So a little while ago I reviewed their Omega 6 healing cream (here) which I quite liked but the main reason I wanted to try this brand was for its retinol gel. I am by no means an expert on retinol since I have not used that many so far. I am an expert on my own skin though and I have realized that it is hard to find information on how retinol acts on my kind of skin type. 

It almost seems like retinol is not too recommended for dry, reactive/sensitive skin. I really get why but that doesn't mean I want to miss out on its benefits. Retinol is one of the few cosmetic ingredients that have a definite scientific backing to being actually effective. It is a great product that helps with acne, sun damage and fine lines. And I want in on that.

Since my skin is such a finicky thing I did approach this retinol adventure slowly. Yet I managed to over exfoliate of course! But I must confess only because I didn't use the product as recommended (by using it 3 days in a row). So it was my own fault. Know I know that it is quite powerful though and I proceed with caution. That being said I think this retinol gel (more like balm!) is very well suited for my type of skin.

This is a faint smelling non-scented balm. Yeah, I said it. It's a balm. I don’t know why it is called a gel but it is definitely a balm. I find this the best feature about this product, to be honest, and I think it should be advertised as such.

Like the afore mentioned Omega 6 cream, it is a balmy texture that starts melting upon contact with the skin. You only need a tiny little bit to spread it onto your entire face and neck/chest area. If you use too much it can get a tad greasy. And to be honest it leaves a little bit of a film on my skin, but strangely one that feels good instead of bothersome. It feels soothing to apply and this way the dreaded waiting time for very dried skin people such as me is eliminated. I could even get away with using it as my only product if I would choose to do so.

The thing is this stuff is powerful! It is advised to use every 3 days only and I really recommend to follow that regime. I used it 3 days in a row to test what would happen and I overexfoliated big time. Well, nothing was visible. My face was barely pink. But it felt the same way than when I used stronger wash off exfoliants before. I had to baby my skin for an entire week before it went back to normal. So now I use it twice a week and it is going really well. It has been about 8 weeks now and my skin is happy. I still get a bit of flakes after about 3 days but it is manageable. 

I got a little bit of gunk that came to the surface when I started but since I only stopped using retinol for a month beforehand, so my skin was quite clear already.

Above was taken in October and below was after 6 weeks of using the gel

I really like this balm since it is very pleasant to use and feels good on my skin. It does not make my itchy skin itchier and is a wonderful moisturizer in case I feel like skipping the rest of my routine on the days I use this. It is also quite convenient for people who are lazy yet want the benefit of an active. Since it is so effective even when used 1-2 times a week it cuts down on quite a bit of waiting time and added products.

With its short ingredients list, it is also a possible product for people who have skin sensitivities since the chance that one of the culprits is contained in this are smaller.

So as long as you follow the instructions this is a really solid and effective retinol product.

Sun damage and wrinkles au revoir!

Available on Truth Treatments


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Joe versus the Volcano

1990

Directed by John Patrick Shanley

Starring Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Ossie Davies, 

I knew about the existence of this film but never really heard anyone talk about it. When I started it I thought it was going to be a regular 90s comedy with Tom Hanks. Little did I know that it had quite a big of expressionism and surreal macabre humour through in to boot.

The expressionistic art work is seen in the first scene of the film and carried throughout of it. 

I also loved Meg Ryan's role in this even though the L.A part was my favorite. I love her accent there. All in all it was a funny and delightful comedy that also please my artistic side with interesting and strange sets and backdrops. Even though I found the “Polynesians” a little cringe worthy I still think it is a “hidden” (more like ignored or forgotten) gem, that one who is inclined to the darker side of life might enjoy.