65 replies to this topic

[mustardseed41]

quote]So i don't need Retin-A in evening or any antioxidant cream in morning right? Just sunscreen and a washer?

I'm sure she still recommends doing this.

Edited by mustardseed41, 19 October 2008 - 11:49 AM.

[Mia K.]

Hi Eva!

I hope you don't mind me jumping in here with a question re: my retinoid usage.

I've been alternating .1% taz cream w/ .05% tret cream (gradually increasing frequency to every night) for close to four months now. I'm still experiencing quite a bit of peeling - redness not so much.

Looking at the official www.tazorac.com site, I read that the use of moisturizer is strongly recommended: Always, always, always apply moisturizer before using TAZORAC® Cream or Gel 0.1% to minimize drying and irritation by restoring the skin’s protective barrier.

I realize this will slow my progress, but I'm going to heed the advice and give it a go.

Now, in previous posts you've recommended Clinique's Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer. In your opinion would this be an appropriate product for me to use under the taz? Or should I just go with something quite basic? Could you please give your moisturizer recs?

Thanks so much in advance! I'm just bound and determined to get the durned retinoids to work for me.

Best, M

[VictorBjoerk]

Eva: Do you use sunscreen during the winter (Nov-February)?

Do you supplement with Vitamin D?

[Eva Victoria]

Thank you very much to the author of this thread for all the information provided.

I would ask you some advices for my skin. I am 35, male and live in north italy (sunny in summer/spring, mostly cloudy in winter/autumn). I work in an office and drive to work through smog for 30mins/day by motorbike.

I think i am lucky so far since people tend to give me 27-28 years, and i never used any cream on face and actually no sun protection (not even on summer). My skin has no wrinkles, it's brown (i mean i look a bit tanned even in winter).

what would you suggest ? i live in italy and it's very hard i can find a pharmacy to prepare a cream so i have to stick with commercial products.

are there also some foods/supplements to eat to save skin?

Hi Kai!

As you write your skin is well pigmented and it gives you some natural protection against the environment esp. against the sun.
However I would still recommend using a photo-stable sunscreen all year around.
There are good commercially available products like Garnier or Nivea sunscreens for a reasonable price. They can be used alone without any additional moisturizer! (If you should pass by a pharmacy your option would be even better: Bioderma Photoderm fluide SPF50+, La Roche-Posay AntHelios fluide extreme SPF50+; Avene SUN Lotion SPF50+; these products have better UVA protection and don't contain any fragrance or colorants. You pay more but get less unnecessery chemicals in the same time ).

I would also recommend using a face wash every morning and evening to cleanse your skin from dead skin-cells, sebum and pollution.
There are many commercially available gels in supermarkets. Try to get hold of one that has no or very little fragrance and colorants.

Practically all food that are naturally/organically grown are richer in vitamins and minerals than commercially produced equivalents. Fruits and vegetables are good for you and hence for your skin.
tomato, carrots, green leaves (salad) are particularly healthy and benefit your skin.
Drinking green and white tea and applying it on your skin is a very good way keeping yourself healthy and young longer.

But the bottom line is that the most important thing in skin care is
every day usage of a good high UVA protective photo stable sunscreen!

thank you very much victoria !

So i don't need Retin-A in evening or any antioxidant cream in morning right? Just sunscreen and a washer?

It always depends on your skin concerns. Since you did not mention any I assume(d) that your skin is doing just fine
I wold not recommend Retin-A unless you have a specific skin concern.
Your body produces anti-oxidants as well and if you don't see any signs of damage I can assume you will do just fine with a good face wash + sunscreen. Unless of course it is no problem for you to use several products in the same time every day.

If you tell me more about what your concerns are and what you would like to achieve, how much time you could imagine using on skincare and money I can draw a plan up for you specifically.
You can also PM me.

[Eva Victoria]

Hi Eva!

I hope you don't mind me jumping in here with a question re: my retinoid usage.

I've been alternating .1% taz cream w/ .05% tret cream (gradually increasing frequency to every night) for close to four months now. I'm still experiencing quite a bit of peeling - redness not so much.

Looking at the official www.tazorac.com site, I read that the use of moisturizer is strongly recommended: Always, always, always apply moisturizer before using TAZORAC® Cream or Gel 0.1% to minimize drying and irritation by restoring the skin's protective barrier.

I realize this will slow my progress, but I'm going to heed the advice and give it a go.

Now, in previous posts you've recommended Clinique's Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer. In your opinion would this be an appropriate product for me to use under the taz? Or should I just go with something quite basic? Could you please give your moisturizer recs?

Thanks so much in advance! I'm just bound and determined to get the durned retinoids to work for me.

Best, M

Hi Mia!

I am a bit unsure whether a cosmetic product will be right for you when you are not accustomed to Retin-A.
I would definitely would go for something more basic that you can supply from a pharmacy. Essex (Schering-Plaugh)creme would be a good choice or Obagi: Action or something similar. Low in water content high in Glycerin or Paraffin. And it is true: it will definitely slow down the irritation (and the results) of tretinoin or any other active ingredient

[Eva Victoria]

Eva: Do you use sunscreen during the winter (Nov-February)?

Do you supplement with Vitamin D?

I do use an SPF 50 (+) in the winter as well. Not for the non-existing UV light outside (the UV-index for Oslo is now under 1:), but more against fluorescent light sources inside (spot lights, energy saving bulbs, neon-tubes etc).

I do not supplement with any vitamins or minerals.
(As I have mentioned before it is not really good for your kidneys and liver to take supplements. And I do believe that no matter how much you protect yourself against UVR it'll always penetrate through your skin/scalp hence your body will have sufficient amount of vitamin D. And the rest you'll just have to obtain from your food