hey guys!! i just wanted to let you guys know that the 8% AHA lotion from Neostrata (here in canada-don't know if you get it there) is awesome! that is what i have been using and definitely getting the "glow". What bp lotion are you guys using besides dans...what is different about dans lotion and the other ones? and can't you lke become immune to bp (that's what I am afraid of so don't bother using it) Oh and for my SA treatment I just use the aspirin mask twice a week but every night I take an empty water bottle and put warm water in it and let 2 aspirin (generic brand) dissolve and put it on my face like a toner and let it sit for about 5 mins or so and then wash off and moisturize with about 1/2 a pump of the aha lotion and complex 15 lotion. I think i want to start using tretinoin or some form of retinol about 2-3 times a week. SA + retin a is supposed to kick the butt of clogged pores!!!

I'm not sure what gives me the glow either, but I noticed that after I use the SA and pat my face dry, it already looks like it's glowing. So maybe that's what does it for me. I've heard of Neostrata but I don't know if I've ever seen it in any of the drugstores near my house. I'll have to look again.

The BP I'm using is just the CVS brand. I'm not sure what the difference is between Dan's products and any others, though. I do know that he's mentioned on his site that 2.5% is enough, you don't need 5% or even 10%.

Just this afternoon I got some tretinoin in the mail. I ordered it a few weeks ago from an online pharmacy and forgot that I did. I'll let you guys know how it works for me!

Hey curiousP! We'll definitely have to compare results with the tretinoin. The one I have is in a blue and white tube. It says Isotrex Gel 0.05%. I'm going to use it every other night. Let me know how it works for you!

Definitely keep me posted with your search for a good sunscreen. I was at the store today and didn't see anything that I thought I would really like.

I totally agree boston girl. It is so frustrating sometimes and even scary when trying new things to figure out a regimen that works for you. I filled my prescription for the tretinoin but am thinking that maybe I will try Diacneal by Avene (there's a whole thread on this product over on the other board which i can't say in the section where they talk about OTC products and another site which reviews makeup in an alley :) also gave it good reviews) before I try that, since tretinoin is stronger and with diacneal I will be getting a mild retinoid with a 6% glycolic acid to exfoliate and help the product penetrate which can prove to be effective...still thinking tho.

Oh and cliniques total turnaround looks interesting too...but i am more intrigued by diacneal.

I totally agree with your idea about using the SA to open pores and the bp to kill bacteria (this is just me tho and I am no doctor) that is exactly how I approach it to except i use polysporin not bp sporadically or when i do a thorough exfoliation. SA will help the product penetrate more too.

I do believe that aha, SA and retinoids are more effective on non-inflammatory acne and bp on inflammatory

A lot of what curiousP has said is exactly the way I feel too. Sure, accutane has kept me clear for this long but who knows if or when the effects will wear off. I don't ever want to go back to the awful skin I used to have. I'm just hoping to find the right combo of stuff that will maintain how great my skin has become. :) I think the regimen I'm doing now is perfect.

Curious, I used the tretinoin last night for the first time. Of course, it's way too early to tell what kind of effect it's going to have, but so far, I like it.

Hey curiousP,
Just wanted to check in and see how everything was going for you. The tretinoin I've been using has been great so far.

Hey BG! Everything is going great for me too. I decided to use a little bit of tretinoin for the last 3 days and today I can feel it a bit, so I think I will lay off of it tomorrow. ARe you still using the SA wash to cleanse and still apply the bp? If you do how is your skin handling it...i mean is it really dry? I am feeling a bit scared as I don't want to overdo it with the products but was thinking of adding bp into my regimen to take care of any bacteria. I was also thinking of doing tea tree oil instead because it does not have as many potential side effects (i.e. premature aging) and I found this cream on the skin zinc page called the zinc kit (alternative to the skin zinc) which contains 2%SA and 4-5% TTO. So I am thinking about that instead of the bp. But yeah overall I am doing really well...just still in search of the ideal skin regime. What is your current regimen? here is my morning and night.

Morning
wash with warm water then splash with cold
apply moisturizer (camellia oil) and mix a little bit of neostrata 8% AHA fluid in it and also apply some complex 15 to the extra dry parts

Night
wash with spectro jel for sensitive skin
exfoliate with epidermx or aspirin mask 2-3 times a week (aspirin mask not done more than 2x in 6 days) and apply polysporin on the days I exfoliate
apply camellia oil and apply tretinoin on top

talk to you soon! :wave:

Hey curious! My skin has definitely been drier since I started using the tretinoin. I really don't think the cetaphil is a strong enough moisturizer for me anymore. I don't think I've used any moisturizer other than cetaphil before so I have no idea what to move onto next. How is camilia oil for you?

My routine is pretty much the same:

Morning:
wash with SA
apply BP
apply moisturizer

Night:
wash with SA
apply tretinoin
apply moisturizer

My biggest fear is overdoing it with the products and then cause problems. That's what I think caused all my problems to begin with. I didn't really have bad skin problems til I turned about 20 or 21.

the camellia oil is working out great for me I really like it...I sometimes switch off b/w this and jojoba oil. I definitely am afraid of the same thing as you (i.e. overdoing it with products just b/c I am so paro about things getting bad) so think I am going to take it easy and only use the tretinoin like once or twice a week (cuz its good at keeping the pores clean).

Besides this I am going to stick to the routine that I have been doing and will let you know about any changes. Good luck! :wave:

I'm going to have to look into trying camellia oil. Where do you get yours? For now, I'm going to use the tretinoin every night. It hasn't caused any major redness or peeling for me and when it does, it's minimal and by the morning it's gone. Keep me posted! :)