Retinol is an OG be it retinal, retinoid, retinoic acid or tretinoin they have amazing benefits to the skin which include plumping, firming of skin, building of collage, fighting of acn causing bacteria, smoothing of texture ...the list goes on it's like a jack of all trades, but this active is often times misused.. I will be posting a follow up (part 2) of this discussion follow me so u don't miss it...retinol is a broad topic so I can't talk about it at one go, in the next part I'll be teaching the best ways to use retinol as a beginner , the best percentages to use based on your skin type and resiliance and overall how to rip the benefits follow me for more. Happy skincare ❤️!!

Retinol 101 (part 1)

Hello skincare lovers this is a follow up on my discussion on retinol if u Haven't seen the first part please check it out and follow me for more skincare insights, so anyway let's get into the part two.
 Today I'll be talking about the side effects that come with using retinol which include dryness, irritated flaky skin, peeling and of course purging. The thing is although retinol is an amazing product when u first start using it things will ultimately 'get worse before they get better' you'll break out more your skin will feel super dry and sometimes u might just wanna give up cos it doesn't seem like it's working for you, Please don't be so quick to get rid of the retinol the end benefits are amazing and the reason we experience all the backlash from using it for the first timeis because retinol increases our cell turnover (like a time machine ) so for example if a pimple was forming under your skin and was going to become visible in two weeks, once u start using retinol that pimple is going to be visible in three days and they come out all at once and it can be very frustrating this is called purging and it usually looks like painful whiteheads (they normally appear in places u usually get acne for e.g cheeks or forehead) and it can last up to three weeks sometimes a month but trust me the results are so good,
Another problem which is dry,flaky skin and this is because as retinol increases your skin cell turnover your skin is more sensitive and a way u can curb this is by using more hydrating products like essences,serums with hylauronic acid and moisturizers that contain ceramides and very gentle cleansers....try to use less activies and don't forget to apply suncreen because retinol leaves your skin more prone to sun burn so please wear sunscreen.
 A simple routine with retinol in the PM(using the sandwich method)can look something like this:
1: double cleanse if needed then follow with a hydrating and gentle cleanser (recommendation below)
2: apply essence or hydrating serum
3: apply moisutrizer(a rich moisturizer packed with ceramides or other calming ingredients)
4: wait till face feels dry after applying moisturizer (retinol on wet/damp skin causes irritation) then go in with your favourite retinol,retinal and or tretinoin
5: you could end your routine with the retinol or you could apply another layer of moisturizer or maybe a lightweight face oil you love 

Happy skincare ❤️

Retinol 101 (part 2)

Hyperpigmentation comes in many forms such as PIH, malasma etc. And it can be very tricky to treat. If u do too much it gets worse and if u do to little it won't budge..so I've picked a few products that are affordable and can help u fade your hyperpigmentation, activities such as tretinoin, azelaic acid, niacinamide,alpha arbutin,kojic acid,tranexamic acid and even vitamin C have shown very effective to hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation

Hey guys my name is tani, hopefully your future skincare bestie, I literally started using picky early September and I'm just realizing people make friends on this app so if u would like to talk or connect or ask me questions, my dms are always open and you can find my IG handle on my page and u can also follow me for more skincare discussions concerning acne, hyperpigmentation and the rest pr u just need help building an effective routine according to your skin type? I'm always here to help, Happy skincare❤️

picky.xoxotani