive energy coming my way ❤❤❤ Sorry for the long-winded comment.

[@barbarar5869]

Dr dray doesn't really think stronger tret produces better results. You are better off being consistent at .25

[@reesea7988]

I recently just started my tretinoin Use again (over used it the first time last year and damaged my skin barrier BAD) I’m using it every 3rd night and the BOJ retinal on one and a rest day/exfoliation on another. I think it’s suiting me alright for now but I guess I’ll just have to see and wait !

[@KellyDriscoll]

This sounds like a solid plan, the BOJ is a really nice gentle addition to help bridge the gap between tret uses!

[@elacampusano7341]

Your experience is very interesting, thanks Kelly 🌷

[@kennethAmos8929]

If you haven’t tried Isntree 8% AHA please do…… my skin have no problem with it. I have tried so many brands, But Isntree 8% AHA is the only one my skin can tolerate 😊

[@sussiprapakranant8023]

Really interesting video! I just started Tretinoin a week ago after using a retinaldehyde serum (before that various retinol serums for about 4 years, and one tube of adapalene). Will be interesting to see if any noticeable changes 🙂

[@KellyDriscoll]

Good luck!

[@jcjccmz]

Kelly! I'm at the 3.22 mark and just need to chime in about agreeing that with tret, I do really have to curtail other actives. I never use exfoliants anymore, and really have a hard time deciding in the mornings (since I use tret at night) whether to use copper peptides or vitamin C (and only the THD cream from Peter Thomas Roth) or my Finacea (rx azelaic acid) gel cream. For me, I'm staying with tretinoin!

[@moisdawg]

Wow and here I am at 32 suddenly needing to go back and test cleanser/moisturizer combos so my little retinol is on pause (and all other actives) 😂 hope to work up my sensitive skin to your level!

[@LCL1979]

Just wanted to say that your face is just delightfully plump and fresh looking. Very noticeable in the shots when you are doing your skincare before you’ve applied makeup. I’d say whatever you’re doing is working very well. I’d also guess that your consistent attention and care to your skin is more important than any individual product or ingredient, not to say that ingredients, formulas, etc aren’t important.

[@mollyapteros]

I just started 2 weeks ago so this should be interesting!

[@KellyDriscoll]

Good luck, it's an amazing ingredient!

[@TaylorLeeKnow]

Please make a video for neck line. How to prevent it from the start?

[@sideeffect2]

My skin has never looked better since quitting tret, and I faithfully used it for 6 years. I use 20% azelaic acid for breakouts and it works WAY better than tret! Now my skin is clear and most importantly CALM 😊

[@erickab2992]

Tretinoin absolutely obliterated my face so badly...I thought I was purging and discovered that I was actually having a severe reaction to it blew my face up so bad that it spread to my neck all over my forehead you know all the usual places I wouldn't normally break out and cause my lymph nodes to get very swollen

[@barbarar5869]

You didn't get old because you aren't old. Most women really start to see changes after 40. My skin looked pretty good at 35 with drugstore products and no sunscreen and no actives and your skin would probably look good too if you stopped everything. What you are doing now is investin the future

[@m.c.7741]

Agree. If I could turn back time I would have started tret in my 20s and just kept it super simple

[@m.c.7741]

Tret is good for the skin long term, lots of different products are good for the channel long term 🤷‍♀️

[@olga_b344]

I never had acne, I always got comments about how good my skin was, I used Retinal 0.2. I thought I'd give Tret a try - what a mistake - it completely ruined my skin barrier, and I think it gave me more hyper pigmentation. I have stopped using it and my skin is getting back to normal just now. Do you think it's worth trying a low version of 0.019? I was using 0.025 and then 0.05%. Thanks a lot for this video xx

[@susanmeredith4957]

I use Vit c in morning and tretinoin at night

[@CopperCatchfly]

Tell us your new routine!!

[@KellyDriscoll]

These videos show it: Cycling through 3 actives: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIapqXSBjJujY7c Retinal PM Routine: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioK5n2qYq99mqac

[@CopperCatchfly]

@@KellyDriscollooh perfect, thank you ❤❤

[@fenecofeneco19]

How is 3 times a weak a lot?🤷🏻‍♀️

[@Celineaux]

I stopped tret and almost immediately noticed more fine lines 😭

[@sebumpostmortem]

I suffered an accidental 2nd degree burn with boiling oil on my cheek in January, hellow, 2024😵‍💫... Obviously, I had to quit tret, my one and only 360° active. FYI: female, 50 yo, cycle still working like a clock. My skin stayed exactly the same until April-May, when sun damage dark spots started to become darker and darker. In July, they were fully themselves again😓. Wrinkles, all ok, I' m extreamly oily so I just don' t have any. Firmness?🥴😱 OMG, in August my jowls were belly dancers shimmy-shimmying like no tomorrow. My derm allowed to start retinAL🌚 and depigmentant 🌝 (ONDO) one month ago but it' s too soon to evaluate anything. If you were constantly peeling, it seems that tret was not for you, my dear. Your sensitive acne prone skin screams retinAL: high tolerability and antibacterial properties. Tret' s son is the real deal😉. 🧛🏻‍♀️🖤

[@KellyDriscoll]

OMG that sounds like a fantastic way to start the new year! /s glad to hear you're able to work some new stuff in to address your skin concerns!

[@sebumpostmortem]

@@KellyDriscoll It was a nightmare but I totally agree: sometimes things happen for a reason and this accident has proven that it had a purpose. Take care, querida 🧛🏻‍♀️🖤.

[@heathersargent289]

I'm using the Medick8 retinal the low dose one. Finally getting to where I can up my application to 2 days a week. I wish I could use Trent I tried so hard and spent a lot of money on it having it delivered every month with curology and not even being able to use what I had. Maybe I'll try again after the retinal adventure for a good portion of a year and after I go up in dose, I can never seem to keep it up but I'm really trying this time and being patient.

[@eliseraifman4766]

I use 1% retinol nightly with no irritation. I am considering moving up to 0.2% retinal. My question is is is that too much of a jump or, long term, is it best to just remain on the 1% retinol? Enjoyed your video and I subscribed.

[@KellyDriscoll]

Thank you for the sub, happy you're here! 💖 If your skin is doing well and you want to bump up to retinal I think you should go for it and see how your skin likes it. I don't think it's too much but you are the expert of your skin so make sure to check in with yourself for signs of irritation, you can always go back down if needed, no harm there!

[@eliseraifman4766]

@@KellyDriscoll Thanks Kelly! I appreciate your response.

[@Jeifei_]

Should I use dokdo tonner or numbuzin no 1 tonner

[@davidsentosa779]

Thank you for sharing this Kelly. I learned from this as I plan to build a more potent well-aging routine but without tretinoin. Also what AHA product are you using?

[@KellyDriscoll]

I'm happy it helped! I'm currently using the Dr. Idriss Major Fade Flash Mask (15% glycolic and 3% lactic acid).

[@dianemagnussen3138]

What are your peptide serums of choice and glycolic acid of choice? I am 54 have collagen damage and would love to know what you’re using. I’ll use a retinaldehyde. Medik8, 10. I’m always so appreciative of your honesty, your authenticity, and your generous intelligence.

[@Undefinedinc]

I 🤍 retinal

[@katiedemski2419]

I’ll share my experience- I found the compounded tretinoin products (curology/roDerm/etc) my skin couldn’t deal with. I never got past the red, flaky, “retinizing” phase. However- straight up Tretinoin- I use the .05 gel and have had great success. I think controlling what I layer it with probably helps. In my night routine I use a niacinamide serum, then a milky toner, let it sink in, treat, let it absorb, moisturizer. Five nights per week, then two lazy nights 😂

[@monye9963]

I use a strong retinol, or retinaldehyde plus differin, because I can use exfoliating acid with it, when I used glycolic acid with tretinoin, it made my face feel like it was on fire.

[@KellyDriscoll]

🔥🔥🔥🔥 I relate!

[@Alexellis738]

Any topical medication you have to use if you stop using it then the effects go away. For the most part ex: minoxidil, tretinoin, one to stop ex: hydroquinone

[@roselilly2086]

Hi kelly, please suggest me whenever i use tretenoin cream it makes me more oily snd more closed comodones on forehead. So should i try gel form or its not for me?

[@Labrexa]

🐝

[@jcjccmz]

2nd comment -- I cannot believe you said you're in your mid-30s! You look like you're in your early 20s, and the only reason I thought you might be 25 - 28 is because I've been subscribed to your channel for so long and also because you're smart (which we increasingly become with every year, don't we? haha)

[@KellyDriscoll]

Awww thank you so much! ❤

[@Storm411z]

You know, now that you mention it… my skin was also clearer when I was on “lesser” retinoids, specifically adapalene 🤔 my derm started me on 0.025% tret (level 2/4) and I’ve had to stop and restart so many times because of irritation from other ingredients, most often the hydroquinone she also started me on! Ulta has Differin on sale rn so I was already thinking about picking up a small tube to try “stepping down” to it, and after watching your video I think I will! I’m 28 so my main concern is breakouts anyway, which is what adapalene is primarily indicated for, and my skin did great with it!

[@KellyDriscoll]

Never hurts to run a skin experiment and find out! It's not the common experience that people talk about but sometimes the highest strength isn't always the best! Good luck!