I began using RetinA in 1975. I used it until 2005 or 2006 and switched to Taz then. For me, like HateMe, the flaking never stopped. I never got to wear makeup where I was not flaky. Same thing happened with the gel version of Taz. My skin looks the very best if I stop using Taz for about a week, then start using it again. Then, the first two days after I start using it again, my skin looks dewy and perfect. After that, not as much.

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Try the short contact therapy with taz gel, the lower strength.

Also use this. It's pigmented, sort of tan colored. It will not irritate your skin. Also it's dirt cheap. Get like five of them. You will use them and like them. You can use regular sunscreen on your neck, hands, arms, and chest.

http://www.eyeslipsface.com/studio/spf_45_sunscreen_uva-uvb_protection

C in the AM under sunscreen, retinoid at night when you tolerate it. If you get irritated, flaky, red, skip until you recover. You can use both also on your neck, your chest, your hands, and your arms. Also get a wide brimmed visor (5" brim or longer) and wrap sunglasses for every single time you step outside. You will need sunscreen in your house and car unless you have UVA protective windows with special coatings.

I just got all my shirts back from the laundry and almost every single one of them has a gross looking ring around the collar. What the hell? Could this be from my Obagi vitamin C? Does anyone know if vitamin c has the propensity to discolor cotton fabrics? I'm really chapped.

Thank you...

My skin is going to be slick looking with this regimen as I tend to have oily skin anyway. I assume using powder to dab skin/soak up oily spots is OK?

I do wear hats, wide brimmed. I don't wear them for the 15 seconds to get into my car all the time though. maybe I'll get a visor...

I keep my shades drawn at home, I don't really need sunscreen here do I? There is no direct sunlight coming. In the car, definitely and I keep arms and hands covered.

How are we supposed to get that 10-15 minutes of direct sunlight for Vitamin D absorption with all this sun avoidance? :-)

Kosmeds wrote: You will need sunscreen in your house and car unless you have UVA protective windows with special coatings.

Thank you again for sharing your amazing knowledge Kosmeds. Do you know of any type of clear coating that can be applied to car windows to block UVA?

For a 10% solution, try 1/2 tsp ascorbic acid to 2 tsp of distilled (not tap) water and 2.5 tsp of glycerin or propylene glycol. You can add a small pinch of baking soda to buffer it, it may foam up out of the container for a few seconds. Store in a dark amber glass bottle ideally in the fridge. You only need a couple of drops per day, on face, hands, neck, and arms if they are exposed.

Actually I think homemade can be better.

You don't know how long those bottles have been sitting on the shelf.

You can make it more elaborate, adding vitamin E and emulsifier, CoQ10, presevative(s), ferulic acid, whatever. If you are interested in these things, just ask, I can tell you how to emulsify the fats, how much to use, where to get the additions, etc. You can use different solvents. The less water, the better for longevity, but solubility of L-AA decreases in non-water solvents. I like to make mine with isopropyl alcohol instead of glycerine or propylene glycol but I don't think you'd like it like that.

The recipe I gave you should last a month in the fridge. After that throw it out and start over, it's still practically free compared to premade.

If you were ok with 5% you could omit the water using only glycerin or propylene glycol or some combo of the two and it would last longer--not only with regards to protection from oxidation but also from bacteria and fungi.

A tall skinny dark amber glass bottle is best for storage. If you have saved your old Cellex-c or Obagi bottles those will be fine.

Also if you want to reach a specific pH you might want to invest in some triethanolamine to add drop by drop and pH strips that show a distinct color change in the pH range you seek.

You can get very elaborate, or keep it simple, as you prefer.

Some people prefer to make the base only in a bottle and add a tiny amount of L-AA powder mixing in their hands just before use. If you want to do it this way, you might consider getting a digital scale that has 2 or 3 decimal places of accuracy. I bought one for about $40 about 10 years ago and I've gotten my money's worth and more out of it.

Tap water isn't good for C. It has trace minerals. Get a gallon of distilled (Wal-Mart sells it, probably most grocery stores also) and boil it before use.

It's a pain but that has already been discussed in French.

Or use glycerin. 5% is the limit of solubility in glycerin. You can get that from the drugstore. Sorbitol works, too but it isn't as readily available.

I use alcohol + distilled water.