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Credit: Product images courtesy of Amazon, Ulta, Sephora, Bath & Body Works, Glossier
I’ve been on a real self-improvement kick lately, which involves everything from reorganizing my entire apartment to getting a Masters degree. Enhancing my environment is nice and juicing up my brain is great, but I’m also a pretty vain and aesthetics-focused person, so I didn’t stop there. Even though I’m in my 30s, I decided to finally start Accutane, the famously ass-kicking prescription oral retinoid that acts as a nuclear option for acne and other skin issues. There are two promises that come along with Accutane: It will almost certainly work and it will almost certainly dry out your whole body in the process. Both of these, in my experience, are true. After five months, my skin has never looked better—except that, for now, it’s flaky, peeling, cracking, and visibly parched. I knew this going in, so I started messing with various moisturizing and hydrating products right away, especially after my dermatologist told me I could throw out all my old, breakout- and texture-focused skincare since I wouldn’t be needing it anymore. Here are the ones that worked best for me.
The best products for lip dryness on Accutane
For me, the most dryness has occurred on my lips, which have been in a perpetual state of chapping since about the third week of Accutane. This has been particularly heartbreaking for me because it has meant lipstick and gloss look straight-up gross, so I’ve probably put the most work into fixing my lips. My overall pick is the O’Keeffe’s Lip Repair Night Treatment ($7.51), which goes on smooth before bed and is still there in the morning.
I’ve noticed my lips are softer and less dry after using this consistently, but it doesn’t necessarily get rid of those flaky parts that stick up around the edges of my mouth. (This is gross, but it’s true!) For that, I use the Bath & Body Works lip scrub ($10.95) and follow it up with the brand’s Nourishing Lip Mask ($12.95). Don’t use the scrub too often, maybe once a week or so, but it will help get rid of some of the lingering effects of chapping. Other products I like for the lips are C.O. Bigelow’s My Favorite Night Balm No. 306 ($8.95) and Vanilla Lip Balm ($8.95). Obviously, I prefer overnight solutions here, with the Vanilla Lip Balm being the only thing I really call on for daytime wear, and that’s a tip I feel confident sharing: Do as much as you can overnight to make all of this easier.
The best products for facial dryness on Accutane
Obviously, the face dries out, too, so I set about to make sure that while I’m investing all this time and money into getting cuter in the long term, I’m not looking busted in the short term. I have two favorite products for facial dryness, though they’re very different in terms of consistency.
First is the Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream ($76). This goes on thick, which I like for overnight use, and its heaviness makes it effective in sealing in moisture.
Next is the Chanel Hydra Beauty Camellia Water Cream ($64), which I bought after securing my Accutane prescription but before even taking my first pill because, and I self-quote, “I deserve a treat.” Luckily, it is a treat: It’s super light-weight but still really hydrating, so I put it on in the morning. It’s not sticky and it absorbs super fast, but it does have a strong scent, so if that’s not your jam, this might not be for you.
Beyond that, I do a sheet mask every few nights, randomly selecting one from Target or H-Mart whenever I’m shopping, and I haven’t found one that works better or worse than any others, so feel free to stay on the cheap side if you do that. Some nights, I also add in the DERMA-E Firming DMAE moisturizer ($12.14) because since I’m not focusing all of my skincare energy on waging war on my pores anymore, I’m branching out into treatments and products that address other concerns. The DERMA-E also has a strong smell, but it’s thick and easy to apply, plus I’ve noticed a smoothing effect when I use it (though no noticeable “firming” benefits…yet).
The best products for all-over dryness on Accutane
I did notice some overall dry skin beyond my face, too, but I’m already a bit of a lotion warrior, so it’s been difficult to determine which of my too-many products are the ones helping me out. For instance, I use the Glossier Body Hero Dry-Touch Oil Mist ($30) and Daily Perfecting Lotion ($28) every night, but did notice that after I started the Accutane, it seemed to absorb quicker, like my skin was a little more desperate for it.
I did add two new products to my rotation to specifically address hydration concerns at different levels after starting the meds. First, I started using the Bath & Body Works Sensitive Skin Colloidal Oatmeal Body Butter ($20.95). This stuff is thick, so it takes a while to rub it in, but that’s what I like about it. Its thickness literally creates a heavy layer on my skin, sealing in moisture. The thickness makes me feel like it’s actually doing something. Interestingly, it also has the exact same smell as my medspa, which I mention not only because it plays weird memory-based mind tricks on me when I use it, but so I can tell you that you can get Botox and filler on Accutane, but you cannot get chemical peels. In general, always check with your derm and any other specialists before you have any treatment or invest in a heavy-duty product.
On my Bath & Body Works trip, I also found out about their moisturizing body wash line ($17.95). I do already use the Glossier Body Hero Daily Oil Wash ($28), but it feels thin and slippery and I’m not convinced it’s as effective as its corresponding oil and lotion. The B&BW moisturizing body wash (which can be purchased in basically all of the brand’s scents) is thicker, almost like a lotion that sudses up, and feels a little more useful in terms of actually delivering moisturizing benefits in-shower. I use it for shaving, since shaving dry skin is hard and I’m prone to bleeding a little when I try it, so the thickness comes in much handier.
Listen, any lotion is better than no lotion here. I have a vitamin E oil from a dollar store that is so cheap the cap keeps falling apart and that stuff works just fine for moisturizing, too. Consistency is more important than ingredients, fanciness, or method, so my top advice is to get as much lotion and oil as you can and stick it everywhere. Keep some in the bathroom, some in your bag, some by your bed, some by the kitchen sink, etc. Use it whenever you see it.
Other useful products for Accutane dryness
If you’re worried about dryness or other side effects, bring your concerns up whenever you can. My dermatologist prescribed me a steroid cream when I told her I noticed little cuts were healing slower after starting the medicine and my optometrist gave me some extra-moisturizing eye drops that are safe for my contact lenses when I told her my eyes felt dry, too. Speaking up to the relevant experts about anything you’re experiencing will yield some results.
Beyond that, I got a new humidifier to fully immerse myself in the moistest air possible. The inside of my nose feels super dry since starting the pills, so the humidifier has really helped me when it comes to waking up and not feeling like I’m breathing in razor blades. I got the Esemoil Cool Mist humidifier ($39.99) because I like that app connectivity and the fact that it changes colors.
And finally, I got a bottle of Hi-Lyte electrolyte supplement ($20.96) and put a few drops in my drinks in the hope this will hydrate me from the inside out. I really don’t know if this one works, but it helps give me the feeling I’m doing something good for myself, even when I’m drinking something sugary and terrible, and that’s the motivation I personally need to keep going.
So, in short, you’ll likely be dry as a bone for a while when you start Accutane, but it’s a great excuse to revitalize your collection of scents and potions. Just make sure you pick products that address your specific needs as they crop up.
