May & June Skin Care Empties

I’ve gone through a bunch of skin care products. Let’s get started!

Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream:

I was able to finish one jar of Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream. I have one more and am trying to finish that one too. So my thoughts on this product are not so good. I thought it was working out for me in the beginning, but it was making my skin worse. It didn’t leave my skin feeling moisturized either. Just greasy and oily. It made me break out as well. I tried using it only as an eye/neck cream. I didn’t like it as an eye cream. As a neck cream, it works, but it’s not the best, moisturizing neck cream I have used. The ingredients in this product are nice. It contains shea butter, beta-carotene, ubiquinone, and vitamin E, to name a few. It just didn’t live up to what it claims to do. I didn’t get any results from it but clogged pores and greasy skin.

The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10%:

This serum has a watery texture that easily absorbs into the skin. It’s supposed to help with dynamic lines on the forehead and smile lines. I didn’t see any results using it. I loved how fast it absorbs and isn’t sticky on the skin, but it did nothing for me. I have one more bottle of the serum that I’m still trying to use up.

Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50:

I was so happy when I finished a bottle of this sunscreen. It’s taking me forever to finish it up for many reasons. Honestly, I really don’t like this sunscreen. It smells awful, feels greasy and heavy on the skin, leaves an obvious white cast, clogs my pores, and is difficult to spread on the skin. I love that it’s 21.6% Zinc Oxide and is SPF 50, but I stopped using it on my face for the reasons mentioned. It feels very uncomfortable on the skin. I have one more bottle of this sunscreen and won’t repurchase it when I finish it. I don’t even know how I’m going to use the last bottle. Wish me luck!

The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5:

I’m done with The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5! This is my last bottle and I’m over it! It did NOTHING for my skin. It feels like I’m applying expensive water to my face. I will not repurchase. What a waste of money!

The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% Ferulic Acid 3%:

I finished another bottle of The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% Ferulic Acid 3%. I don’t really hate this serum. It just didn’t work on my face. It’s too greasy and oily. It made me break out. I didn’t know I was breaking out from using it until I stopped using it. It was one of the many causes of my breakouts. But, I started using it on my body consistently instead. I really like it as a body serum. Not too bad. So I stopped using it on my face and kept using it on my body instead. I might keep using it for that reason. I have a few bottles left to test it out and see if I like it.

Skin79 Super+ Beblesh Balm Orange:

I’ve been using this bb cream for years and finally finished my last bottle of the product. I noticed that I stopped getting breakouts from it after I started using my acne cream. This isn’t a bad bb cream. It’s one of my favorites, but it’s not like what it used to be. I love how it controls oil on my skin. I have very oily skin and this bb cream seems to work for my skin type. But, the one I received was much different. I have a sample of this bb cream and it seems to have a different texture compared to the full-size bottle that I just finished up. Maybe I received a fake? Maybe they changed the formula? I don’t know. I think it’s time to move on to something new…

Andalou Naturals Clear Skin Kombucha Enzyme Exfoliating Mask:

I haven’t talked about this product yet. I was going to, but I got really busy. So this is an exfoliating mask. I’ve been using it to just use it up, lol. It contains argan stem cells, grapefruit kombucha, pineapple, and papaya enzymes to exfoliate and dissolve dull, dry surface cells. It’s supposed to help unclog pores and help with breakouts. I didn’t see any results from this exfoliating mask. It was fun to use, but that’s about it. I wouldn’t waste my money on it again.

CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Face Sheer Tint:

Another product that I wished I didn’t stock up on, lol. It’s the CeraVe Hydrating Face Sheer Tint. This sunscreen product is awful on my skin. I was a dedicated user. In the end, it caused me to break out without realizing that it was one of the main causes of my breakouts. I even tried it again and noticed breakouts. What is it with CeraVe that causes my skin to dislike it so much? Since it causes acne, I’ve been trying to use it up, but it’s been a pain in the butt. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone with acne-prone skin. Do a patch test first to see if you have any reactions to it. I wished I did.

Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV SPF 50+ PA++++:

No more leftovers of this sunscreen! I finished them all!!!! It didn’t work for me at all. It dries out my skin, leaves my skin looking like plastic, and sun protection is poor (didn’t work for me). I noticed it making my skin look very aged. It must be the dryness or something. I tried using it with a moisturizer underneath. That didn’t work either. This sunscreen product is just not for me. Very overhyped for the price. Not worth it, in my opinion.

Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum:

I shouldn’t have bought so many of the Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum. It is a calming and soothing serum, but it didn’t do much for my facial skin. I’ve been using the rest of what I have. I’ve been very generous with it too. This serum sucks. I’m over it and just in the process of finishing them up and tossing them out, haha.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG:

I was going to keep The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG in my routine, but I never saw any true results with this eye serum. I just wanted it to work and kept using it. It feels pretty drying too even with moisturizer. I gave up on it. Here’s to another product that I’m trying to finish up. I think I have at least 1 more bottle of this serum left…

Eucerin Advanced Hydration SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray with Hyaluronic Acid + Humectants:

I’m not big on spray sunscreens but gave this one a shot. I thought it could work on my face. The sunscreen sprayed out nicely and was very easy to use, but it felt and looked greasy on my skin. It burned my eyes. It has a strong sunscreen smell to it. This would work better as a body sunscreen than a sunscreen for the face. Since it’s alcohol-free, it feels greasy as mentioned. I was hoping that it would work on my facial skin. Oh well. Moving on…

Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sunscreen Stick Broad Spectrum SPF 50+:

I finally finished my last tube of this sunscreen stick. It’s not for me. It’s greasy and oily. It gets everywhere. It feels sticky on the skin. I just didn’t like it. I can’t imagine using this on a daily basis. Maybe if I’m at the beach but there are so many options out there that I’m not even thinking about purchasing this sunscreen again.

Up & Up Sport Sunscreen Lip: Balm Broad Spectrum SPF 50:

This is my current lip balm with SPF 50. It’s cheap. lol, that’s the reason why I use it. I would love to switch over to a mineral-based sunscreen, but I haven’t found one that works for me. It is what it is. It’s a lip balm with SPF.

Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40:

I ran out of Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40! I’m not sure if I’m going to pick up some more. My current SPF product is working for me, and I just don’t feel like going to the store to get more, haha. But, this sunscreen is pretty decent. I wish the SPF was a little higher.

Altruist Sunscreen SPF 50:

I finished my second bottle of Altruist Sunscreen SPF 50. I don’t use this sunscreen on my facial skin. I use it around my eyes. It’s greasy on my face but works on the skin around my eyes and neck, so that’s what I use it for. I’m not even sure I’m going to stick with it. I have 2 more bottles left and just using it because it’s supposed to be a high UVA sunscreen. We’ll see if it works or not!

GUERISSON 9 Complex Cream:

I’m glad to be done with this cream. It didn’t do much for my skin. It’s a pretty heavy product. I honestly don’t care much for it. I almost forgot about it and decided to slather my body with it for weeks until the jar was empty. Wouldn’t purchase it again, to be honest.

Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc 50:

Another sunscreen that I finished. Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc 50 smells like plastic and left a white cast on my skin. I used most of it on my body since my face hated it. It’s not a sunscreen that I would purchase again. It’s affordable, but I can’t stand using it. It wasn’t an enjoyable experience.

PanOxyl Acne Creamy Wash (4%):

I was hoping that a benzoyl peroxide-based face wash would work instead of my current face wash. It didn’t work. PanOxyl did nothing for my skin. It didn’t even clean it well. I’m better off sticking to benzoyl peroxide topical treatments to target my acne-prone skin. This face wash may work for others, but it didn’t for me.

Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Treatment:

Love this product. It cleared my skin after months of using it. I noticed results very early on (a few weeks). It sinks into the skin nicely and doesn’t leave residue behind. I love it. I’m currently using it in the morning to control sebum and prevent breakouts while using SPF. My sunscreens tend to be greasier and the acne treatment helps to decrease the grease on my face, haha. I finished one bottle of the acne treatment. Now I’m on to my second bottle! Wow, this stuff is amazing at fighting acne. I’m going to keep using it.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Body & Face Mineral Sunscreen Gentle Lotion SPF 50:

I thought this would be my HG sunscreen, but I’m so over it. It’s a mineral sunscreen and I really wanted it to work. The texture of the sunscreen is very soft, smooth, and elegant. It’s easy to blend into the skin. It does leave a white cast on the skin, which I didn’t like. It’s a very noticeable white cast. I prefer a more moisturizing sunscreen that doesn’t leave my skin looking extremely white. This was just too much and noticeable. It’s quite embarrassing. I can’t go anywhere using this sunscreen. It’s hilarious, haha.

Aussie Total Miracle Conditioner with Apricot For Damage Hair:

I was able to finish the Aussie Conditioner (Apricot). Another brand that I’m over with. The conditioner didn’t do much for my hair. It feels like it’s moisturizing when I’m using it, but it left my hair looking frizzy and gross afterward. I didn’t like the results of it. I guess it’s affordable for a reason. Next…

Catch up on my skin care empties right here!

August Skin Care Empties! 

September Skin Care Empties 

November Skin Care Empties 

December Skin Care Empties 

More December Skin Care Empties!

January Skin Care Empties!

February Skin Care Empties

March & April Skin Care Empties!

My Acne Journey: 7 MONTHS!!!

I took a whole week off of tret. I just wanted to take a break from it for a little bit and restart maybe next week?? I’m not sure yet. So this week, I focused on using an antioxidant. I chose vitamin c. Yes, it’s back, hah!

Vitamin C 🍊

I started using vitamin c again. Not the powder version. The essence or serum version. I started off with whatever vitamin c product that I had (Melano CC Vitamin C Essence). I used Melano for two days. Melano has a lightweight, oily, greasy texture to it. It absorbs into the skin fast and leaves a matte finish. It slightly moisturizes the skin but not by much. I’m not a fan of the texture of the product. The essence stung my skin upon application. It irritated my skin just a little bit. After a few seconds, the stinging sensation disappeared. So, what are the results from this product? The essence brightened my skin instantly after a day of use. I noticed a brighter, more glowy complexion. But, I stopped using it after 2 days because I wanted to try another vitamin c product. I’ve been using Melano on and off over the years. I think it’s time to let it go if it hasn’t worked for me for this long. The vitamin c product I’m using now is L’Oreal Revitalift 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum. I picked this product up this week. This vitamin c product contains 10% ascorbic acid. It also comes in a metal tube. One of the reasons why I chose to purchase this one. I’ve only used this serum for…I’m nearing a week soon. I started off using it at night at first then moved up to twice a day, morning and night. So far, the texture of the serum is soft and moisturizing. It has a silicone feel to it, but I’m not bothered by it. It smooths over my skin nicely and effortlessly. It feels nice, and it’s very easy to apply to the skin. I only use a pea-size amount for the whole face. I’m liking this serum a lot more compared to the Melano (texture-wise). As for results, I can’t say it. I haven’t been using it for too long. I’ll make an update on my new vitamin c serum soon.

What happened when I took a break from tret??

As mentioned earlier, I took a week off of tret. I’m glad I did. My skin needed it. I still don’t know when I’m going to restart it or if I am. My skin looks pretty decent right now. When using tret, my skin looked so thin. I lost so much fullness from my face. It’s been a week off of tret, and my skin looks normal again. My skin thickness is back! It looks more youthful and more natural-looking now. It’s not shiny and plastic-like. Tret gave me this weird, odd look to my skin. It makes my skin look smoother, but how it makes my skin look overall is a bit too much for my liking. It just doesn’t look natural or even normal. It made my skin appear more aged. Hmmmm, that’s something to think about. 🤔

At the beginning of the break, my skin was so dry. I stopped using a moisturizer because the moisturizer I was using was breaking me out (Vanicream Daily Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin). I didn’t have any other moisturizer to use. All I had was CeraVe Healing Ointment. I used it. Applied a whole bunch of it to my face. I know slugging isn’t for me, but my skin was too dry to do nothing. I love the CeraVe Healing Ointment too. It’s a versatile product and contains ingredients that I love like ceramides and hyaluronic acid. It helped to prevent my skin from drying out, but I won’t be doing this (slugging) again. It was a once in a while type of thing. It feels too sticky. It gets in my hair and makes it difficult for me to get a good night’s rest. It’s difficult to wash off in the morning too. It is oily after all.

During this break, I started a new acne product. I needed a product to treat my acne. I picked up the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser. I’ve been meaning to try this product out. What put me off from trying it out were the negative reviews on it. But, everyone’s skin is different. It could work. I’m currently using it. Stay tuned for my 1 week experience on this product soon! It’s coming up real soon! The other cleanser I was using was from Neutrogena. I stopped using it for now just to try out CeraVe. Neutrogena cleaned my skin and didn’t dry out my skin, but I needed a product that would help with acne. In particular, those close f*cking comedones. They’ve been hanging out on my skin for far too long! Also, it’s time to try a new acne product when I’m not using any harsh acne products.

Product Updates

Remember that eye cream I stopped using? The RoC Multi Correxion Hydrate + Plump Eye Cream. I stopped using it on my eye area weeks ago, but I started using it on my neck for a week. After a week of using it on my neck and chest area (to finish it up, need to use it somewhere), I developed a rash on my neck! It was red, swollen, and itchy. WTF. I don’t know what they did to the formula of this eye cream, but it sucks. It used to be soft, smooth, and moisturizing. Now it just burns and makes the skin itch. It’s not cheap either. 😡

Happy 7 months! 🥳 This is my last update on my acne journey. It’s time to move on to new things. I feel like this journey has run its course. I need something new. A new adventure. A fresh start. Look forward to a new update on my experience with the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser!

Here’s the rest of my Acne Journey if you missed out!! 👇🏻

My Acne Journey: 1 Week In…

My Acne Journey: 2 WEEKS!! 

My Acne Journey: 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 4 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 5 WEEKS IN!

My Acne Journey: 6 Weeks Results…

My Acne Journey: 7 Weeks Results

My Acne Journey: 2 MONTHS!! 

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 1 Week Results!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 2 Weeks!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 3 MONTHS!! 😃

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 1 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 2 Weeks Results

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 3 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 4 MONTHS!!

My Acne Journey: 4 Months + 1 Week Results.

My Acne Journey: 4.5 Months + Clear Skin!!

My Acne Journey: 4 Months + 3 Weeks! What I’m Doing to Maintain My Clear Skin. 🙂

My Acne Journey: 5 MONTHS!!

My Acne Journey: 5 Months + 1 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 5.5 Months Results!

My Acne Journey: 5 Months + 3 Weeks

My Acne Journey: 6 MONTHS!!! 🎉

My Acne Journey: 6 Months + 1 Week!

My Acne Journey: 6.5 Months

My Acne Journey: 6 Months + 3 Weeks!

My Acne Journey: 6 Months + 3 Weeks!

I’ve reached 39 days on tret! & 6 Months + 3 Weeks on this acne journey. I feel like it’s never-ending, lol. This is what happened this week!

Moisturizer Problems 😒

After a week of using the new strength (from last week), holy macaroni! My skin turned beet red and burned when applying moisturizer. Did I stop using tret? NOPE! I continued on with treatment. This happened within the first few days of this week. To lessen the redness and irritation, I started using moisturizer more often (even when the moisturizer burned my face). I moisturized in the morning and at night. Eventually my skin calmed down and went back to normal after slathering my face with moisturizer. I kept on moisturizing my face twice a day for the rest of the week, except for the last 2 days. Using moisturizer for most of the week was a bad idea because my skin couldn’t tolerate that much moisture or could it be the moisturizer I’m using? The moisturizer I’m still using is Vanicream Daily Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin. I feel like I’ve said this so many times already, lol. Vanicream Daily Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin is a nice moisturizer. It’s lightweight, soft, soothing, and contains skin repairing ingredients. It works to prevent my skin from drying out. It also heals and protects it too. But, I don’t think it’s working for me. I’ve been trying to figure out if it’s right for me or not. Well, I found out the answer today. I stopped using this moisturizer for 2 days, and my skin stopped having breakouts. I tried using it again this morning. By night, my skin started to get bumpy. Some spots on my forehead and around my mouth area. I developed pimples out of nowhere when using this moisturizer. It’s not tret. It’s the Vanicream moisturizer. I think it could be the squalane in this product that’s clogging my pores. It breaks me out. I tried squalane oil and other products with squalane before. No success with any of those products, except for the squalane cleanser. It gets washed off, so it doesn’t stay on my skin for long. I’m officially done using Vanicream on my face. Ugh! I really liked how it made my skin feel (moisturized and protected). I guess I have to find something else to use or not use a moisturizer. It’s not working out, and I’m tired of getting random pimples out of nowhere. Vanicream works well as an eye cream though, lol. Compared to an eye cream, it’s way more affordable. I’ll use the rest for that purpose.

Sunscreen Updates!

I had to stop using the Altruist Sunscreen SPF 50 on my face. I used it last week and noticed breakouts while I was using it. I developed tons of hard sebum plugs within my pores and blackheads. I thought it was from another skin care product, but all of the breakouts occurred when I was using this sunscreen. It would’ve been awesome if this sunscreen worked on my skin. The sunscreen is moisturizing. It has a soft and creamy texture and blends into the skin well. Even though it leaves the skin looking shiny and greasy, I wasn’t too bothered by it. It provides high UVB and UVA protection. I just can’t use it on my face due to breakouts. I’ve been using what I have left (couple of tubes, lol) as an eye cream and neck cream with SPF. Since I can’t use it on my face, I’m not sure if I’m going to purchase it again. I’ll have to think about it. It feels great on the skin around my eyes and neck. Blends in effortlessly and smoothly.

That’s all for this week. Just eliminating products that don’t work on my skin and have been causing problems. It sucks knowing that I’ve been using them this whole time! I’m glad they’re out of the way. I think I’m going to take a few days off tret. I honestly don’t want to think about it right now. This whole journey has been pretty frustrating. In the meantime, I’ll replace tret with a vitamin c serum or another antioxidant. Hopefully it’ll do something good for my skin. That’s my update for this week. It’s almost 7 months… 😌

My Acne Journey 👇🏻

My Acne Journey: 1 Week In…

My Acne Journey: 2 WEEKS!! 

My Acne Journey: 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 4 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 5 WEEKS IN!

My Acne Journey: 6 Weeks Results…

My Acne Journey: 7 Weeks Results

My Acne Journey: 2 MONTHS!! 

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 1 Week Results!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 2 Weeks!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 3 MONTHS!! 😀

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 1 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 2 Weeks Results

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 3 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 4 MONTHS!!

My Acne Journey: 4 Months + 1 Week Results.

My Acne Journey: 4.5 Months + Clear Skin!!

My Acne Journey: 4 Months + 3 Weeks! What I’m Doing to Maintain My Clear Skin. 🙂

My Acne Journey: 5 MONTHS!!

My Acne Journey: 5 Months + 1 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 5.5 Months Results!

My Acne Journey: 5 Months + 3 Weeks

My Acne Journey: 6 MONTHS!!! 🎉

My Acne Journey: 6 Months + 1 Week!

My Acne Journey: 6.5 Months

My Acne Journey: 6.5 Months

I’m one month into using tret (32 days!). This is what happened this week! 😊

Successfully increased strength & Results!

I was able to increase to a higher strength this week! It went much better than the last attempts. 😅 So what really happened in the past weeks when I tried to increase the strength??? It turns out that it wasn’t tret ruining my skin. It was the inactive ingredients in that particular brand that I was using. I was switched over to another brand, and it worked instantly. I didn’t have an irritated, sore face the next morning. I just noticed improvements. My skin appeared softer and smoother. I had a nice glow the next morning with some acne purging (what’s supposed to happen). I’m still going through the purge as we speak. It’s helping to unclog stubborn blemishes and closed comedones that just love to live underneath my skin. I’ve been trying to get rid of them for so many freaking years. The new strength has been very helpful in pushing them up and out to the surface. So my skin is tolerating the new strength much better for acne. I’ve been able to use it most days of the week this week. On days when I’m not using the higher strength, I’m still using the lower strength just to use it up. It helps my skin to adjust to the new strength, and I don’t want to waste product. But I’ve seen better and faster results with the higher strength. It looks like brands do matter after all or the inactive ingredients in a product. After 32 days on tret, I’m pretty ecstatic about what’s going to happen. All I know is that it’s finally working… 😀 Well, I hope! haha!

As for bha, I stopped using it this week after increasing the tret strength. I feel like I’m on an ongoing battle with bha, lol. I’ve started using it then stopped using it. It’s been an on and off relationship with this product, haha. But, in all seriousness, I had to stop using bha because my skin is feeling more sensitive right now after bumping up to a new strength. I don’t want to over-exfoliant my skin and ruin it. But once my skin settles down and adjusts to the new tret strength, I’ll try my best to reintroduce it back into my routine. I’ve noticed that tret doesn’t do much for sebaceous filaments or blackheads. I’ve been seeing more of that once I stopped using bha. *sigh* Like, wtf. I’ll keep an eye out on my sunscreens if any of them are causing these darn blackheads. That’s all I use in the morning anyways. Something must be going on to cause an increase in blackheads.

Still moisturizing…

I’m still moisturizing when necessary. It’s almost every night this week, lol. I skipped a day. What I learned is that sandwiching doesn’t work for me. I need to apply tret directly onto bare skin for it to be effective. I tried sandwiching vs moisturizer on top vs no moisturizer. My skin seems to prefer the moisturizer on top or no moisturizer. Sandwiching just defeats the purpose. My goal is to treat acne, and I see less results with the sandwiching method. I’ve been sandwiching for so long. No wonder why it’s not working. 😒 I feel like I’m starting all over with tret!!! 🤯 The moisturizer I’m still using is Vanicream Daily Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin. I’m still a little iffy about this moisturizer, but it’s all I have right now. I seriously cannot find a better moisturizer that actually moisturizes and protects my skin than this one. I feel like it’s going to backfire on me and clog my pores when I least expect it. 😭 I have no issues as of yet. YET. It prevents my skin from drying out when I’m on tret too. It prevents itchy skin and irritation. It soothes my skin. Hopefully it keeps working without clogging pores. I’ll still be on the search for a new moisturizer while I’m using Vanicream.

Weekly Clay Mask 💆🏻‍♀️

Clay mask, anyone? I started using a clay mask for 2 weeks already. I’ve been using it once a week after I do my extractions. I don’t think any topical product is going to help with sebaceous filaments or even blackheads besides bha (kinda helps), but I’m waiting to add it back into my routine. I can’t right now due to skin sensitivity. So I went back to what I used to do because it’s the only think that works or at least helps just a little bit. Also, I’m getting tired of seeing and feeling rough skin on my nose. Even when I was using bha, it didn’t get rid of all of the gunk on my nose either. I would have to extract that stuff out myself. Doing a clay mask weekly with extractions has helped. Maybe my skin is just so oily that I can handle this, lol. I haven’t had any issues with skin dryness using a clay mask while using tret. It seems like my skin can tolerate this without a problem. My skin feels softer and cleaner afterwards too. Results have been nice though temporary.

New Products & Updates!

I tried another moisturizer this week. It’s the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. Don’t forget to check out my review on this product! Also, I did an update on The Ordinary Matrixyl 10% + HA. 👈🏻

Catch up on my acne journey below!!

My Acne Journey: 1 Week In…

My Acne Journey: 2 WEEKS!! 

My Acne Journey: 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 4 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 5 WEEKS IN!

My Acne Journey: 6 Weeks Results…

My Acne Journey: 7 Weeks Results

My Acne Journey: 2 MONTHS!! 

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 1 Week Results!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 2 Weeks!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 3 MONTHS!! 😃

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 1 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 2 Weeks Results

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 3 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 4 MONTHS!!

My Acne Journey: 4 Months + 1 Week Results.

My Acne Journey: 4.5 Months + Clear Skin!!

My Acne Journey: 4 Months + 3 Weeks! What I’m Doing to Maintain My Clear Skin. 🙂

My Acne Journey: 5 MONTHS!!

My Acne Journey: 5 Months + 1 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 5.5 Months Results!

My Acne Journey: 5 Months + 3 Weeks

My Acne Journey: 6 MONTHS!!! 🎉

My Acne Journey: 6 Months + 1 Week!

My Acne Journey: 6 Months + 1 Week!

It’s been 25 days on tret. I’m moving on to 1 month soon! This is what happened this week!

Increasing Strength & Adding Moisturizer.

I tried to increase to a higher strength this week from what I’m using. Ugh, I burned myself again after a good streak with little to no irritation. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I should’ve known from my prior mistake. My skin was so irritated. It was reddish and pink. It looked so flushed. So painful, so sad. Super itchy! Should’ve slathered on a heavy-duty moisturizer beforehand. This burn was worse than the previous burn. Ouch! So I took one day off before getting back on tret. It took ONE day for my skin to fully heal. I was shocked how resilient my skin was. It bounced back that quick. My skin settled down after a day of nourishing my skin. Here are the skin care products I used to soothe and heal my skin. I used whatever I had, lol.

Vanicream Daily Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin:

This is the only moisturizer that I have found that actually works to heal, protect, and soothe my skin. It didn’t soothe my skin at the beginning though. It burned my skin when applied to damaged skin. When the moisture barrier is damaged, almost everything burns. This product was one of them. I still used it anyways. I needed a moisturizer with ingredients like ceramides. It was the least likely to clog my pores out of all the moisturizers I have. I find that my skin really like ceramides when it’s feeling irritated and burned. With this moisturizer, I only used it at night. Before I stopped using Vanicream Daily Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin, I was using it daily, morning and night. Maybe that was just too much moisture for my skin. Using it at night only has helped replenish moisture in my skin without going overboard. I don’t plan on using this moisturizer every single night. Just a few times a night when my skin needs it. I went back to my no moisturizer routine after my skin felt moisturized and healed. Who knows when this moisturizer will pop back in. It’s nice to have around to alleviate dry skin.

CeraVe Healing Ointment:

After applying Vanicream Daily Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin, I slugged for one night because my skin really needed it. I couldn’t take the itchiness anymore. It was getting to be too much. I took the CeraVe Healing Ointment and applied a thick layer over my facial skin, slept with it on, and woke up the next morning with less irritated skin. This product also contains mineral oil, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid. It made my skin look so poreless and smoother in the morning. Very moisturized with a nice sheen to my skin. I love keeping this product around to heal dry, itchy skin. It’s amazing stuff! I can’t slug every night. It’s too moisturizing, heavy, and sticky. It gets in my hair too and makes it sticky in the morning. It’s a once in a blue moon thing when I destroy my skin by accident.

Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50:

I don’t use Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 as my face sunscreen at all. I use it around my eyes, on my ears, and neck. I’m on my last bottle and won’t repurchase after I finish it. I find that this sunscreen is just way too heavy and moisturizing. It seals in moisture in the skin. And that’s why I used it while my skin was irritated, dry, and itchy. This sunscreen makes a great occlusive with SPF in the morning. It felt extremely soothing on the skin.

Altruist Sunscreen SPF 50:

I love the UVB and UVA protection of the Altruist Sunscreen SPF 50, but I can’t use this sunscreen every day due to how moisturizing it is. My skin starts to get clogged if I use it too much during the week. This sunscreen worked pretty good at keeping my skin moisturized and protected from harmful UV rays as my skin healed. I love applying this sunscreen directly on my bare skin, it’s just so soothing.

Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40:

I’m not a fan of the Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40. But, this sunscreen is definitely another moisturizing sunscreen that makes the skin feel silky smooth and soothes irritated skin. I piled this sunscreen on throughout the day to increase my skin’s moisture levels. It’s not something I would use as a daily SPF, but it served its purpose during the healing process. It was nice to have this sunscreen around for that reason. I’m on my last bottle too. Another sunscreen that I won’t purchase again after I finish it. At least it’s good for something, haha.

So am I going to try to increase the strength again? Probably not. No. I’ll just wait until the weather is warmer when my skin is even more oily. I’ll just stick to the lower strength from now on unless it stops working. Tret burns are just terrible to go through. I’m glad it’s been fixed and over. I’ll try not to do it again. 😵 lol.

An update on skin care products I tried this week…

Melano CC Vitamin C Essence:

I tried using Melano CC Vitamin C Essence again. The essence felt lightweight and absorbed into the skin very quick. I loved that aspect about this vitamin c essence. But, I didn’t like the way it left my skin feeling and looking drier throughout the day. By the end of the night, my skin looked drier. I noticed some pimples too. Ugh. Why did I try this product again? The dryness and breakouts turned me off from using this essence again. I stopped using it immediately after one try. Skin felt so much better after I stopped using it. I prefer to apply my sunscreen products directly to bare skin anyways. It was nice to try out this vitamin c essence again to see if it’ll work on my skin since I have several tubes left, but I won’t bother with it anymore after this. I hope, haha. I’m currently not using a vitamin c product. I can’t find one that works well with my skin. They tend to be irritating on the skin too with little results. Oh well.

Check out my 1 month update on The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG!

My Results.

After my skin healed, I went back on tret. I also started using Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant again to help with skin congestion. I noticed my nose had a ton of sebaceous filaments. And the only product that I know will help with this type of skin issue (on my skin) is the bha liquid. I’m actually using it with tret at night also. I apply bha first, let it dry. Next, apply tret. I apply moisturizer (Vanicream) if my skin feels dry. If not, I skip it. I haven’t noticed any breakouts from using this moisturizer at night only. I might try to be more consistent with moisturizing my skin if it doesn’t cause any clogged pores. I love how soothing and how moisturizing it is without leaving my skin feeling and looking oily. It feels a bit sticky and tacky upon application, but it doesn’t feel that way after it absorbs into the skin. With the bha, I noticed results after using it once. My pores looked clearer and cleaner. It helped accelerate the skin purging process. My skin cleared up even more after using it again. Overall, my skin looks pretty good right now. No noticeable blemishes and no new cysts. Hopefully it all just gets better in the next upcoming weeks!

Read more on my acne journey below!

My Acne Journey: 1 Week In…

My Acne Journey: 2 WEEKS!! 

My Acne Journey: 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 4 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 5 WEEKS IN!

My Acne Journey: 6 Weeks Results…

My Acne Journey: 7 Weeks Results

My Acne Journey: 2 MONTHS!! 

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 1 Week Results!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 2 Weeks!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 3 MONTHS!! 😃

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 1 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 2 Weeks Results

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 3 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 4 MONTHS!!

My Acne Journey: 4 Months + 1 Week Results.

My Acne Journey: 4.5 Months + Clear Skin!!

My Acne Journey: 4 Months + 3 Weeks! What I’m Doing to Maintain My Clear Skin. 🙂

My Acne Journey: 5 MONTHS!!

My Acne Journey: 5 Months + 1 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 5.5 Months Results!

My Acne Journey: 5 Months + 3 Weeks

My Acne Journey: 6 MONTHS!!! 🎉