regi1

I just made my first batch of the serum and I love it! It may be too soon to tell of any improvements but I could swear my skin is smoother and my makeup seems fresher and longer lasting. As to Retin-A, I've been using it for a year now and just recently I started applying it under the eyes which is where I have some wrinkles when I smile. Overall I like what it has done for my skin but the under eye wrinkles have not changed. I say Yay to both!

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"When things are at their worst I find something always happens" - W. Somerset Maugham

rayoflight

Well, I haven't tried Retin-a, just some OTC retinols, but I'm not in love with it. Sure, it refines skin, makes it more uniform, clearer and smoother, but the downsides are, dryness, more sensitive skin and it wrecks havoc in the eye area, makes it peel, dries out and actually makes line more noticeable. As I understand, Retin-a is even more harsh. Not much change with blackheads (my main reason for using retinols). Since there are products in both anti-blackhead and anti-line categories that work with far less side effects, I'm not joining the retinol club after all.
Vitamin C on the other hand is nice, makes skin glow a bit (brightens a bit maybe), doesn't dry out or anything, I use 15% version all over the face and even eyes, I think it makes skin smoother and generally better, it certainly helps with fine undereye lines and the damage caused by retinol. It just doesn't work as fast and as noticeable as retinol and also doesn't require any specific technique like retinol does.

LightenNLift

Why is this poll mediocre? What happened to the option of Both RA and Vitamin C worked for me or Retin-A took off all my imperfections but not deep wrinkles? Anyways, Retin-A took away my acne, uneven skin tone, and hyperpigmentation/scars. Vitamin C serum gave my skin elasticity, tightening, and a rosy glow whenever I have it on.

EbonyBeauty

LNL-I was thinking about adding it, but then it was to late. I can't wait for my new stock of Retina A to come in and for my Vitamin C to come in. I actually tried Vitamin C serum before, it was the Avon brand. Surprisingly, it gets a lot of rave views, which is why I purchased it but I didn't notice any difference. Even though I used it short term, maybe a few weeks or so, a lot of the reviewers told about immediate results and I thought I would get the same too.

LightenNLift

The Avon brand doesnt have L-Ascorbic Acid or does it?

Ashes

I am not sure about any product actually , as we will all age...no one looks younger today then they did 5 years ago...so, I know as long as I eat healthy, and I have no major health issues, and just try to take care of my skin in most ways,thats all i can do.......as far as a negative reaction to ether, none ..retin a is giving me a fit right now but its doing its job..



so i am neutral...how do i know I am not stripping all my natural oils away on my face by trying this and that ?

EbonyBeauty

Ingredients:
SD Alcohol 40-B, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Ascorbic Acid, Water/Eau, Propylene Carbonate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxypropylcellulose, BHT, Parfum/Fragrance


^^^Is it the same thing or does it matter if the L is attached?

lol @ Ashes.

Well, I am personally not worried about facial aging because in general, women in my family age good even though they don't do plastic surgery or use anti-aging creams. But we all get old so, I just don't wanna be obsese when I get old and look a H.A.M. Maybe I won't care by then because I'm old.

happytimes

goat and LNL, where do you purchase your Retin-a and what strength, gel, or cream do you use? Goat, how many nights a week do you use retin-a? Thanks

regi1

The l-ascorbic acid is a formula specific for skin care and, as I understand it, less irritating than the dietary form. It is also slightly more difficult to find commercially.

Believe you me, you will care when you're older... you will want to look as good as you possibly can at any age if you care now enough to belong to SCT. Just like you, I used to think I wouldn't care how old I looked but now that I'm older I am much more into dressing well and taking care of myself.

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"When things are at their worst I find something always happens" - W. Somerset Maugham

Ashes

I think everyone "cares" about their skin here, and then their are the obsessed...lol


L-ascorbic is same as ascorbic...

LightenNLift

no, Avon doesnt have the RIGHT Vitamin C serum that we used here. Thats why you havent seen any change.

Melly

What's a H.A.M.? I'm old (47) and I care how I look!

goatlady

Happytimes I use RA every night. If I get a little pink from a stronger % I will skip a night.

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Age reversal is possible. Retin-A, DIY Vit C serum, micro-fiber cloth and Pumpkin Peel for exfoliation, TCA peels for age spot removal, supplements for hair and skin, a great sunscreen used daily, patience and persistence

SkiQueen

I have been using RAM (.1%) for two months now - starting out 3 nights a week. I am now able to use it every night (fingers crossed). About a month I started using Vit C serum in the day (20% L-Ascorbic). I am delighted with the results - my skin is glowing and much clearer.

EbonyBeauty

A Hot A*s Mess,lol.


@Anyone-If you put Vitamin C in the AM, do I have to wait 5 or more minutes for it to absorb before I apply SPF, or can I just wait until the Vitamin C dries to put on the SPF?

gymrat

I try and wait 20 mins or so after applying my C serum before I apply my SPF.

__________________
And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

cara4skin

Haven't tried Rx retinoids(too scared and sensitive)but I've tried a few Vitamin C things, with poor to middling results. Maybe I didn't use the right ones?
Here are the ones I used and what happened:

Skinceuticals C+E Ferulic - I had sample bottles, so I used this for maybe a couple months - nice moisturizing, but I honestly didn't notice it doing ANYTHING else. Maybe this is something one would have to use for a year or so to notice anything.

Jason C-Light Skintone Balancer(I think that's the right name) - bad breakouts after just 3-4 uses - had to return to store right away.

Avalon Vitamin C(again, not sure of exact name of product, but it came from natural food store) - breakouts.

DIY Vitamin C serum(ascorbic acid powder plus water and glycerin) - no matter how I mixed this and applied, it always felt sticky on my face, and spoiled the appearance of anything else applied after that. Even with my moisturizer on, my makeup just tended to get absorbed into my pores. I couldn't use it long enough to know if it would have a beneficial effect on my skin as it was so unpleasant.

Am I in the minority here about very lukewarm feelings towards Vitamin C serums? Even a medical esthetician that I consulted with a couple of years ago wasn't all that fond of them for doing corrective work.

rayoflight

When you try the DYI next time, leave out the glycerin or at least use less, glycerin is the one that makes skin sticky and "sweaty". You can use just L-AA+distilled water, should give instant rosy/pink glow when applied to skin, if the concentration was high enough (means more than 10% solution, some sources suggest that 5% also works, but IMO, at 10% and higher you can see visible results).
I started to notice a change in skin texture after 4-5 month of daily use with 15% Vitamin C, so it doesn't work right away, you should give it at least 2-3 months before giving Vitamin C up.
You can also do search in the DYI section here or on essentialdayspa.com forum, there are loads of different Vitamin C formulas out there.