Today, let’s spend some time on the topic of retinol, which is considered one of the most essential ingredients in skin care.

I’m 44, mom²👨‍👩‍👧‍👧. A former Los Angeles beautician🇺🇸, now living in🇪🇺. I had a terrible skin and these are my BEAUTY & SKINCARE secrets! Also, you can find my new beauty book here.

This topic is very complicated, but you need to understand it. Retinol is considered the queen of skincare products and has been the subject of many research and scientific studies.

Retinols are becoming more and more popular every year. There is a large number of products that contain retinol, and choosing which one is right for you can be a challenge.

There is no specified age at which to start using retinol. However, it is well-established that retinol combats:

1. Wrinkles
2. Acne
3. Pigment

If you have at least one of these problems, start using retinol.

What does this ingredient do? It simply accelerates skin regeneration. You probably already know that the skin regenerates more and more slowly as the years go by. When this happens, getting rid of acne, pigmentation, and other problems becomes more difficult. With the help of retinol, the skin sheds old cells faster and produces new and fresh ones more quickly.

How can I find a product that does everything it promises?

How can I decide which one is right for me? How should I use it properly, so I don’t have an unwanted reaction?

Keep reading. I will answer all these questions and more.

While living in the US, I asked my doctor for a prescription. I wanted the most potent and effective retinol. Unfortunately, I got the opposite result because I didn’t know everything about this ingredient at the time. I don’t want you to make the same mistake.

Retinoids are also known as retina-A, retinol, retinoic acid, retinal, and retinoic ester. I don’t want to bore you with long medical terms and derivations, but here’s what you need to understand: retin-A is a broad term (say, vegetables). More specific would be retinol (for example, broccoli), retinal (for example, spinach), and retinoic ester (for example, tomato). They all have in common that they are all derived from the vitamin A molecule.

1. The strongest is retinoic acid, which is not available in Europe. I don’t recommend starting with it because it can severely irritate the skin.

2. The second strongest is retinal, which can be hard to find.

3. The next level, and the most common, is retinol.

4. The lightest and mildest are retinol esters and other varieties.

WHERE SHOULD YOU START?

1. If you have very sensitive, thin skin with prominent capillaries, then esters will be just right.
2. Retinol will work for most at first.

How does it work? Once on the skin, it goes through steps: first, retinol turns into retinal, and then retinoic acid. This pathway weakens the retinol through the stages, and the acid reaching the skin is not as strong but still active. Retinol is designed this way to make it less irritating to the skin.

I’m currently using CeraVe retinol. I also recommend Drunk Elephant, Neutrogena, Paula`s Choice, and Skinceuticals. Many women ask me about The Ordinary’s retinol. They’re not bad, but I don’t like that it is oil-based. Maybe it will work for you.

Retinol will not work immediately. It will take at least three months, and maybe even 6 or 12 months, to see any effect.

But results will come if you use a good product. If you buy a cream with a drop of retinol, don’t expect to see any effect. The product will be too weak.

HOW TO INCLUDE RETINOL IN YOUR FACIAL CARE ROUTINE?

1. Apply only to dry, washed skin. (CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser works well).
2. Do not overdo it with the amount—a pea size will be enough initially. Dab the product on your face and then smooth it out nicely with your fingers, rubbing it in a little. Do not touch the eye area at the beginning.
3. Apply esters three evenings a week. Apply retinol twice a weekly.

My skin is used to retinoic acid since I’ve been using this ingredient for about 20 years. Be careful if you haven’t introduced your skin to retinol yet.

Consistency is the key to results. The thing with retinol is that you can’t use it, then forget about it and throw it away. With this ingredient, you must continue to use the product. The skin’s renewal cycle must not only be ignited but also sustained.

IF YOU ARE AFRAID OF SKIN IRRITATION:

1. You can apply retinol to dry skin and after two minutes, apply cream on top. This will dilute the concentration.
2. You can make a retinol sandwich: apply cream, wait until it is absorbed, dab retinol on top of that, and then after five minutes, apply cream on the retinol.

Important: Retinol should not be mixed with vitamin C, nor should it be used after acid procedures!

The morning after retinol, check your skin. It may become cracked a day or two after application. What happened? The skin received an order for repairs, and with the help of retinol, it worked hard and got tired. Now it needs some support. Respect your skin and give it some love for the great job it did overnight. Grab a moisturizing serum with hyaluronic acid or snail secretion. Pamper and moisturize the skin.

Warning: Retinols make the skin very sensitive to the sun, so sunscreen with SPF is a MUST.

I really hope you dare to add retinol to your skin care routine. This is the queen ingredient, and it deserves your attention.

Until the next time,

Ruta

P.S. If you were interested in this article, you will definitely love my new beauty book “THE WHOLE TRUTH about beauty, youth, and skin care”👇

Amazon USA🇺🇸: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7X2Y4WW
Amazon UK🇬🇧: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B7X2Y4WW

 

 

Today I want to devote time to what kind of skin is considered glowing and how you can have it for as long as possible.

I’m 44, mom²👨‍👩‍👧‍👧. A former Los Angeles beautician🇺🇸, now living in🇪🇺. I had a terrible skin and these are my BEAUTY & SKINCARE secrets! Also, you can find my new beauty book here.

So what do I mean by glowing skin? It’s fresh, smooth, with no visible pores, barely sun kissed. Good skin texture, color, and make-up help achieve the effect, but first, you need to have good foundations.

So here are 5 ways to help your skin look radiant.

 

1. If you want glowing skin, pay attention to its texture.

What does that mean? Check for subcutaneous “granules” (I remember how I had such “bubbles,” which were not even visible when looking from the front. But when I turned my face to the side, I immediately saw those small “peas” under the skin. I felt very self-conscious about it).

You probably understand: if you feel all kinds of bumps and lumps under the skin, you can’t really call it smooth.

Healthy skin reflects light. This will not happen if there are many dead cells on it, the already mentioned bumps.

Large pores will also not result in glowing skin. The biggest mistake I used to make was washing with foamy cleansers, which left my skin feeling itchy and made it oilier. The more oil, the larger the pores. The larger the pores, the more dirt gets in, and comedones form in a polluted pore.

One of the best ways to improve texture is to use acids. I have discovered The Ordinary BHA+AHA pink acid for myself, as well as lactic acid 5%. I use the rose bottle once a week (or every 10 days). Women with dry skin can also use it, but less often. It cleans subcutaneous bubbles, eats away dead cells, and smooths the skin. Don’t expect miracles—the products need a couple of months to work.

What else is needed? Some of you will also need to use a “support,” which is a mild acid to keep the skin from clogging. Again, I like The Ordinary—5% Lactic Acid. Use it twice a week, and you will see its effects very quickly. Sensitive and dry skin will prefer The Ordinary’s Mandelic Acid.

You must find the “golden” middle ground and monitor how many acids your skin needs, so the acid doesn’t destroy the skin’s protective barrier. As soon as the barrier is destroyed, the skin starts to defend itself, producing more oil. This is a sign that you have overdone it.

What is my routine? Every 10 days, I do an acid treatment with a strong BHA+AHA. Every night when I wash with my cleanser, I feel the skin with my fingers and check for any subcutaneous bumps. If I feel any, I immediately use mild lactic acid. This routine usually helps me maintain an even skin texture.

What to do if you overdo it with acids? Avoid using any acids, retinols, or other strong ingredients for a while. Grab some argan or squalene oil to soften breakouts and help your skin recover. Oils don’t really lighten the skin, but they do help it deal with chapping.

Retinols also promote skin regeneration and treat acne, as can niacinamide.

 

2. Glowing skin equals moist skin.

What ingredients attract moisture?

Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and snail secretion are three.

I always imagine crumpled paper. When I dip it in water, it becomes smooth, straight, and beautiful. This also happens with the skin if you use products with moisture attractors. Serums with hyaluronic acid or snail secretion must be used daily.

If you ask me which moisturizer to use, I will tell you: use something that will have a lasting effect. Some serums with peptides (for example, Timeless Synthe’6) or antioxidants (for example, Timeless Coenzyme Q10) are enriched with hyaluronic acid and other active ingredients.

Serum with peptides will ignite the collagen production factory in the skin, and serum with antioxidants will extract free radicals.

In addition, both serums are excellent moisturizers. Snail secretion (for example, Cosrx snail mucin) is super hydrating, instantly plumping up your skin, but it will only last until the evening when you wash it all off.

Have long-term “workers,” like hyaluronic acid, and for a quick effect, use snails 😊.
 

3. Pay attention to color. Radiant skin is never gray.

Some women associate glowing skin with tanning, but in my opinion, fair skin, sometimes even porcelain skin, can glow even more.

How can one achieve good skin color? A best-case scenario would be to live only in fresh air, but that is unfortunately not the case, so we must find ways to improve the color.

Again, acids eat away at dead cells. After using acids, the skin will reflect light much better and appear less gray.

The second ingredient is Vitamin C. I currently have the Timeless Serum. Don’t buy it in large bottles because the vitamin oxidizes over time and loses its effectiveness. Another brand I like is Skinsuiticals Vitamin C.

Radiant skin is never blemished, so you need to learn how to deal with pigmentation. Retinol and acids fight spots, and for more sensitive skin—niacinamide (like from The Ordinary) or azelaic acid.
 

4. Enjoying the sun’s rays will make your skin worse, not better.

I use sunscreen with SPF all year round. Do you know why? Even in winter, sunlight ages the skin, destroys the collagen network, and promotes pigmentation. No matter what your skin care routine is, if you don’t use SPF, you won’t have glowing skin.

You have asked me about tanning beds, and I don’t want to be hypocritical—I also liked to sunbathe. I remember when I first started dating my husband Mindaugas. I wanted so badly to have a nice tan on my lovely legs, just like when I lived in Los Angeles. I used to tan in the sun or in a tanning bed. I understand the desire of women to be tanned.

If you still want to tan, don’t burn your face—cover it with a towel. And then, to make the skin of the whole body and face look uniform, use an artificial tanning cream.

The skin care industry is increasingly turning to sun protection, so find a way not to fry your face.
 

5. Cosmetics can help achieve the desired result.

Skin will never shine if we use a matte makeup product or a lot of powder. So how do you choose a product that will help your face reach the perfect balance, not too shiny or too dry?

I used to really like Estee Lauder powder, but then I realized that it aged me and looked quite dry. Now I use It Cosmetics Cream Powder and a brush. I apply it to my face in a circular motion, and it covers quite nicely.

I also like Charlotte Tilbury Cream Powder that isn’t shimmery or pearl. I also love cream blushes that help keep skin fresh.

BOTTOM LINE: You can have glowing skin. You already know the ways to achieve it. But if there are days when you don’t shine, don’t be discouraged. My skin doesn’t shine every day, either: sometimes I don’t sleep well, I don’t eat well, I don’t spend much time in the fresh air, I’m stressed, I cry . . .

I really hope that my advice will help you achieve the look you want.

Until next time,

Ruta

P.S. If you were interested in this article, you will definitely love my new beauty book “THE WHOLE TRUTH about beauty, youth, and skin care”👇

Amazon USA🇺🇸: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7X2Y4WW
Amazon UK🇬🇧: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B7X2Y4WW

I’m a former Los Angeles beautician🇺🇸. I’m 44 and I had quite a few freckles and large spots on my cheeks and above my eyebrows (I can still see a few if I look closely), which bothered me.

I know how I got them.

Indeed, it was my way of life.

Girls often write to me to say, “I bought a serum. Will it help me with hyperpigmentation?” I realized I hadn’t discussed this topic in detail before and needed to. 

So, if you have pigment spots, have tried various products and can’t get rid of the problem, or still don’t understand pigmentation, my advice will be beneficial. To combat the problem, we need to understand how it happens.

I am so glad that many excellent and inexpensive products are on the market to help with pigmentation. In the days when I struggled with the problem, there weren’t that many options. 

When I worked as a model in Austria, I had problems with acne. Do you know how I treated them? I squeezed the pimples, used alcohol (salicylic spirit, vodka, cologne), and disinfected the areas. Not only that, I would lie in the sun, thinking it would help. It’s scary to remember I did that!🙈

Looking back, it was a pretty dark time in my life, and my skin looked really bad.😭

You don’t have to make those mistakes.

Most people think brown spots look bad; unfortunately, they only increase as the years go by.

Sometimes girls tell me that spots appeared after starting to use a new product. Most often, the pigment was already there, but it appeared because it was just waiting for the right moment.

👉IMPORTANT: When I was in beauty school in Los Angeles, we were shown this picture: imagine a slice of cake going into your skin.🍰 The pointed part of the wedge is deep in the skin, and the widest edge is on the skin’s surface. That tip produces a pigment that slowly rises over many years until it reaches the surface, where it spreads “beautifully.”

You can peel the surface layer like an onion, layer by layer. However, do not expect miracles IF YOU DO NOT STOP THE PIGMENT PRODUCTION AT THE VERY TIP.🍰

It is essential to understand this; only then will you be able to choose the tools you need. I want to emphasize that the brown spots on the face are just a consequence of what may have happened many years ago. Pigment spots can happen at the age of 16 and not appear on the skin’s surface until around age 30.

If you have enjoyed the sun or experienced changes in your hormonal system (for example, pregnancy), spots will appear sooner or later.

Even after pigment production has stopped, you should be careful about sun exposure. Your skin has learned to defend itself, so it can start producing pigment again at any time. Therefore, I encourage you to use sunscreen with SPF. While you are young, you think freckles or tan add charm.

As you age, brown spots will rob your face of charm, freshness, and youth, and you will look older.

I honestly apply SPF 365 days a year. The best way to prevent pigmentation in the first place is to avoid the sun, even if it is not visible in the sky. 

👉What if the pigmentation is already visible?

To remove the pigment, you need to exfoliate it. Acids help to do this. I like The Ordinary lactic acid, mandelic acid, and AHA+BHA acid. Drunk Elephant also has good products.

If you have a big problem, the most effective treatment is hydroquinone. It would be worth looking into it. As far as I know, it is not sold in Europe and is available by prescription only in the US. Since this tool is not available in EU, I will tell you about others.

One of the strongest and readily available remedies is retinol. Another product that stops the “pigment factory” well is azelaic acid (available from The Ordinary). You will see the difference within six months to a year.

You can order these products online:

• Tranexamic acid from Inkey List
• Alpha Arbutin from Cult Beauty
• Skinceuticals discoloration defense

These formulas affect the “factory” work so that it no longer produces as much pigment. Surface stains are effectively destroyed by acids and vitamin C, which brightens, tightens, and beautifies the skin. I would not rely on this vitamin alone. Retinol (such as CeraVe brand) will be more effective.

I will repeat myself, but I feel obliged:

The best thing for your skin is a sunscreen with SPF. You can spend any amount of money, but if you don’t protect yourself from the sun, all your actions will be futile, and the spots will continue to multiply.

👉To summarize, you have three tasks:

• stop the work of the “factory”
• brighten the surface of the skin
• protect yourself from the sun

Do not rush to buy a product whose label promises you too much, like “brightens the skin and removes pigmentation in a few weeks.”

Read the ingredient list. Is there retinol, azelaic acid? Are there AHAs or BHAs? If it only contains vitamin C, it’s unlikely to help with blemishes.

Don’t give up. Patiently pursue the goal—the spots will not disappear quickly. However, if you are persistent, you will see the result after six months to a year. Most importantly, don’t ruin your work without the protective shield of SPF while in the sun!

If you want to REALLY understand your skin and learn the secrets to looking and feeling at least 10 years younger, one of the most important books you can read is my book The Whole Truth About Beauty, Youth, and Skin Care.

Ruta

Today I want to focus on myths and questions surrounding retinol, hyaluronic acid, and other acids.

I’m 44, mom²👨‍👩‍👧‍👧. A former Los Angeles beautician🇺🇸, now living in🇪🇺. I had a terrible skin and these are my BEAUTY & SKINCARE secrets! Also, you can find my new beauty book here.

Recently, while walking, I was looking at the store windows when I saw advertisements about how the new generation of hyaluronic acid stops aging. I was disturbed. I even got angry! I don’t like false claims, and I want every woman to be well-informed and distinguish between clever advertising and valuable ingredients.

Let me explain what is true and what is just a myth about these products.

Retinol

I’m one of those women who follows news and trends. It’s fun to watch things change. In the past, only strong prescription retinol was available, and now a good product is available over the counter.

Retinol is one ingredient that I recommend everyone to get to know. There aren’t many products in the cosmetics industry that have such an impressive effect on your skin.

Myth no. 1: Retinol is not worth using if you’re only 20.

People keep asking me, “How young is too young for a girl to start using retinol?” I’ll reply with a question: did you know that retinol was created to treat teenage skin? Only later was this ingredient used to stimulate collagen production, reduce pigmentation, and slow the aging process. There really is no age limit to include this ingredient in your skin care routine. Teenage girls can use retinol to treat acne. Starting at about age 20, our love for the sun begins to show, and the face is “decorated” with pigment spots, and retinol is the first helper here. A little later (around age 40), when you want to reduce wrinkles and return firmness to your skin, retinol will help again.

Myth no. 2: Do not use retinol in summer.

Women also ask me if they can use retinol in the summer. I constantly repeat that short-term use of an ingredient will not work miracles. You must be patient and take your time. I don’t see any need to stop using retinol in the summer. Yes, it makes the skin more sensitive to the sun, but there are ways to protect yourself from it: apply sunscreen with SPF or wear a hat and glasses. Powerful prescription retinol can cause side effects, so be smart about exposure to the sun.

Although the new generation of retinol is designed to be applied in the morning, I prefer to apply it in the evening because I like it to work on the skin overnight. It is better to stimulate skin regeneration when the body is resting.

After purchasing retinol, decide how many days a week you want to use it. Take your time in the beginning. Gradually use it more often, and then maybe you can use it once a day.

By the way, pregnant and lactating women have been warned in the past that they should not use retinol. However, there is more research that says this ingredient may be safe for breastfeeding mothers. Please look up the current research about using retinol if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

IMPORTANT: if you don’t use sunscreen, don’t use retinol either.

Myth no. 3: You can’t use retinol once the skin begins to shrivel or peel.

“What should I do if my skin starts to flake after starting to use retinol?” Do not suddenly stop using it or look for a replacement. The skin takes about a month to adjust to retinol. You must moisturize your skin very well or use this ingredient more slowly and gently. Apply retinol to dry skin, leave for 15 minutes, and then follow with a moisturizer (I like CeraVe). To make this routine even more gentle, first apply the cream, then the retinol, and then the cream again.

Face acids.

Myth no. 4: Acids burn your face.

When I was in beauty school in Los Angeles, I was always the first to try products (I felt I had to because I had acne scars, blemishes, and uneven skin, and I hadn’t found a remedy yet). I used to ask to apply several layers just for the product to work. My face sometimes looked like the skin was just peeling off in pieces. No matter how strong the acid was, however, none burned my face.

I would never mix retinol with acids (although manufacturers’ mixed products are available now). Acids are applied only on dry skin. Read the manufacturer’s recommendations: they will always state whether it should be kept on overnight or washed off after a few minutes.

Acids are very effective products that give good, long-term results. Now I use gentler products and am happy with what I see in the mirror. No girl has yet written to me that some acid from The Ordinary burned her face. However, if you are a beginner, I recommend that you start your friendship with acids with a gentle product (like lactose).

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. Can acids be used if the skin is irritated and sensitive?

It is possible, but you need to decide for yourself if it is necessary. Acids will help if you have pigment spots, the skin has lost its radiance and firmness, or you have acne, but not all skin needs exfoliation.

2. Can I use both peptides and retinol?

I wouldn’t put both in one evening routine.

3. Is niacinamide as effective as retinol?

Niacinamide is nice, gentle compound, but it is not as effective as retinol. If you want to get rid of wrinkles and have firm skin, you will have to use stronger ingredients like peptides, retinol, and acids.

4. What do you think of Olay Retinol?

Olay Retinol is a good, high-quality product that offers long-lasting results.

5. How do I reduce and clean pores?

A clean pore is a small pore. Use cleansers or exfoliants with salicylic acid, also known as BHA.

6. Why did spots appear after I started to use retinol?

Retinol does not really cause pigment spots. Chances are you already have pigmentation, but the spots started to surface after using retinol. Remember that retinol promotes skin regeneration. Pigmentation starts deep and long, and the spots take time to emerge. Retinol accelerates a process that is happening anyway. Don’t worry. It means the fight against pigmentation has already started. Just be patient.

I hope that now that you have a better understanding of both retinol and acids, you will incorporate these products into your skincare routine and enjoy the results.

Sincerely,
Ruta

If you were interested in this article, you will definitely love my new beauty book “THE WHOLE TRUTH about beauty, youth, and skin care”👇

Amazon USA🇺🇸: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7X2Y4WW
Amazon UK🇬🇧: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B7X2Y4WW

Yours,
Ruta

How do you create an effective face care routine? Here I will answer not only what to do in the morning and evening but also what results you will achieve by sticking with it over an extended period of time.

Today we’re going to create a solid plan to get you great results. I’ll review the key ingredients you should incorporate into your skin care routine.

These are only general recommendations, so I invite you to discover what works best for you.

I am a former Los Angeles beautician,now living in . Now I’m 44 and these are my Beauty, Skin Care & Happier Life secrets  You can follow me on instagram and get all the updated first.

I’ll start with how I put together my own routine.

💦 1. CLEANSING is one of the most important steps

✓ I cleanse my skin in the morning and evening (usually with CeraVe cleanser).

✓ The water should be neither very hot nor very cold.

✓ I use a microfiber cloth. Why? Because water dries out the skin, I want to have as little contact with it as possible. The microfiber cleans the skin easily and quickly, without scratching or irritating it. I avoid microfiber cloths that are dyed in bright colors. I also replace my wipes every month because I wear a lot of makeup, which needs to be removed thoroughly, so the microfiber wears out quickly.

✓ If your SKIN IS DRY, you may not need a cleanser in the morning. Dry skin secretes less oil, so the protective barrier is thinner. Protect this barrier. You may only need water.

✓ OLIER, combination, and NORMAL skin will love the salicylic cleanser CosRX. Cleanse with this product two or three times a week. Dry skin may not need this cleanser.

✓ How long you should cleanse with salicylic acid depends on the skin. Imagine that the highly active ingredient (BHA or salicylic acid) on your fingertips travels into the pore and cleans it. If you have blackheads, the product may need a few minutes to do its job.

✓ A cleanser with salicylic acid can cause unwanted effects if you use it too often. Women with oily skin especially like the feeling of being oil-free, so there is a tendency to use it too often. However, instead of achieving the desired results, you will irritate the skin so that it starts to produce even more oil in defense.

2. Our skin needs VITAMINS, ANTIOXIDANTS, and MOISTURE every day. Serums can provide this.

☀MORNING ROUTINE

✓ Use a serum with antioxidants in the morning.

Antioxidants take care of scavenging free radicals. I recommend having one good quality serum with antioxidants. I usually use Timeless Q10. This serum not only captures free radicals but also stimulates collagen production. The more collagen, the tighter the skin.

✓ Vitamin C and niacinamide are also good antioxidants.

✓ Skin needs MOISTURIZING DAILY. Good moisturizers: hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or snail secretion.

🌙EVENING ROUTINE:

What other products might you need? It all DEPENDS ON YOU PROBLEM, and you should use products to solve those problems in the evenings.

✓ If you wear heavy makeup, you will need to moisturize again in the evening.
✓ Serum with peptides are good in the evening, so it works at night and stimulates collagen production.

I like the Timeless Serum with Peptides (pink bottle). The Ordinary Buffet Peptide Serum performs a similar function. It’s a great formula, but I don’t like the sticky feeling left behind by this serum. In addition, it “bubbles.” I prefer Timeless Peptides, especially around the eyes.

✓ If you have acne, dark spots, or pigmentation and want long-term benefits, you need to find a retinol serum. I’m starting to like Medicaid. I can also recommend Olay, Drunk elephant, and CeraVe retinol.

ABOUT RETINOLS: Apply a serum that contains only retinol on dry skin. Do not mix retinol with other serums.

My skin is used to the products, so I can apply the retinol serum three evenings a week. My advice: you need to make friends with retinol, so introduce it into your routine gently and slowly. Observe how the skin feels. A small drop is enough to spread easily on the face with your fingertips.

A cream can be applied over the retinol serum but remember: the sooner you apply another product on top, the more you will dilute the serum.

When first using retinol, you may wake up in the morning with a wrinkled face. Don’t be alarmed. Give yourself a month to get used to this active ingredient.

Retinol needs to be used over a long period of time for it to “spark” cell regeneration. This is not a quick process.

3. INTEGRATION OF ACIDS INTO THE ROUTINE:

✓ You will have to use trial-and-error to determine how often you need acid exfoliation.

✓ Oilier, blemish- and acne-prone skin may need more exfoliation than dry skin, but not more often than every five days.

✓ If the skin is irritated or red, do not use acids for a while.

I use The Ordinary AHA+BHA acid. I know my skin quite well: after feeling the irregularities, I understand that my skin does not have the strength to shed the layer of dead cells, and it needs help.

A lighter and milder acid is “The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5%.” Sometimes I use it as support. I apply it two evenings a week, and it does not need to be washed off. You can apply serum on top of the lactic acid after 10 min.

👉 GENERAL RECOMMENDATION FOR A MONTHLY ROUTINE:
Daily—proper washing, antioxidants, moisturizing.
2-3 times a week—retinol.
Every 5-10 days—exfoliation with acids.
As needed—niacinamide and azelaic acid to improve skin tone.

I really hope that you find my recommendations helpful and that by having more knowledge, you will be able to achieve your desired results faster.

If you were interested in this article, you will definitely love my new beauty book “THE WHOLE TRUTH about beauty, youth, and skin care”👇

Amazon USA🇺🇸: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7X2Y4WW
Amazon UK🇬🇧: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B7X2Y4WW

Yours,
Ruta