u/JacketAgreeable6048

I just started using this retinol (g2g) about a week ago because I’m 28 and I’m starting to notice fine lines on my forehead. I wanted to get ahead of it early.

But after just a few days, I started getting these tiny bumps on my skin. Not big breakouts, just small textured bumps that weren’t there before. My skin also feels a bit more sensitive than usual. I’m not sure if this is purging or if my skin just doesn’t like it.

I ended up reading this article about retinol vs professional retinoids and it talked a lot about how retinoids need proper barrier support, hydration, and recovery steps instead of just using actives alone. It made me think maybe I rushed into it without balancing my routine properly.

I’ve also been a bit more conscious about aging lately. I was with my cousins recently (I’m actually the youngest), and one of them jokingly asked our ages. I didn’t expect it but she said I look the oldest among the three of us. That kind of stuck with me more than I thought it would. And I guess it also connects to why I started retinol in the first place. I got out of a 7yr relationship and my ex left me for a younger woman. He told me I looked older than my age and I think that really messed with my confidence more than I realized.

So now I’m just confused if I should push through the retinol and hope my skin adjusts, or if I should switch to something gentler and focus more on barrier support like the article suggested.

Has anyone else dealt with tiny bumps early on with retinol? Did it actually get better or did you stop using it?

Does anyone know what those jelly masks are that estheticians use during facials? The ones they mix in a bowl, apply thick on the face, then peel off in one piece after it sets

I’ve had it done a few times and my skin always feels really calm and super hydrated after, way more than sheet masks. It also gives that tight fresh feeling without being drying

I was trying to understand what makes them feel so different, and I read a bit about how jelly masks are mainly used in professional treatments for hydration and occlusion (basically helping trap moisture into the skin while it sets). That actually made sense with how they feel post-facial

Anyway, I’m wondering if anyone here knows what type of base these usually are or if there are at-home versions that actually perform similarly.