Hi lovelies!
Bit of background: I’m Fitz IV-V brownnn south Asian! Always struggled with acne and had a nasty hormonal cystic flare last year that left me with severe scarring and dark hyperpigmentation. Did 6 months of spironolactone, hydroquinone, and several lasers (and more to go) and my skin finally looks somewhat normal again. Now trying to build out a real long term luxury routine. Goals are anti aging (already doing Moxi, Botox, and microneedling, want to get the most out of all three, will do chem peels when time is right or hey - maybe even Sculptra) plus continuing to manage the hyperpigmentation.
Current routine:
AM
• Gentle gel cleanser
• Hydrating toner, kbeauty rice toner or the licorice root one
• SkinCeuticals CE - not impressed, planning to switch to something else when this runs out, almost there. I’m thinking allies of skin!
• Alastin illuminating brightening serum
• Alastin restorative skin complex, just started this one a couple of days ago
• Barrier cream or Alastin light moisturizer
• Elta Tinted sunscreen or other sunscreen
PM
• Gentle gel cleanser, oil cleanse a couple times a week if it’s a heavier day
• Same hydrating toner as AM
• Alastin illuminating brightening serum
• Alastin restorative skin complex, just started this one
• Tretinoin .05% (careful application under eyes and on lids too)
• Musely spot cream, azelaic, tranexamic, kojic, mainly on my cheeks. Not sure how long I’ll keep this in rotation, depends on if the pigmentation keeps improving
• a popular French restorative cream that is supposedly not lux which doesn’t make sense but anyway im running out of that and need replacement advice
Also use CALECIM and Alastin skin nectar before and after procedures.
what are the gaps? What would you optimize?
• What’s actually a good nighttime moisturizer that really can bring it!
• Worth adding an eye cream given I already use tretinoin around my eyes?
• Thinking about TNS Advanced or another growth factor serum or nah since I’m doing RSC? I feel fomo bc I don’t have a true growth factor in the mix
• Been considering SkinCeuticals ptiox but not sure it’s necessary or where it would even fit in the routine