Hi Minsana! Thank you for taking the time to leave your review!
Tretinoin, or retinoic acid, is the most active form of Vitamin A, which explains why it's so effective and why it has the potential to be so irritating. It's a very tiny molecule that penetrates very readily and is easily accepted by the skin. The other retinoids have larger molecules and require more conversions. The more conversions it requires, the "weaker" a retinoid is. To this day, tretinoin is still only available by prescription since it needs to be used carefully and precisely to manage potential side effects (you'll often see tretinoin creams at only 0.1% or less). Because the tretinoin caused your skin to peel, fresher, newer skin was being revealed by speeding up cell turnover and resurfacing the skin. This is why the results you were seeing were so dramatic. However, this is a side effect of retinol that could cause damage to your moisture barrier, adding a whole new slew of skin issues and concerns.
To learn more about the moisture barrier and to determine if yours has been damaged check out this blog > https://blog.reneerouleau.com/moisture-barrier/
Renée also has an informative blog post on how best to introduce retinol & retinoids without the harsh side effects. Check it out here > https://blog.reneerouleau.com/the-beginners-guide-to-retinol/
We have one retinol product in our line called Advanced Resurfacing Serum. This is the retinol Renée uses, combining stable retinol (less irritating) with skin-firming peptides. Those who can't tolerate prescription retinol do very well with our gentler formula!
It's hard to give an exact answer to when you will start to notice results from a new product since it depends on the ingredients. Renée's blog on this subject can be found here > https://blog.reneerouleau.com/how-long-for-skincare-to-work/
In it, you'll learn the realistic timeframes for the most significant ingredients.
I noticed that your Skin Type Quiz results differed from the skin type you shopped for. Should you have questions about your skin type, our estheticians are available to assist via email and chat. For a more personalized conversation, and a chance to review your entire routine, we offer the My Skin Rx virtual consultation service!
Lastly, you're always welcome to return a product you're unsatisfied with in exchange for store credit! You can find our complete return history and instructions here > https://www.reneerouleau.com/policies/refund-policy
I would encourage you to continue following this routine for a few more weeks before making a true judgment! The usage instructions are listed on the products as well as on our website. 😊
-The RR Customer Care Team💖
