So, you’ve received your Dermatica treatment and you’re ready to start reaching your skin goals.

We can’t wait to see your skin transformation, which can start as early as 6-8 weeks after you start treatment. Long term use of retinoids can also boost collagen production, promoting a plumper and more youthful complexion as long as you’re using your personalised formula regularly.

To achieve the best results, it’s important to use your formula correctly. But how should you apply it?

Here’s our guide to getting started with your personalised formula and treatment plan.

When To Apply Your Treatment

Use your new formula during your nighttime routine, rather than first thing in the morning. This is because your evening skincare generally has fewer products – no sunscreen or makeup, for example – which helps minimise irritation. That’s why we recommend applying your treatment before bed, then leaving it to work on your skin overnight while you sleep.

How To Apply Your Treatment

1. In the evening, use a gentle non-comedogenic cleanser to remove any makeup, impurities or sunscreen. Avoid scrubbing your skin with a cloth or using exfoliating products as this can damage your skin barrier.
2. Next, let your skin dry completely. You can gently pat your face with a soft, clean towel if needed — just remember, no scrubbing.
3. Once your skin is dry, apply a thin layer (1-2 pumps) of your personalised formula to your face. Avoid the areas around your eyes, nostrils and mouth, as these areas are more sensitive than the rest of your face so they may get irritated.
4. Let it fully absorb into your skin for around 3-5 minutes before applying a light layer of moisturiser, if needed.
5. The next morning, cleanse your face, pat it dry and apply a non-comedogenic moisturiser that suits your skin type, followed by sunscreen. Make sure you wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen like SPF50 Photodamage Defence Sunscreen with an SPF30 or higher (even if the weather is cloudy) so you don’t undo your formula’s hard work.

Products To Avoid At The Start Of Your Treatment

It can take a few weeks for your skin to adjust to your personalised formula, so we strongly advise starting it alongside a basic skincare regime. Avoid comedogenic moisturisers if possible too, as these may irritate your skin or clog pores.

Once your skin is used to your skincare treatment, you can slowly add other actives like AHAs, BHAs and PHAs to your skin routine. Remember, not all skincare products are suitable to use with your formula, so reach out to our dermatology experts from your dashboard before introducing any new active ingredients.

Because most active ingredients also increase the rate of skin cell turnover, avoid exfoliating products like scrubs and peels, spot treatments such as salicylic and glycolic acid, and facial waxing. This will cause too much exfoliation on your skin, which may disrupt or damage your skin barrier.

These steps will reduce your likelihood of irritation and excess transepidermal water loss, all while allowing your treatment to work at its best.

Skincare Routines For Individual Skin Types And Requirements

To prep your skin for your personalised treatment each night, your skin routine needs effective skincare steps to help maintain healthy skin barrier function. But just because we advise a basic skincare routine, doesn’t mean these products aren’t effective.

In fact, choosing hydrating, science-backed products like the ones in our daily essentials skincare range will keep your skin in optimum condition and maximise the results of your personalised formula.

Skincare Routine For Sensitive Skin, Combination Skin or Oily Skin

To make things easy, we’ve bundled our recommendations for oily, blemish-prone skin in The Balancing Duo. The two products in this ideal starter kit help enhance the effects of your personalised formula.

Balancing Glycerin Gel Cleanser

Remove makeup, impurities and sunscreen with the Balancing Glycerin Gel Cleanser, formulated according to the NICE guidelines for sensitive skin.

Soothing Centella Gel Moisturiser

The Soothing Centella Gel Moisturiser is a lighter moisturiser with a combination of ceramides, niacinamide and centella asiatica. It contains no comedogenic ingredients. The centella asiatica helps calm redness, while ceramides nourish the skin barrier without triggering excess sebum production.

Skincare Routine For Balanced Skin Or Dry Skin

For balanced or dry skin types, you’ll find your science-backed routine in The Nourishing Duo. It preps and cares for skin that’s prone to dryness, maximising the performance of your personalised formula. This is what’s in the kit.

Caring Squalane Cream Cleanser

Massage makeup, impurities and the day’s sunscreen from your skin with a cream to oil to milk cleanser. The occlusive, skin-softening properties of squalane, grapeseed and rice bran oils help prevent the migration of water from the surface of your skin, leaving it feeling comfortable and nourished.

Nourishing Ceramide+Peptide Moisturiser

This rich yet fast-absorbing moisturiser is a daily skincare staple for drier skin types. The smooth texture provides the skin with moisture and soothing ceramides, keeping your skin barrier healthy and resilient.

Products For Tackling Dehydrated Skin

The Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid + Vit B5 Serum is lightweight and designed for dehydrated skin. It has two molecular weights of hyaluronic acid, which alongside moisture-locking Vitamin B5, are two favourite ingredients among dermatologists. Apply it before your moisturiser.

How To Use Your Formula With Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Vitamin C is considered a gold standard anti-ageing and overall skin health-boosting ingredient. It provides antioxidant protection from UV and free radical harm, evens out skin tone, and boosts collagen production for firmer-looking skin over time. Apply Vitamin C 15%: Fresh Batch Ascorbic Acid in the morning before sunscreen, only once your skin has acclimated to your formula.

Introducing Azelaic Acid

Azelaic acid is a multi-action antioxidant that can speed up cell turnover to brighten the complexion, unclog pores and reduce the appearance of fine lines and dark spots. You can add Clarifying Azelaic Acid 12% Cream to your morning routine once your skin is used to your personalised formula and you no longer notice side effects.

What To Do If You’re Experiencing Retinisation

Sometimes you might notice a slight tingle when you apply your formula. This is normal according to dermatology experts, and not a cause for worry. The same applies if you experience some minor side effects, like dryness and peeling.

Retinisation can happen if your skin barrier becomes compromised from active ingredients. When this happens, your skin may appear dry, flaky or inflamed (red, swollen, raw or sensitive to the touch). It’s important to stop using actives in your routine and let your skin rest and repair itself. (1)

Soothe the area with Restoring Ceramide Skin Balm or a similar ceramide-rich barrier balm. Stop using your treatment for a few days until your skin returns to normal. Reintroduce it slowly, 1-2 times a week at first, building up the frequency as your skin becomes more used to it.

If this starts to feel uncomfortable, you can let our clinical team know via your online dashboard. Or find out more about retinisation recovery and managing irritation here.

Storage Instructions For Your Dermatica Personalised Formula

Many active ingredients are also photosensitive, meaning their properties deactivate when exposed to sunlight or high temperatures. To keep the ingredients in your formula potent for as long as possible, it’s important to store your personalised treatment in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. (2)

Avoid using the product once it has exceeded its expiry date, or if the smell or appearance has changed.

How To Recycle Your Treatment Bottle

When you have used up your product, you can dispose of your personalised bottle with the rest of your household recycling. The bottle and all its packaging is 100% recyclable – and so is all the packaging in our daily skincare essentials range.

Where To Go For More Support

As a Dermatica subscriber, you have full and unlimited access to our team of licensed dermatology professionals. We are on hand to answer any questions you have about products, your routine and your progress.

You can reach out at any time from your dashboard. Find out what formulas are suitable for your skin by visiting our website here.

References

Gilman R, Buchanan P. Retinoids: literature review and suggested algorithm for use prior to facial resurfacing procedures. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery [Internet]. 2016;9(3):139. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5064676/
Kryczyk-Poprawa A, Kwiecień A, Opoka W. Photostability of Topical Agents Applied to the Skin: A Review. Pharmaceutics [Internet]. 2019 Dec 20;12(1). Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7023431/