A total of 8 reviews of this product on Reddit.
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I would personally recommend Benton’s Snail Bee High content Steam Cream. There’s no fragrance, it’s very moisturizing but non-greasy and more importantly it sinks in/absorbs quickly and isn’t heavy feeling. It’s also only $12.50 on amazon right now!
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The only issue with using the retinoid + benzoyl combo is dryness. I think there is some research showing that benzoyl peroxide reduces the effectiveness of retinoids but that is only if they are applied at the same time. So by using the wash off version of benzoyl peroxide you eliminate the possibility of them coming into contact with each other, does that make sense? I think using the retinoid 3x a week is enough.
Using these two products has caused some dryness issues for me but I much prefer that to acne. I have a pretty intense moisturizing routine that I built thanks to r/asianbeauty but the two things that I absolutely can’t do without are Benton Steam Cream and Aquaphor. I apply the Benton lotion morning and night and add the Aquaphor only at night.
ETA yes you can absolutely try this out for a month or two and then reassess your progress. Getting my acne under control has been about a two year process but it has been so worth it!
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I was using the First Aid Beauty Ultra-firm Night Cream, which has niacinamide in it. Unfortunately it gave me a lot of redness, but if you can get a sample I would try that out. A lot of CeraVe moisturizers have Niacinamide, and the Skin Renewing Night Cream has Niacinamide, Ceramides (including Ceramide 3 which, to my understanding, is the most beneficial) and Hyaluronic acid. I haven’t used this, but a lot of people really love CeraVe products.
I am more familiar with these ingredients in asian skincare. If you are in the US, the Benton Steam Cream has both niacinamide and hyaluronic acid in it and dries to a matte finish, so you can wear it throughout the day and it’s under $12 on Amazon. It also contains snail mucin which helps promote healing, and honey which helps fight acne and moisturizes. It works well as an occlusive layer for the daytime. For night, Vaseline or Aquaphor work really well.
I work in a lab, too, so I know how hard it can be on the skin. I like to bring a facial mist with me (any that you like is fine) to keep my hydration up during the day. I also use a hyaluronic acid serum. The one I use is asian (Mizon Hyaluronic Acid Ampoule) but there are tons of Hyaluronic products available. Let me know if you have more questions!
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The Ultra Repair Moisturizer is actually a pretty good moisturizer. If you’re worried about it breaking you out, I would patch test it in a small area.
The Mizon stuff is a lightweight, gel moisturizer. Snails are huge phenomenon at /r/AsianBeauty for the fact that have so many great properties. I love the gel, but it’s not super moisturizing for my dry skin so I layer it with a cream (Benton Steam Cream if you’re interested. More snail-y goodness.) If you want something lighter it’s a good idea.
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I do see it on Amazon Canada – Benton Snail Bee High Content Steam Cream (50g) Korean Cosmetic Korean Beauty https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00T2TLCJS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yNnTCbN0YCTHQ
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I found that patting in small amounts of the Benton Steam Cream helped a lot with my dry patches and slight redness.
Another method that helps me is mixing a drop or two of oil (I use Argan) into my moisturiser and patting it into my mouth area and under eye area (those are the parts where I’m most dry) at the last step of my routine.
The COSRX Snail Essence is another product I like for hydration and soothing the skin.
Also, I’m curious as to why you oil cleanse in the morning as well?
Edit: Question #2: Are you taking in enough fluids?
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I personally wouldn’t put that on my face – it’s formulated for the body so it doesn’t take comodegenic-ness into account. It very well may work perfectly fine for you though. A lot of people love Cerave “in the tub” and that’s meant for the body.
I own this and it’s what I would choose in your situation because it’s very moisturizing and contains ingredients specifically meant to heal the skin.
This is drugstore and very popular on this sub too. It’s ingredients are different, but it’s also very moisturizing and has some very good ingredients.
Straight vaseline will also moisturize, of course. I just figured if you were going to pick something up anyway than you might like something you would get more regular use out of in the future.
You also might consider asking for recommendations on /r/wicked_edge since someone there probably has first hand experience.
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Oh my god I just typed so much and accidentally deleted it….
You’re so welcome! I’ve been using tret for almost a year and have definitely ridden the trial-and-error roller coaster. Everyone’s skin is different but we can still learn from each other 🙂
> By sensitive, I mean that it feels almost like a very light sunburn just around my chin (the spot where I probably accidentally favored putting too much Retin-A because it was where most of my IB was occuring). My entire face stings when I put on products.
Yep, this is how mine feels when it’s overwhelmed, too. It could also be a very slight sunburn. I have to reapply sunscreen three times a day to avoid coming home slightly red. To deal with it after the fact (when it burns so bad I want to run screaming into the yard and bury my face in the snow):
- Rinse with cool water.
- Pat dry (skin is still slightly damp)
- Apply a few drops of oil (I like jojoba)
- Apply a layer of raw honey, leave on ~10 minutes
- Rinse with lukewarm water.
- Apply a cold, wet compress (just like soothing a sunburn)
- A few more drops of oil
- Seal with vaseline or pure shea butter
You can get the Hada Labo at Walgreens! There be coupons.
> I really want to find a holy grail moisturizer
My HG moisturizer is Benton Steam Cream. This stuff is bomb. Fragrance free, gentle, simple ingredients, highly occlusive. The little tube goes a long way, too. If I really put a hurtin’ on my skin, this will sting a bit too, but not like other stuff. Pure oil sealed with Vaseline is the ONLY thing that doesn’t burn at all when I’ve f&$ked my face up.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from using tret is to listen to my skin. If it’s looking and feeling strong and awesome, I’ll apply tret on an “off-tret” night because I know it can take it. Likewise, if it’s an “on-tret” night and my skin is red or sensitive, I’ll skip it and baby my face instead. You won’t lose any ground if you skip a night, as long as you’re consistent and paying attention to your skin.
I only rinse with cool water in the AM, then follow with moisturizer and sunscreen. The double cleanse in the evening really, really helps with the dryness from the tret. If you have any questions about double-cleansing, let me know.
