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!
