I need a new skincare routine asap my current routine isn't cutting it

Faded topicals was the best ingredient for hyperpigmentation, it completely fixed my post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation over not that much time. Use it as a spot treatment. It doesn’t smell great but that’s bc there’s not added fragrance-something there’s no added benefit too but also can be irritating. It has a ton of ingredients geared toward hyperpigmentation including Konica acid, tranexamic acid, niacinamide, licorice root and azelaic acid. Hydroquinone is another great ingredient (not in faded topicals) but comes with potential side effects so I would use that as a last resort if the faded topicals for some reason doesn’t work.

Absolutely don’t use any essential oils, and I would personally discontinue the olive oil. I am 33 and have fine lines which I saw greatly reduced using adapalene (a retinoid which used to be strickly prescription but was made available over the counter a few years ago.) differin and la roche posay both have a product w adapalene as the active ingredient. That is the most potent active ingredient IMO for aging over the counter (though it’s marketed for acne and will defiantly help that to.) retinol is the gold standard for anti-aging and the most studied and effective ingredient but a lot of products don’t have a very concentrated percentage of it and also have to use less potent forms of retinol that need to do many conversions to even be able to be used by your skin-making it a weaker form. So, now I am prescribed Tretinoin (retin-a) that I get through a dermatologist. It has minimized my fine lines by 50%, as a conservative estimate. You have to get it though a derm or I know there are online skincare services that you can get one through there. Adapalene is going to be the closest thing to that over the counter.

The other biggest helper for my skin besides faded topicals and adapalene and Tretinoin has been putting a very light occlusive layer of cerave healing ointment over my moisturizer-referred to as “slugging”- (currently using Naturium- plant ceramide rich moisture cream which is high in vitamin F, but any simply, hydrating moisturizer would work. the active ingredient in the cerave healing ointment is petrolatum, which is also in vaseline and aquaphor. This is going to serve the purpose of locking in your actives but also preventing transepidermal water loss which is what causes dry, dehydrated skin. I have only finalized this routine through alot of trial and error and learning in esthetician school.

Another tip I’ve found helpful is putting my products on wet skin- which allows for deeper penetration.

At some point adding a solid vitamin c serum would be beneficial (especially used under sunscreen) for hyperpigmentation. I’m still trying to find one that doesn’t pill or leave yellow in my face. Look for l-ascorbic acid, aminpropyl ascorbyl phosphate, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate or tetrahexyldexyl ascorbate as the form of vitamin c- those are some of the most effective forms as vitamin c can be hard to formulate in a way that keeps it stable.

And always use sunscreen, broad spectrum I try to always use at least 50. But make sure it’s broad spectrum (or PA+++ for non-American brands.) bc spf rating only accounts for protection against UBV damage (or burning rays) and the broad spectrum or PA rating is what protects from UVA damage (or aging rays.)

Best of luck!