Tretanoin is that one skincare ingredient everyone raves about but never really warns you how intense it can be. If you’ve ever started tret and thought, “Why is my face falling off?”, trust me, you’re not alone.
Tretinoin is amazing, but if you don't support your skin in all the other ways it needs while using it, you’ll end up dry, flaky, and wondering what went wrong. The good news? With the right routine (cough like Bedew Skin cough), you can glow through the tretinoin purge without looking like a peeling lizard. Let’s break it all down.
Tret is a prescription-strength retinoid (aka vitamin A) that speeds up your skin’s renewal process. This means:
✨ Breakouts clear faster
✨ Fine lines and wrinkles reduce
✨ Dark spots fade
✨ Smoother texture
Sounds like a dream, right? Well, yes… but using tret on its own is not going to achieve this. In face, it can make matters worse.
No one tells you that tretinoin has a whole adjustment phase. Your skin freaks out before it gets better—this is called the tret purge, and it’s brutal if you’re not prepared.
🚨 Flaking & peeling - Your skin is shedding faster than a snake in summer.
🚨 Dryness & tightness - It’s like your skin forgot how to hold moisture.
🚨 Redness & irritation - Your face might feel sensitive AF.
🚨 Sun sensitivity - Step outside without SPF? A whole world of nope.
This is where people go wrong—they think tretinoin alone is enough. Nope. You NEED a barrier-loving, hydration-packed routine to hold your hand through the purge.
🌿 Step 1: A Gentle, Hydrating Cleanser
Forget anything stripping or foamy—you want something that cleans without sucking the life out of your skin. The Almond Oil Cleanser melts away makeup and SPF while soothing and softening with papaya extract and colloidal oat.
💦 Step 2: Hydration, Hydration, Hydration!
Your skin is working overtime, so give it a drink! Apply the hyaluronic hydrator to keep your skin bouncy and plump (instead of dry and sad).
🛡️ Step 3: Lock in That Moisture
Tret messes with your skin barrier, so you NEED a rich, nourishing moisturiser. This is where the moisturiser thrives in repairing and maintaining your skins barrier.
☀️ Step 4: SPF Like Your Life Depends on It
Tretinoin + no sunscreen = disaster. Your skin is more sensitive to the sun, so a good SPF 30+ every day is non-negotiable.
Imagine you start working out every day but never eat properly or rest—you’d be exhausted, right? That’s exactly what happens when you use tret without a good routine. Your skin is working hard to renew itself, and if you don’t support it, you’ll just end up red, flaky, and frustrated.
This is why you need hydration, nourishment, and barrier repair alongside tretinoin. Follow a super hydrating and nourishing routine with products that are designed to work with your skin, so you get all the benefits of tret without the chaos.