RRAW Skincare 1% Retinol Cream (Vitamin A) Review

Hey, it's Hanna and today is Christmas so sending you all kisses and hugs! May the rest of your days be filled with prosperity and love!

This blog is actually long overdue. I hear people say, "what's new?". Okay, I'm so sorry that I keep neglecting this blog but I have actually been working on some stuff on the background. Promise. The past few weeks, I have been going through each and every one of my previous blog posts, editing and/or sending some to trash, because I don't know what has gotten into me that at some point, they were published. LOL. I found out that a lot of old posts have photos that were deleted and I have no idea why. Also found some links that are no longer working. This may take years to fix but I'm going to try. Anyway, the purpose is to make this outlet a little bit reader-friendlier.

So yeah, agenda today is to review RRAW Skincare 1% Retinol Cream. Now before I start, let me make it clear to everyone that I am no expert in skincare ingredients or just the science behind the efficacy of such product/ingredient, and everything posted is based on my own experience. I have oily, acne-prone skin and I believe that our skin conditions aren't always similar, so what works (or not work) for me may or may not work for you.

RRAW Skincare 1% Retinol Cream (Vitamin A) 50g

Retinol is almost always the answer to pretty much any skin issues: acne, fine lines, brown spots, drooping, dullness, dark circles, enlarged pores — you name it! The transformative ingredient is pure vitamin A.

Our 1% retinol cream contains retinoid acid, the active form of Vitamin A that immediately binds with receptors on our skin cells, causing them to behave younger and healthier!

What you can expect:

Normalized cell turnover for clear skin

Glowing skin

Balanced pigment production for fewer splotches

Accelerate collagen synthesis for smoother skin and tighter pores

Fading age spots

Important:

If you've never tried any type of retinol cream, serum, oil, etc, you should know that it does come with an adjustment period!

Clinically, we've seen that it takes about three weeks for skin cells to adapt to retinoic acid and begin building their tolerance, so please expect some degree of irritation at first but this is completely normal!

We suggest that for your first few retinol applications that you mix our 1% retinol cream with your current moisturizer to dilute it.

Our 1% retinol cream is UNSCENTED and NO PIGMENTS to avoid irritations. Only the good stuff!

You've probably heard a lot about the importance and efficiency of Retinols from before, you might have tried a few ones too. In my case, this is the very first Retinol product I have tried ever. I am in my mid-20s and I am more eager to discover skincare that would slow down signs of aging. This is basically the reason that pushes me to try this.

Most of the Retinol stuff I've found online were actually expensive. I chose this one from RRaw because it's more on the budget-friendly side. I got these on a BOGO deal so it appears even more affordable, as I already got two containers for the price of one (P499). The 50g amount also goes a long way since you don't need a lot for every application, considering you can dilute it with your moisturizers. I'm also quite amazed that it's actually full to the brim.

If this is your first time incorporating Retinol in your skincare, it's advised to mix with your moisturizers as this is a strong concentration. Be careful and keep the instructions in mind, so you would avoid side effects like burning and irritation. I've read some people getting terrible results, I even experienced them myself, but I guess the key is to always read and follow, become consistent and also keep in mind that there is an adjustment period of up to 3-4 weeks. Please make sure to use a high SPF during the day. This is very important especially if you are using strong ingredients in your skincare.

To be honest, I wasn't as obedient at first. I was so impatient so I only partly follow what was advised. I was thinking that my skin has survived a lot of strong skincare before when I used TO's AHA+ BHA Peeling Solution and even Maxipeel Exfoliant. The pain was bearable for me so I initially thought that using Retinol cream every night wouldn't be any different. This is a mistake I would like you to take note of and avoid as much as possible.

Since your skin is not that familiar yet with retinoids, slowly introduce your skin to it by using only once or twice a week, then gradually increasing frequency to every other night and then every night as tolerated. Mix only a small amount with your moisturizer. In my case, I would apply layers of skincare first to act as a barrier before applying the retinol cream. I find that the cream is more spreadable and would feel less irritating when doing so.

The cream is faint yellow in color from the container, fragrance-free, and dries to a semi-matte finish. Though I feel like it takes a while before it gets absorbed completely. It makes my skin warm and looks greasy after a few hours. I don't mind so long as it works.

The cream doesn't have a very consistent texture, particles with  darker yellow colors are present, so it makes me think that the ingredients aren't mixed so well. It's not a major deal though. This could be because it only has a few ingredients on the list - mostly raw, organic and natural - so it lacks the additional unnecessary ingredients that would make the product achieve a better consistency.

I've mentioned earlier that I started in the wrong foot with this product. On the first week, I applied this every night for 3 consecutive days, mixed about less than half pea-sized amount with my other skincare. I stopped applying on the fourth day, because my skin feels so itchy with redness and burning. I can see some parts of my skin on the face already peeling. I let my skin heal for the rest of the days on my first week before starting to use the product again.

This time, I decided to use the product once every two or three days depends on whether my skin can tolerate the pain or not. The pain became more tolerable this way. This was also the time I started getting new breakouts. I think it was normal as it's part of using retinols and because I usually get stuff like this whenever I am using a new product. When my skin feels a bit sore or uncomfortable, I would skip the retinol and soothe it using my regular serum and moisturizer.

I have been using the product on and off for a period of two months and the stinging sensation and itchiness don't completely go away. It's always there especially when skin is ready to peel. I don't think this is something I would want and continue to keep using since I now prefer gentler skincare that also works the same without the peeling and stinging. Having peeling skin also makes it harder to put on seamless makeup and it makes my skin looks and feels oilier than how it usually is. Although I would say that it helps with lightening acne marks a bit.

Like what I have said, I've tried gentler skincare products before, most recent once which I genuinely like are Olay Luminous Niacinamide + AHA Super Serum and Moisturiser, both of which also works for my acne marks. For the same time period, I've noticed better effects and faster results compared to when using this retinol cream. RRAW Skincare 1% Retinol Cream isn't completely bad but I guess, it's a matter of preference. If you are interested to buy one, you may shop here.

Do let me know if you have any recommendations or any tips you'd like to share to me. I really would like to know more anything about skincare!

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Top 3 Local Couriers in The Philippines To Choose If You Are Living from the South

Way back 2017, I have written a blog post about the best couriers in the Philippines that I've known and tried. I haven't been able to update my list over the years and that's why I'm writing this. While I'm pretty sure you have your own favorites, I have mine too. I'll list them down shortly.

I lived from the North then (Valenzuela), but last year, we decided to move to the South (Cavite). I have come to realize that there's a scarcity of couriers from where I am now, compared to when I was living in the metro. I guess most couriers service NCR addresses because that's probably where e-commerce businesses are more active . Although it's just an assumption. :D

Anyway, I've googled and checked out a few websites. I found one that picks up from our area, but they have minimum parcel requirement. I am not a bigtime seller and I don't ship a lot in one batch. In fact, I only sell a few preloved items when I declutter, so reaching the required number is quite an impossible feat.

There's another one which I've only recently heard of. The thing is, shipping cost is quite expensive if I ship from where I am, going to different parts of the country. A big no-no for my regular buyers-turned-online friends.

So here I've listed the 3 couriers which I trust. They aren't completely flawless in terms of their shipping and delivery services but I am at my most comfortable when I trust my parcel with them.

 

 

1. GOGO XPRESS

It was formerly known as Xpost and even when I was from the north, I always use their service and almost all my transactions were excellent. The shipping rates aren't the cheapest, but still worth it in my opinion. Shipping was extremely fast compared to competitors, riders were friendly and courteous. They offer free pickup, free item protection (up to PHP500) and free COD transactions.

Their app is their biggest edge in my opinion. From scheduling a pickup to tracking and final deliveries, everything has been smooth for me for about 2 years. Until recently, when there has been a major change in their management, there were so many delays and backlogs but they were able to quickly recover. A few days after, they released a memorandum stating that they were withdrawing their partnership with Shopee. Another major change I observed was when they limit the serviceable areas for pickup to NCR and a few cities in Cavite and Rizal. Unfortunately, Tanza isn't one of those. I am still hoping for them to widen their coverage as soon as possible.

This is why I was forced to search for a different courier. A reasonably-priced courier that would pick up from my place and would offer that door-to-door service and parcel protection. Basically something that would outperform Gogo Xpress.

2. J&T EXPRESS

I have known J&T for years but it was only until recently that I decided to try them in place of Gogo. It was recommended by a previous buyer who wanted to save on shipping because Gogo, was well, more expensive. At first, I was under the impression that I could only dropship with J&T, just like JRS, LBC and more, but I found out I could also schedule a pickup online. The good thing is that they also pick up parcels from provincial places like ours, at no charge and they would even print your waybills for you. Great for those who ship small amount of parcels.

The only setback I always encounter is the booking process. I even had a hard time signing up for an account. Not sure whether it's a system glitch, but I always find it hard to schedule a pickup. Searching for the barangay, city, province is what prolongs the process. Sometimes, when I'm almost done, I'd still get this error 'order failed' or 'wrong sender address' and I'm like, how could that happen??? Using their app never fails to test my patience. PLEASE. IMPROVE. YOUR. APP. I.AM.BEGGING.

Nonetheless, I love the cheap rates, occasional vouchers, and accuracy of their tracking and delivery. I hope to never have any lost parcel with you guys hehe.

3. LALAMOVE

I though I might include a same-day shipping courier in my Top 3. I know there are other options like Grab or Angkas or Mr. Speedy (now Borzo Delivery I think), and I'm actually torn, but I would just say Lalamove since it's usually cheaper and most of my same-day bookings are with them. Although I have to be honest and tell you the not-so-good experiences I had with Lalamove.

First and foremost, it's usually hard to book a rider to pickup from my place to NCR and vice versa. I understand it could be the price surge in gas nowadays, but I couldn't book unless I add 'tip' on top of the base price. You're lucky enough if you could score a voucher to further lessen the total price. 

Sometimes, riders would ask you if they could mark the shipment complete and add another transaction para sulit daw gas to which I would just say I'm good with so long as the parcel gets delivered safely. Of course, it has to be within the day. I still opted for Lalamove despite everything, because I still find it less expensive. I haven't tried Borzo yet, but it's also cheaper than Grab.

I just wish I could top-up money with no minimum amount required since I don't use Lalamove every so often. That's something I wish they consider.

So there you have it! I wanted to have a lot of options so if you are probably in the same location or know other couriers that would pick up from Tanza, please let me know! I would love to try them out! Thanks so much for dropping by!

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