Skincare routines with:
SkinMedica Retinol Complex 0.5

I cannot find ZO exfoliating polish on this website - but I do use it every night in my routine after the gentle cleanser. Also, I am moving to less irritating products, so I will soon be phasing out ZO’s cleanser and retinol brightener. I will be replacing with The Ordinary squalene cleanser, and Skinmedica’s retinol. I also plan to bump up my nightly retinol from .25% to .5%. Also not listed on this site that I use daily are two products to treat and conceal acne. I use a tiny bit of ZO acne treatment spot cream that contains salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide over inflamed bumps. After I put on my tinted sunscreen every morning, I use Jane Iredale’s disappear concealer over any red spots.

This is a routine makeover for our community member Beep. The original routine is here: https://whatsinmyjar.com/posts/1157/scarring-and-redness. Addressing scarring & redness at the same time is not easy. For scarring, it is tempting to go for strong peels trying to resurface the skin. The problem is it easily leads to over-exfoliation, and it can trigger more redness and sensitivity. Products from the original routine we kept: - Glytone Enhance Brightening Complex ✅ (azelaic acid 5-8%, glycolic acid 1.5-2%) - but can be substituted for a more affordable 10% azelaic acid serum (for example, from The Ordinary: https://whatsinmyjar.com/product/the-ordinary-azelaic-acid-suspension-10) - SkinMedica Retinol Complex 0.5 ✅ (retinol, tocotrienols - the most potent form of Vitamin E for neutralizing free radicals) Products we removed: - Avène A-Oxitive Antioxidant Defense Serum 🛑 (https://whatsinmyjar.com/product/avene-a-oxitive-antioxidant-defense-serum-for-first-signs-of-ageing) - not particularly effective & perfumed - Avène Tolérance Extrême Soothing Cream (https://whatsinmyjar.com/product/avene-tolerance-extreme-soothing-cream) - it is a good basic moistruizer, but we substituted it with a moisturizer with Bakuchiol, niacinamide & ceramides for extra skin repair action and barrier support) - Epionce Gentle Foaming Cleanser 🛑 (https://whatsinmyjar.com/product/epionce-gentle-foaming-cleanser) - contains essential oils - Image skincare Prevention+ Daily Hydrating Moisturiser SPF 30 🛑 (https://whatsinmyjar.com/product/image-skincare-prevention-daily-hydrating-moisturiser-spf-30) - contains essential oils Products we've added: - Serum with Copper Tripeptide and Centella Asiatica actives that can help heal the scarring TOUN28 Centella Asiatica + Peptide Serum - Moistruizer with Bakuchiol, niacinamide & ceramides Key Soulcare Fragrance-Free Skin Transformation Cream - Weekly PHA peel Naturium PHA Topical Acid 12% - Fragrance-free broad-spectrum sunscreen Paula's choice Calm Redness Relief - Gentle cleanser from Versed Skin We recommend a strong barrier-supporting routine with minimum irritants. It will help reduce sensitivity and redness. Once the skin barrier is restored and redness is reduced, add a retinoid product to support the scar healing and a once-a-week exfoliation with a PHA/AHA complex.