This is a question I’ve asked time and time again, because like you, I wanted to find the best one to start my skin transformation journey. So let’s rewind a bit – I initially wanted to start Retinol because a) I heard so many amazing stories about how Retinol was the best thing ever to transform your skin and b) I had congested acne prone skin that I desperately wanted to clear up having tried everything else on the market. After a lot of research I decided to go for it – I’d heard that when you first start on Retinol that your skin starts purging before it gets better. Skin purging is when all the spots come out and it’s basically everything that’s been sitting underneath making your skin look bumpy and congested. But hey, nothing comes easy!
I opted to start with a very affordable brand that had no apparent nasties and just gave you the basic ingredients you need in a small glass dropper bottle. It was great to begin with – I didn’t experience any breakouts and my skin felt and looked smoother but after a month or so my skin looked even more congested and after another month it just wasn’t getting any better. After giving it three months I decided to try another brand. I thought maybe the brand wasn’t suited for my skin but maybe I also needed to up the strength and as much as I hate to say it…opt for more expensive brand.
I started using the LANCER ADVANCED RETINOL TREATMENT. I used it twice a week to start with and then on week 3 I used it every night – I just wanted to give my skin some time to adjust. Over the first 3 weeks, my skin became very dry, red, sore and stiff…almost like my skin had aged by 10 years! But I stuck through it and knew that I had to give this a proper go. I then started using a rich moisturizer over the Retinol (you need to wait 20 mins before applying moisturizer) every night and that really helped with the dryness. By week 5 my skin was starting to transform! The bumpiness had gone, my pores appeared smaller and less visible and I felt like I had new skin. My skin is now smoother, has no congestion and it’s really given me back confidence in my skin.
Initially, I thought the product wouldn’t last 3 months but surprisingly it lasted well and I if you’re looking for a Retinol product that isn’t medical grade yet still can transform your skin then I’d highly recommend this.