In this post I’ll compare the pros and cons of using Cerave Resurfacing Retinol Serum vs Differin Gel.
Differin is also known as Differin adapalene gel, because Differin is the brand name for the retinoid adapalene.
Table of Contents
- What are topical retinoids?
- Prescription products vs over the counter retinols
- How to choose between Cerave retinol or Differin
- Differin purge vs Cerave resurfacing retinol purge
- Signs retinol is working
- Tips for introducing a retinoid
- Who should not use retinol
- This was Cerave Resurfacing Retinol Serum vs Differin or Adapelene
What are topical retinoids?
Retinoids is the category term for all kinds of products from the retinoid family.
Topical simply means it can be applied in a cream or gel vs. a pill taken via the mouth.
For example: retinol products, retinaldehyde products and tretinoin are all kinds of topical retinoids.
When it comes to Cerave Resurfacing Retinol Serum vs Differin, they are both a type of retinoid.
Retinoids work by speeding up skin cell turnover.
This makes them very effective for treating different types of acne.
They also boost collagen production, making them the best topical product to reduce premature ageing (other than SPF!).
Benefits of topical retinoids
Some of the main reasons people use them are:
- Reduced acne breakouts
- Reduced appearance of acne marks and hyperpigmentation
- Uneven skin tone can be improved, dark spots lightened
- Skin’s texture improved
- Visible pores appear minimised
- Skin may be less oily after continued use
- Premature ageing is minimised
Prescription products vs over the counter retinols
To compare the Cerave retinol serum and Differin gel, we must understand how they are different.
Whilst they are both retinoids, the main difference is that Differin is a prescription retinoid.
Prescription-strength retinoids are essentially much stronger than what you can find in a store.
Generally speaking, you need a prescription to buy one.
However, recently Differin itself has become available over the counter in some countries.
Tretinoin, Tazarotene and Epiduo still require a prescription, or at least to be seen by a doctor, to get them.
Pros and cons of prescription-strength retinoids
There are lots of things to consider when choosing between prescription retinoids like Differin, and over the counter products such as Cerave retinol.
Here are some of the pros of using prescription strength retinoids:
- Generally speaking, the results tend to be more dramatic because of the higher concentration
- Severe acne can be mostly resolved with continued use, though not always
- They are the most studied and therefore can better guarantee results, whereas OTC retinoids are not as studied
Here are some of the cons of using prescription strength retinoids:
- They tend to cause more skin irritation than cosmetic retinol serums
- Most often you need a prescription to get them, which can be expensive and annoying
- Sometimes they can cause secondary skin issues, like perioral dermatitis
- They usually cause more dry skin than cosmetic retinols
- The purging period is usually more aggressive than cosmetic retinols
Pros and cons of over the counter retinols
Let’s compare some of the pros and cons of Cerave resurfacing retinol serum vs prescription Differin.
Here are some of the pros of using over the counter retinols:
- They usually cause less skin irritation than prescription, making them easier for sensitive skin types to use
- They usually cause less of a purge or adjustment period than prescription strengths
- They usually cause less dry skin than prescription strengths
- Generally work well for mild to moderate acne
Here are some of the cons of using over the counter retinols:
- They can take longer to show dramatic results than prescription strength, due to the lower concentration
- They are not as well studied as prescription retinoids, so are not as proven to be effective
- Despite being less irritating and drying on average, they still regularly cause both of these things
- They do often still cause a purge (all retinoids do)
How to choose between Cerave retinol or Differin
As you can see, deciding between Cerave retinol or Differin is a trade off between a few things.
If you are still unsure, you should ask yourself these questions:
- Do I want results very fast or am I willing for it to take a bit longer?
- Am I willing to go through a more aggressive purge period? (More on the purge later)
- Is my skin very sensitive or quite hardy?
- Am I willing to fill a prescription to get the product?
Slower, gentler results
If you have very sensitive skin, or you prefer it to take a bit longer to see results and you want less of a purge, go for the Cerave retinol over Differin.
You can still see good results in 3-5 months, maybe even sooner depending on the severity of your acne.
Faster results with the potential for more irritation
If you don’t have sensitive skin and want to use something more proven to be effective, faster, go for Differin.
The good thing about Differin is that it’s known to be less irritating than Tretinoin.
However, don’t let that fool you, it is still usually a bit uncomfortable for a while.
Differin purge vs Cerave resurfacing retinol purge
The retinoid purge is a common side effect of retinoid products.
I’ve done it a few times and it does suck, but for me it’s been worth it every time.
It happens because the active ingredient in retinoids speed up your skin cell cycle.
For acne-prone skin, this means lots of your breakouts are ‘pushed’ to the surface much faster than normal.
These are not new pimples, they’re pimples that have been forming slowly under the surface for a while.
Think of it as your skin having a big clear out and starting a fresh!
Comparing the Differin purge vs Cerave retinol purge is difficult, as it depends on a few things:
- Whether you currently use retinoids – if you do, it may be be less (if you used retinoids a long time ago it probably won’t help now, sorry!)
- How sensitive your skin is – sensitive skin tends to get redder and flakier, more easily
- How much acne you have – more acne usually means a worse purge
In general, a Differin purge period probably will be a bit worse than one from Cerave retinol, because it is stronger.
It is just one of the annoying side effects of retinol we have to accept.
I found my Differin purge was certainly longer than when I used 0.1% retinaldehyde.
Signs retinol is working
I get lots of questions about this on my skincare TikTok!
Usually it’s people who’re using Differin or retinol and haven’t purged and are concerned it’s not working.
if you haven’t purged at all that doesn’t mean it’s not working, some people just get lucky!
Especially if you didn’t have much acne before, you might have just gotten away with it.
Generally speaking, retinoids take a minimum of 3 months to create any noticeable difference.
However, you might notice your skin glows a bit more in just a couple of weeks.
What results to expect from using a retinoid
There are a lot of misconceptions about what retinoids are capable of, so I’ll clear some of these up now.
No matter if you’re using Cerave resurfacing retinol serum or Differin, you can reasonably expect:
- Less acne breakouts in general
- Breakouts are smaller and heal faster
- Less acne marks and marks fade faster
- Skin’s surface feels smoother
- Glowier skin
- Fine lines can be minimised with long, consistent use
Here’s where the misconceptions come in. You cannot expect:
- All acne to be cleared or never to have breakouts again, especially hormonal ones
- New skincare products to not break you out – cosmetically induced acne can still occur
- Dynamic lines to go away, though they may be lessened a little
Tips for introducing a retinoid
I have some top tips for introducing a retinoid product to your skincare routine.
Whether you choose Cerave resurfacing retinol serum or Differin, these apply to both.
Skincare ingredients to avoid with retinol
Adding a retinoid to your routine can cause irritation, so you want to avoid these while you adjust to it.
I recommend cutting out any products that contain the below for at least 1-2 months:
- Salicylic acid – even a wash off cleanser containing this
- Glycolic acid, lactic acid or mandelic acid (basically all AHAs)
- Benzoyl peroxide – unless it’s a spot treatment
- Any other form of retinol
- Physical exfoliants like scrubs
- Vitamin C
Other things to avoid
- Using super hot water to wash your face with, always use tepid!
- Any harsh or old (crusty) face cloths!
- Skin picking or popping pimples
- Waxing the face – this can cause a lot of damage!
Tips for better results from retinoids
Here are some things you can add in to make things smoother.
Remember, don’t try lots of new products all at once – if you do this and they cause breakouts, you won’t know which one it is!
Serums to use with retinol
I believe that everyone should have a dedicated hydrating and/or barrier serum in their routine.
Especially when using a retinoid, you want to protect your skin barrier.
Check out my post on the best barrier serums for clog prone skin, to pair with either the Cerave resurfacing retinol or Differin.
Here are some ingredients to consider including:
- Essential ceramides (ceramide NP, ceramide AP, ceramide EOP)
- Hyaluronic acid
- Centella asiatica
- Panthenol
- Glycerin
- Allantoin
- Licorice root extract
- Aloe vera
- Niacinamide
Whatever you pick, make sure to avoid any with fragrance or essential oils.
These can just add unnecessary irritation.
How often to use Differin gel and Cerave retinol
Even though Differin is much stronger than the Cerave resurfacing retinol, you should still introduce them both slowly.
Ignore instructions that say to use it daily from day one – that is gonna hurt!
This is my recommended schedule:
- Month 1: 1-2x a week
- Month 2: 2-3x a week
- Month 3: 3-4x a week
Make sure you only use enough to coat your skin in a super thin layer, do not use it like a moisturiser.
Who should not use retinol
There are some groups of people for whom using retinoid products is a bad idea.
If you are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding is strongly recommended to avoid retinoids.
If you have severe acne, it is better to see a board-certified dermatologist in this scenario.
Lastly, if you don’t wear sunscreen or don’t want to, it is better not to use a retinoid product.
I hope this has helped you decide which is better for you: Cerave resurfacing retinol serum vs differin.
This was Cerave Resurfacing Retinol Serum vs Differin or Adapelene
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