Hey beautiful people, as promised from my last skincare post I will be sharing my tretinoin experience in this blog post.


Disclaimer: I am not a licensed esthetician nor dermatologist, I am speaking from my personal experience. Also this post contains affiliate links and I might earn a commission if purchases are made through these links.


WHAT IS TRETINOIN:-

Tretinoin also known as retinoic acid is a synthetic retinoid derivative of vitamin A.


It is a medication used to treat acne and sun damaged skin. It also helps reduce the appearance of surface wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots.


In most countries you require a prescription to purchase it but you can definitely get it over the counter like I did mine. My dad got it for me for under KSH 1000 (he doesn’t remember the exact price ha-ha) OTC.


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ITS USES:-

-Tretinoin promotes rapid exfoliation and stimulation of collagen and it is stronger than retinol which can be a bit harsh for people with sensitive skin.

-It reduces the appearance of fine line and wrinkles (that is why your favorite celebrities look so young wink wink)

-It improves skin texture.

-It reduces the appearance of dark marks.


MY TIPS FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:-

-Apply a pea size amount of the cream on your face after cleansing and hydrating your face. Using more than that won’t make it more effective and you will only be damaging your skin barrier.

-Avoid areas around the eyes and mouth; I noticed dryness around my mouth when I did so learn from me.

-Start SMALL; the first week I applied the cream every other night to gauge how my skin would respond to it. After the first week I applied it every night after my cleansing and hydrating routine.

-Please wear SUNSCREEN every day no matter the weather.

La Roshe-Posay Anthelios XL spf 50+


-HYDRATE! HYDRATE! HYDRATE! This is really important because it will help you repair your skin barrier. I used glycerin but it was too sticky for my liking before I changed to hyaluronic acid serum (you can get it at Instagram.com/nallynaturals).

Hyaluronic acid serum


-Please don’t apply the tretinoin cream on damp skin, your skin might feel like it is burning. You wait for 15-20 minutes after you have hydrated or moisturized your skin before applying it on your skin.

-Start with also the lower percentage I personally use the 0.05% cream but I want to get a higher percentage.

-I also created a very simple routine. I would cleanse, hydrate and apply tretinoin at night and during the day I cleansed, hydrated and wore my sunscreen.




PRECAUTIONS:-

-Your skin will purge and you might feel discouraged but please hang in there. The purging process is normal.

-Your skin might also peel (I did not get to experience extreme peeling like others did) so please hydrate and moisturize your face a lot.

-You might not see results as fast as you expect them so patience is extremely crucial. I personally so changes after 4 months of using it.

-Please do your research and seek medical advice before trying it (I personally took a major risk on it after an intensive research).


I still do not have flawless skin and I still have old acne scars even though they are not as prominent as before but I have seen some improvements. I also no longer get active pimples even during my period days and that is a plus to me yippee. My first tube of tretinoin is almost finished and I am getting another soon until my acne scars have completely vanished. I also have noticed great improvement in my skin texture and I don’t have those tiny bumps anymore.


I will definitely do another skin update after 6 months with you guys so make sure you stay updated with my posts. You could also follow me on Instagram at Instagram.com/naliakabrenda_


If you loved this post please share using the share buttons down below. Until next time my loves, sending you virtual kisses.