Be it prescription retinoid or an over the counter product, when things get serious and you need something medicated these products can often leave your skin feeling worse than before. The good thing is a lot of the side effects of topical drugs and active skincare products can be avoided.
Starting with cleanser you want something that isn't going to dry or irritate, the dermatologists favourite generally being Cetaphil. Whilst I used up a bottle of Cetaphil and found it to work fine I prefer something what is going to put something back into my skin, that's why I use the Cerave Hydrating cleanser. A favourite among skincare and acne forums this gentle cleansers cleans skin whilst putting ceramides and hylarunoic acid back in so keeping the skins barrier in tact. I do find this cleanser leaves a residue feeling, if you don't like that then they do produce a foaming version.
Following the theme I also like the Cerave facial night lotion, this light nighttime moisturiser contains many of the same skin barrier repairing ingrirdents as the cleanser with the much appreciated addition of niacinamide helping to calm the skin.
Other than that I continue to acid tone and use the same day products as I did before, avoid high fragrance products that I was fine with before prescription retinoids but now leave my skin very red. Make sure to start slowly with retinoids and medication, use them every other day at first, and to apply to dry skin.
