I thought I’d been such a good girl.

Daily Clarisonic. Skincare supplements. Weekly Vitamin C Masques. Marvel Mini Red and now Baby Quasar. Sunscreen every day. My list goes on and on and on…

But as I flip through my magazines and read the skincare news, reviews and serious business… I’ve learned that I’m missing out on something that pretty much every Dermatologist has agreed is crucial to the anti-aging arsenal. And that thing, girls… is VITAMIN A, or what you might hear more commonly referred to as retin-A and retinol. BUT, these are two very different things.

Retin-A (tretinoin) was developed about 25 years ago as a topical acne cream. It was also discovered that it had powerful exfoliating properties and that it was absorbed deep within the skin where it helped to build more collagen fibers. It’s been shown over and over again that Retin-A (and it’s related creams such as Renova) enjoy pronounced anti-aging effects, reduction of fine lines, smoother and softer skin, firmer skin, and reduction in pigmentation.

Retin-A and it’s associates CAN be tricky to use, however because topical VItamin A is very irritating. There are rules to follow, and not following those rules can result in very red, irritated, sensitive, peeling and even raw skin. Here’s a link to a great article by Dermatologist Audrey Kunin M.D. that lays down some of the rules!

So… you don’t want to try such a powerful product but still want some of the benefits of vitamin A? Then you want to try Over-the-Counter retinol or retinyl palmitate creams. These formulations are widely available… and while you won’t get the “punch” you get with a prescription product like Retin-A, you also have a lot less to worry about. Still, these creams can still be irritating to those with very sensitive skin. There are some skincare companies that produce products that carry the maximum retinol levels they possibly can, trying to give you the effects of Dermatologist products. Do these produce the same effect? I know a few women who have tried the Obagi skincare system (based on retinol) and also used Green Cream… and in the end, these ladies instead opted to go to their Dermatologists and “go for the big guns”. Why? Because we ALL want to see results. Big ones!!!

After so much reading, research and wondering, about 6 weeks ago I began my journey into the world of retinol and Retin-A. I started off with an OTC retinol product, Philosophy Booster Caps.

I used the Philosophy Booster caps for about 2 weeks, and honestly, I wasn’t seeing anything happen. My skin felt nice and smooth after application, but that was due to other ingredients in the product. I wanted to see a little peeling. A little exfoliation. A little proof of something!

Undaunted in my journey, I took the next step. I went to the Dermatologist and got a prescription for Retin-A. My instructions? Use every 3 nights. Wait to apply a tiny baby pea sized dab until after my skin has been dry for 30 minutes. Avoid getting too close to my mouth, nostrils or eyes. Wait for the product to absorb before I apply any other products. When I do apply other products, make sure that I don’t contaminate my neck, eye area, mouth or anywhere else on my face with the area in which I placed the Retin-A. In other words, keep my serums and creams applied ONLY were I put my Retin-A, then wash my hands and put a fresh amount on in those areas untouched by the Retin-A. Make sense? Easier said than done. Sunscreen? Even more important now. Can I Baby Quasar? Yes… it’s soothing to skin that might be irritated or sensitive from Retin-A. If I saw no redness or sensitivity, I could use the Philosophy Retinol Caps on nights when I did not use the Retin-A.

And so I applied. And waited.

Nothing happened the next morning. Or that night. My skin felt fine. I applied the Philosophy Retinol capsule.

The next morning, I looked normal too. No redness, no irritation. I washed my face and patted it dry. Then I looked in the mirror and I saw that my entire forehead and chin were exfoliating. They weren’t sensitive, there was no redness, and it didn’t hurt. But I was exfoliating! I applied a hyaluronic acid gel to my entire face because it felt kind of dry and tight (common with Retin-A) and this relieved that feeling, and the peeling disappeared. It didn’t appear again until after I had washed my face that night. Then it was gone… until 3 days later.

And so my journey has progressed…. It’s been a few weeks and quite a few days of peeling, but no redness, no pain, no sensitivity. Good. I am tolerating Retin-A really well. And I am pleased to say that I am in love with the results that I am seeing. I haven’t felt like any single skincare product, treatment or procedure has given my skin this type of joie de vivre in the last 15 years!!!

I love Retin-A and I love my few days of Retinol in between. I’ll soon be applying the Retin-A every two days and see how I tolerate that.

The best part is, that my skin is so much smoother and so much more refined, just from this little bit of application, that it’s making my makeup look and feel that much better!

Here are some OTC retinol products that are definitely worth a try ladies (I have not found any “primarily natural ones” in my travels, so if you know of some please do share these in the comments! Thanks!!!)… and if you get brave and decide to wander into the Dermatologist’s office and go for the “real” thing, you know that the Aromaleigh Aficionadas forum is always here for you to vent, ask for advice or share your experience!!!

Mmmm… by now you probably know all about my chocolate problem. Yes, my breakfast of champions is a Zone Perfect Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar and a Banana, with 1 cup of coffee (my daily limit) every single morning. I rarely ever stray.

But I am straying now, my friends… because yesterday, in the store, in a black and gold box surrounded by a halo (I swear!!!) and the rich aroma of dark, sweet chocolate (again, I swear that it was permeating through the box!!!) I saw that a fantastic new life form of the Zone Perfect Bar had been discovered… the Dark Chocolate one… chock full of those anti-oxidants that everyone raves that dark chocolate provides, but still providing what Zone provides so well for me. A perfect balance of Carbs, Proteins and Fats. I sat for a while in the aisle and analyzed the nutritional values of my beloved Chocolate Peanut Butter bar to this mysterious, dark newcomer before I dove in and threw all three new flavors in my cart.

I am presently on a chocolate high, brought on by the divine experience of eating a Zone Perfect Dark Chocolate Strawberry bar with my morning coffee and banana. A cannot say “Yummy” enough times. How can this be good for you?

Dig in ladies, these things really are too good to be true. 10 thumbs up!!!

xoxo

Miss K