Tretinoin Ruined My Skin Barrier—Sabrina Carpenter's Aesthetician Shared These Tips for Healthy Skin

      (Image credit: @shawnasimonee) This may be an unpopular opinion, but I don't particularly like tretinoin. There, I’ve said it. I had a negative experience with it while trying to improve my acne-prone skin, and things have been challenging since. Although it's been some time since I ceased using it, my skin barrier has yet to fully recover, and the process of healing it has been extensive. I’ve been lucky to work with some of Hollywood’s top aestheticians and feel especially grateful to have collaborated with celebrity aesthetician Renée Rouleau. Rouleau has been instrumental in helping me with my troubled skin. She is incredibly knowledgeable and reliable, and her impressive list of celebrity clients speaks volumes. She treats everyone from Sabrina Carpenter to Demi Lovato and brings over 35 years of aesthetic experience, so it’s fair to say she’s seen a lot.

      I approached her with an urgent message about my highly reactive, inflamed, and compromised skin. I sought her guidance on how to remedy it and decided to share my experience because I knew I wasn’t alone in enduring tretinoin damage. In fact, friends who know I work in beauty often ask for my insights regarding it. True to her teaching nature, Rouleau was kind enough to assist us. She provided me with a complete routine featuring her fantastic products that have truly transformed my life. Coincidentally, it’s also National Aesthetician Day, making this a perfect opportunity to appreciate her expertise. Keep reading for everything she shared!

      Why Tretinoin Isn't Always Effective for Acne

      According to Rouleau, people often mistakenly overuse tretinoin. As a vitamin A derivative, it accelerates cellular turnover, leading many to think it’s beneficial for acne management. However, Rouleau clarifies that this isn't always true. "If you’re someone with acne, your skin is extremely biologically active," she explains. "The analogy I like to use is that acne-prone skin is moving at 100 miles per hour, and we’re trying to slow it down to 50 miles per hour." Simply put, if you're struggling with acne, your skin is already rapidly renewing, and increasing the exfoliation of dead skin cells can lead to clogged pores. Introducing a retinoid could worsen this issue.

      Tretinoin is more beneficial for concerns like skin aging and sun spots. For milder breakouts and congestion, a gentler retinoid is often more effective. Rouleau adds that it can help to clear minor clogged pores and blackheads but is less helpful for inflamed, red breakouts. I discovered that my overuse of tretinoin was the problem. At the time, a dermatologist prescribed it to me with instructions to apply it every night, which was quite overwhelming. My skin never fully cleared; I continued to experience breakouts but was scared to stop, fearing it would worsen. If only Rouleau had been my aesthetician back then… Eventually, I learned my lesson, though some damage was already done. My moisture barrier was severely compromised, and despite having stopped using tretinoin some time ago, I’m still on the mend. I next asked Rouleau how to address the damage.

      How to Repair Tretinoin Damage

      Firstly, if you’re experiencing red, inflamed breakouts, it may be wise to stop using tretinoin. "Always listen to your skin," Rouleau recommends. If you’re still breaking out despite using a retinoid, it could be beneficial to remove it from your regimen temporarily to calm your skin. Rouleau has a comprehensive blog post detailing steps to take if your skin is dry, flaky, and damaged due to aggressive topical treatments. She even offers a quiz on her website that helps identify your specific skin type and which ingredients will benefit you the most.

      Rouleau emphasizes the importance of focusing on calming, repairing, and soothing ingredients tailored to your specific skin type. On Rouleau’s skin type scale, mine is classified as type four, which is very sensitive, oily (or combination), and prone to some breakouts. From there, Rouleau helped me create a barrier-repairing routine designed to soothe, calm, and heal without causing new breakouts. A crucial part of this is selecting the appropriate moisturizer. Rouleau's Skin Recovery Lotion ($45) is an excellent choice for acne-prone skin because it supports barrier function without heavy oils or pore-clogging ingredients.

      Renée Rouleau Skin Recovery Lotion

      This lotion is loaded with water-binding hydrators that address dehydration, redness, and flakiness often caused by excessive use of a potent retinoid. She also shares impressive before-and-after photos that highlight its effectiveness. The formula features two key ingredients that aid recovery: Pentavin, a skin-identical complex combining natural sugars to strengthen the barrier, and Aquaxyl,