Just warm clean water wash and simple moisturiser.

 

Unlike others, I believe "adequate" exposure to the sun brings more benefit than harm.

Daily regimen involves face washing with only water, followed byDr.Christopher's ComfreyOintment + MSM cream.

AM -- wash, toner, vitamin C cream, sunblock
PM -- wash, AHA solution, retinol/niacinamide (alternating)

Also, I hope you guys are all using sunblock in your daily regimen.

AM:
face wash (La Roche-Posay Toleraine)
Hyaluronic Acid (Eucerin)
moisturizer (La Roche-Posay Toleraine) - if needed
sunscreen (La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL)
makeup (foundation - Vichy Dermablend)

PM:
face wash(La Roche-Posay Toleraine)
moisturizer(La Roche-Posay Toleraine)
When stronger moisture is needed - Cicaplast Baume B5 from La Roche-Posay
Tretinoin Gel 3 X/ week
Glyco-A once a week

When needed for breakouts Benzyl Peroxide is added to routine.

For me, the one topical that has made the most visible difference is hands-down tretinoin.

But it's honestly the FREE stuff that makes a huge difference. Sleep and water frankly have a huge impact on skin.

A gentle scrub once a week and just a simple moisturizer.

Weird question, when I rub the moisturizer on my face, it is like I feel that my left cheek is fiuller and more fat then my right cheek. Anyone else notice that?

Am
Wash papaya soap
Aztec mask
Vit c
Hyaluronic
sunscreen
makeup

pm
Wash papaya soap
Dermastamp
retin a
copper peptide
Vit c
Hyaluronic

My skin looks best when I drink enough water atleast a gallon and sweat in the gym. And eat healthy
if I eat sugars it looks like shit
i keep forgetting to use aha but def gonna add it back regularly

Great questions. I think the community here undervalues basic day to day care, because we are so lost in the bigger issues. I guess I can really only speak for myself but I'm sure you guys understand.But to your point, @QuanHenry, a good regimen can soften the skin and at decrease the harshness of our scars.

I'm constantly experimenting with new products, but the best regimen I've found is as follows:

AM -
* Cetaphil gentle foam cleanser
* Reviva labs antioxidant + vitamin c serum
* Cetaphil moisturizing lotion for acne-prone skin - spf 30

PM
* Tazorac (generic tazarotene) - every other night. (Does anyone else use this over Tretinoin?)
* Reviva Labs DMAE cream with vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid (this was a Mr. Matt recommendation on here ages ago ... many people on amazon say the formula has changed. I still like it).
* Rosehip oil
* cetaphil rich hydrating night cream (with HA)

As you can tell, I like cetaphil. Gentle but effective.

My main question:

is there a prevailing wisdom on tazorac/tazarotene vs retin a/tretinoin?

I tried Paula's choice vitamin c serum and had a nasty reaction to it. One spot even left a scar  so I'm afraid to use it now. I can't really use bha either. Fortunately aha is tolerable and does make my scarring a bit softer.

Im surprised to see some people aren't using retinoids or exfoliating.

AM, wash with water, put Neutrogena Moisturiser and sunscreen.

PM, wash with African black soap, then either tallow moisturiser or Nivea.

When I see the look of orange peel and 'clogginess" in certain lighting I will use a peel off mask.

No product has ever worked as well as Accutane.

Currently checking out Modele skin care and make up - if anyone has recommendations. I have also heard good things about Dr. Spiller (again any recommendations).

Make up - Mac looks terrible. Shiseido is my go to.

7 hours ago, NeoFight said:

* Reviva Labs DMAE cream with vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid (this was a Mr. Matt recommendation on here ages ago ... many people on amazon say the formula has changed. I still like it).

This product contains olive oil, stearic acid, and cetearyl alcohol. I've been afraid to use it. I'm glad it works for you.

AM - LumiSpa & Cleanser (for oily skin), Moisture mist, tinted moisturiser

PM - LumiSpa & Cleanser (for normal/combination skin), and then either Epoch mud mask and skin peel or AHA 180 facial peel and neutralizer (alternative days).

These products have honestly changed everything for me. Made me feel so much more confident with my skin! - Especially the LumiSpa, cannot recommend this enough!

I also drink 4 litres of water every single day and use my moisture mist throughout the day to keep my skin hydrated.

For breakouts (time of month ect)I go to sleep with my mud mask on the spots which drys them out and also apply sudocrem in the mornings.

Physician's Formula ConcealRX is the best concealor I have used. It's like industrial strength and covers completely, but it is not cakey. I've spent quite a bit of money on Dermablend, but I find it too oily and cakey and makes my scars more obvious. The only downside is that it comes in two very light shades so it only really works for light skinned folks. But, you could use it and then use some sort of foundation on top to match the color.

Neofight, the "prevailing wisdom" on tretinoin versus tazarotene is that tazarotene is seen more as an ingredient that treats acne, whereas tretinoin treats both acne and possesses powerful anti-aging properties. They work very similarly though, so tazarotene is also anti-aging, but according to my understanding, not as effective as tretinoin in that regard. This is my understanding anyway. The other thing is, neither tretinoin nor tazarotene are that effective as monotherapy for acne.

The bottom line is that tretinoin is currently the most powerful weapon we have against aging, with decades of research demonstrating it increases epidermal thickness, promotes healthy skin cell turnover, corrects pigmentation, treats acne, and even reduces the amount of pre-cancerous cells developed in prone individuals. It behooves literally everyone over the age of 30 (who can tolerate it) to use tretinoin(I started at 29.)

If you want to know more about tretinoin, I highly recommend Dr. Dray's tretinoin videos (Youtube.) She did a four part series on tretinoin and all of its applications, in addition to intermittent tretinoin Q and A's. Also, here is a very informative blog: [removed]

I have a ridiculously extensive skincare routine that consists of three skincare applications daily (am, afternoon, and pm.) I won't go into all the details here but I will just list the ingredients/products I use.

CLEANSERS:
First Cleanser (to remove sunscreen and makeup) - Heimish All Clean Balm
Second Cleanser - Cerave Hydrating Cleanser

ACTIVES:
Tretinoin 0.14% - Currently using 4 times a week, working up to every day (Curology; this is absolutely the work horse of my skin care routine)
Vitamin C - Every other day (15%)
Salicylic Acid - Usually once or twice a week using short contact therapy (1 minute)
Copper Peptides - ~1%, every other day
Niacinamide - I use a 10% Niacinamide serum and it's also in my Curology prescription at 4%

OTHER:
Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid Lotion
Secret Key Aloe Toner
Amara Organics Aloe Gel
Mizon All In One Snail Repair Cream
Skin 1004 Centella Asiatica Ampoule
Sidmool's MadagascarCentella AsiaticaSkin
Stratia Liquid Gold (a barrier repair serum containing ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids, and yes, more Niacinamide)
Various sheet masks
Neutrogena Sensitive Skin SPF 60+ (copious amounts, every. single. day.)

Soo, yes it is extensive, but in line with the Asian skincare approach. I've never thought my skin looked better, acne scars and all.

I think it is utterly pointless to care about skin care regimens when I walk around with Grade 4 scars. Not only this but I think they are pointless anyway; skin looks best when I do nothing with it.

@ChildhoodDreams Skincare is objective. For you, the "cavemen" regimen seems to do the trick. Other people might find that they need active ingredients in their regimen in order to achieve their desired skin - its personal, and subjective to ones skin goals and concerns. 

My skin care Routine: 

AM: 
- Cleanse with acne.org cleanser 
- Apply Rosehip oil (a new addition to the regime) 
- Suncreen (if going out) 
- Aloe vera (if skin is looking inflamed and red) 

PM: 
- Cleanse with acne.org cleanser 
- Tretinoin/Retrieve 0.05% nightly 

Sometimes I apply a thin layer of Vaseline on my face to help with inflammation. 

37 minutes ago, Sabii said:

@ChildhoodDreams Skincare is objective. For you, the "cavemen" regimen seems to do the trick. Other people might find that they need active ingredients in their regimen in order to achieve their desired skin - its personal, and subjective to ones skin goals and concerns. 

 

Couldn't have said this better myself. But I think you meant skincare is subjective

49 minutes ago, Sabii said:

@ChildhoodDreams Skincare is objective. For you, the "cavemen" regimen seems to do the trick. Other people might find that they need active ingredients in their regimen in order to achieve their desired skin - its personal, and subjective to ones skin goals and concerns. 

My skin care Routine: 

AM: 
- Cleanse with acne.org cleanser 
- Apply Rosehip oil (a new addition to the regime) 
- Suncreen (if going out) 
- Aloe vera (if skin is looking inflamed and red) 

PM: 
- Cleanse with acne.org cleanser 
- Tretinoin/Retrieve 0.05% nightly 

Sometimes I apply a thin layer of Vaseline on my face to help with inflammation. 

Perhaps.

But have you read what's in your products? Take a look at your cleanser:

Water, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium Laureth 13 Carboxylate, Disodium Cocamphodiacetate, Butylene Glycol, Sage Extract, Cucumber Extract, White Oak Bark Extract, Panthenol, Allantoin, Acrylates Copolymer, Methylgluceth-20, Polysorbate-20, Quaternium-15, DMDM Hydantoin, Disodium EDTA.

Most of these we can not even pronounce yet we have this illusion in our heads that they are doing something good or beneficial. 

When I tried going the "caveman" routine, my skin looked older, haggard, oily. My pores were huge, my acne was breaking out, and the dirt wasn't really getting out. I don't believe we need most of the stuff that goes in skincare products, but stuff like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, retinoids, vitamin C, clyndamicin, etc. all havel long history and studies behind their effectiveness.

Anyway, you can go to this site and enter each ingredient and it will tell you exactly what it does: https://www.ewg.org

My skin looks like monkey buttif I don't use anything, or too much.

@labellavita1985 Haha yeh, deffs meant to say subjective lol
@ChildhoodDreams I understand your perspective and its a valid one that's true for some skins more than it is for others. But yeh, biologically speaking, our skin should and does repair on its own anyways - but I guess medicines help fasten the process for some peoples skin whilst on others it can have an adverse effect. Like I said, its subjective - but I do understand, appreciate and respect your point.