From time to time, I like to switch up my regimen and try out different products. It helps me learn about other skincare lines besides what I use in treatment and I can better recommend products to my patients. I’ve never learned well from reading alone, so I have to get hands on and see, smell, touch, taste (ok, maybe not taste) the products to decide how I feel about them. With that being said, today’s blog is dedicated to hyperpigmentation and Obagi.
Over the course of the past several weeks, I’ve been using and documenting my experience with a couple of Obagi products and here’s what I found: they work. It takes time and patience. I have even noticed improvement and a more even tone to my skin. I didn’t have drastic pigment to begin with, so your results may be more “wow” but I would definitely recommend this system for someone trying to lighten sun damage. The products are hydroquinone based and if you use the method Obagi suggests you’ll be getting 4 doses of 4% hydroquinone daily as well as using a retinol at night. Some may think this is a lot, but if you want results this is a great way to get them! Your skin will change. I’ve had clients that don’t like that and I’ve never understood why. It’s part of the process and after all, if you were happy with how your skin was to begin with, you wouldn’t have come to me in the first place. So let’s get started….
11/18 – Day 1
Clear/ Sunfader AM
Clear/ Blender PM
Had two whiteheads pop up before evening. That was new! Feels like a lot of product to have on my face, more than I’m used to anyway.
11/22 – starting to notice some dryness and a little flaking. Nothing crazy, and a little extra moisturizer fixed it. I’m used to the additional products in my regimen now, so not really bothered by extra steps anymore.
11/25 – Photo taken after 1 week use
I mentioned the products I added to my regimen, but I guess it’s also worth noting the ones I had already been using as well. So here’s my full regimen morning and night.
AM : Cleanse with Skinceuticals Simply Clean
Tone with Obagi Toner
Skinceuticals CE Ferulic
Skinmedica TNS Eye Repair
Obagi Clear
Obagi Sunfader
(If I’m dry I’ll use Skinceuticals Emollience after Sunfader)
Jane Iredale Dream Tint (medium dark). Most days this is all the make up I use
Between the SPF in the Sunfader and the Dream Tint, I’m covered for sun protection. Unless of course I know I’ll be out in the sun more than usual. In that case I have another Skinmedica SPF I apply.
PM: Cleanse with skin ceuticals simply clean
Tone with Obagi Toner
Skinmedica TNS Eye Repair
Skinceuticals 0.5 Retinol (unless I’m dry/flaking, then I skip this step)
Obagi Clear
Obagi Blender
Skinceuticals A.G.E Interrupter
12/2 -Photo taken after 2 weeks use
Nothing major to report. I’m getting used to the new routine. On days when I feel more dry, I skip the retinol at night and just use Obagi Clear and Blender. The worst part of the whole process is the smell of the Blender. It’s not terrible, just very medical. I’ve always warned my patients to be ready for their skin to change. They are usually starting from a basic regimen whereas I was already doing quite a few steps morning and night. My results are not extreme but I do feel that my skin tone is evening out.
12/9 – I didn’t take a photo today because I was out of town for 3 days and wasn’t using my Obagi regimen. I know, I know, it’s not going to work if I don’t use it. I only brought a carry-on and couldn’t spare the space to pack extra products for for the long weekend. I minimized my skincare to Skinmedica face wash, Obagi Toner, and Skinceuticals Emollience. I also had a few small packets of eye cream from an old line I used at a previous job called IS Clinical which I brought and used. I’m back on track now and will post a photo with next weeks update.
12/30 – not much to report. I’ve taken a few more photos and matched them with my starter photo to track my progress. Please note I’m trying to be as accurate as possible with the photos. All are taken in the same place at the same time of day. But weather dependent the lighting does change a bit. Overall you can see my skin tone evening out even if I appear to gain or lose a tan from week to week.
I am definitely noticing that my skin is also lightening. Still keeping with my regimen pretty regularly with minimal slacking. Hey, I’m only human after all. I admit I did some more traveling over Christmas and skipped a dose or two of hydroquinone, but for the most part I’m keeping up with it and using the retinol when I don’t feel overly dry or sensitive. I was in Virginia for 5 days and it was rough on my skin. It was quite a drop in temperature for me and being in a dry climate with the heat running 24/7 in the house, really caused my skin to act up. I use coconut oil when I get dry, flaky or itchy most of the time. I love it because it’s simple and effective.
1/6/15 – So I think I’m going to wrap this entry up. Nothing drastic to report. I have stopped using clear at night because I was going to run out of that product first due to the fact that I was using it morning and night. I have been doing clear and sunfader in the morning, and retinol and blender at night. I’ll post one last photo so you can see how far I’ve come on my Obagi journey since beginning back in November. I will continue to use this system until I run out of product then I’ll probably start testing out something new.