Acne Treatment Gel, 180 Day Supply, Retinoid Treatment for Face with 0.1% Adapalene, Gentle Skin Care for Acne Prone Sensitive Skin, 45g Tube, Pack of 2 (Packaging May Vary)

I have been using Differin for over a year now (around 14 months giver or take) and did not publish a review until now. If you want an in-depth review, read on. For the tl;dr version: it works, just stick with it. Btw, I was not paid for this nor was I sent this product (although they should be sending it, given how many tubes I've bought). I had the MOST TERRIBLE acne. No, I'm not talking about a small tiny excuse of a blemish that your friend with great skin complains about when she has her "bad skin" days. My face was RED and PAINFUL. My cheeks were COVERED all the time, and I had no area on my face where acne wouldn't pop up. Nose, brows, chin, jaw, underneath the jaw, you name it. I had tried Curology and while my skin got amazing for the first 6 months, my acne returned with a VENGEANCE. I had tried so many things, clay masks, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, other AHAs and BHAs, sulfur, rosehip oil, and even supplements like zinc and milk thistle, you name it. Nothing worked at all. I was so so embarrassed of my skin, but I couldn't wear makeup either since makeup made my acne SO MUCH worse. I heard about Differin and I figured "well, might as well give this a try cause it can't get any worse". Boy, I was wrong. It did get worse. Much worse. Suddenly I had SO much more acne and I felt like crap. I couldn't believe my skin could get worse, but it did. Differin was the only thing I was using so I knew this was it. I was depressed but I stuck with it, cause I wanted to test it for at least 4 months. I thought I might as well test the claim, since my skin is so bad already. The first month was really really bad. It brought all underlying acne to the surface i.e. the purge phase. It did the purging for 3-4 months, but the first month was THE WORST. Not gonna lie to you, that first month will probably be the worst skin you've had in your life. Your skin will become SO SENSITIVE! Anticipate that! My skin has never been sensitive to products but while using this, my regular moisturizers and masks would sting like crazy (get stuff with no fragrance/alcohol or acids!). It didn't affect my skin in any other way, it just stung a lot. Oh, and I used to get my upper lip and brows waxed. Not with this you can't, the wax will tear off your skin since it gets much more sensitive. I learned the hard way. ONLY do threading! However, after I waited out the terrible, terrible first month, I slowly began to see improvements. Marginal, though. I had acne, but I probably had just a tad less. And it continued that way, it kept improving. Eventually, my skin was so much clearer than before! I still had acne, mind you, it's not a miracle drug, but it was few and far in between. There would be times when I had no active acne, which was HUGE for me!! My face usually looked like a connect the dots game. However, I did hit a plateau. This worked phenomenally at reducing my ugly acne all over my face to a few zits here and there, however, my issue was deeper than that. Eventually, I went to a doctor and got on spironolactone. Now, I am both on my Spiro and this. The combo of these two have made my skin so clear! I could have never imagined this day! I still need to use this, I have noticed my Spiro is not enough to keep zits at bay and if I skip a couple of nights putting on differin, new zits come up. I am so much happier now that I don't have zillions of gross zits on my face. I still get zits if I eat sugar or near my period but man, I am a long way from before! I have a few blemishes left over from before but I honestly don't care, my skin looks wayyy better. I can hide my blemishes with a sheer foundation of spot concealing if I want. So if you've read till the end, the lesson is: be PATIENT and be realistic! Your acne did not appear overnight and will not disappear overnight. If you stick with this, it WILL work. However, your mileage may vary. My acne was extremely bad, so after I hit my "acne plateau" I went to the doctor. If your acne is not as bad, it's likely differin is all you need for clear skin! If you're on the fence, confused, depressed, frustrated and/or can't afford a doctor, it's worth a shot! Just be patient and gentle with your skin!

Overall I was surprised by the results and effectiveness of this product. Im writing this review a month after using this adapalene gel because I wasn’t sure how well it was going to work. A month ago I had been dealing with a bad breakout on my forehead, temples, and jawline. I had been using either salicylic acid treatment or benzoyl peroxide on my face. Neither of those products made my situation any better. This product has been on my saved for later list for a while so I was curious to try something different for once. The first week and a half I didn’t see much change. But by week two and three, my goodness my acne nearly vanished. And I’m not exaggerating. It’s been a month now of wearing this every night after my nighttime routine. My face is smooth, acne and bumps are almost completely gone. Even the dark scars from some acne have gone away. It works really well and the 30-day supply really does last for 30-days. The skin around my eyes do dry out with this product, so I’ve been applying Vaseline to help with the excessive dryness. Otherwise this product really helped in just one month use. I spot treated acne on my chest and shoulders every now and then and this works for body acne too. I’m very impressed with the results. 95% of my acne is gone, with some trouble areas like my temples. But it’s helped a lot. I wish I took comparison photos to show the difference.

As a nurse, I’m very cautious with retinoids—and Differin is one of the few I consistently recommend. Differin (adapalene 0.1%) is a prescription-strength retinoid that’s now over-the-counter. It’s backed by years of clinical use for acne, and it also delivers real anti-aging benefits when used correctly. 🧪 What it does • Increases cell turnover • Prevents clogged pores • Improves texture and tone • Softens fine lines over time This is not a cosmetic “trend” product—this is evidence-based skincare. Real experience • Texture: lightweight gel, spreads easily • No fragrance • Absorbs quickly • Minimal irritation when started slowly I started using it 2–3 nights per week, pea-sized amount for the entire face. After about 4–6 weeks, my skin was noticeably smoother with fewer breakouts and more even texture. Important nurse tips (this matters) • Start slow (do not use nightly at first) • Use a pea-sized amount only • Moisturize before or after if sensitive • Expect mild dryness or purging initially • SPF every morning is non-negotiable Used incorrectly, people think this product “doesn’t work.” Used correctly, it’s a game changer. Who this is best for ✔️ Adult acne ✔️ Acne-prone skin ✔️ Early anti-aging ✔️ People who want prescription-level results without a prescription 🚫 Who should be cautious • Very sensitive skin • Broken skin or active dermatitis • Pregnant or trying to conceive (avoid retinoids) 💰 Value For the price, this is one of the best ROI skincare products on the market. You do not need luxury retinoids if you’re using Differin correctly.

This really works better than any other otc product I've used before. If you're struggling with acne, I'd recommend at least trying it. I'm really happy with the results. Helps lighten dark spots and draw up those hard knots and inflamed bumps go down within couple days. I'd get those itchy random bumps that show up out of nowhere around my jawline. It would go down and come back in same spot all the time. This really works to get rid of those and my skin texture has improved. I have extremely sensitive thin skin. I saw some of the other reviews with some having little results or adverse reactions and was a little nervous about using this product. However, there were many with very good results so I tested on small area for the first week. I used small amount and within 4 days I could see it was working well. Moved on to spot treating all over face and no severe side affects so far. No redness, swelling or skin peeling. Very happy with results so far, but the box is huge compared to size of product inside. It's tiny, about the size of my finger.

If you don't read any further in my review, please know this: IT GETS A LOT WORSE before it GETS MUCH BETTER. HANG IN THERE. I'm posting this in hopes this helps someone. First, some history: I've struggled with moderate acne from my teenage to adult years. In my early and mid 30s, my acne has turned into painful cysts that predominantly cover my cheeks, jawline and neck. I also have breakouts on my shoulders, back and chest, though they aren't anything like my face. The areas I break out in would lead me to believe it's hormonal. Since I've also had hair loss and have had cysts on my ovaries, there was a thought it was PCOS, but dozens of blood tests and expensive doctor visits later, that was ruled out. I spend COUNTLESS, and I mean COUNTLESS hours researching about acne. It's ruined my self-esteem and confidence, I never feel attractive, and I even have trouble looking at people sometimes. My skin is PAINFUL due to the deep cysts and inflammation. So much so, some days I just wanted to cut my skin off. It's been hard not to pick, but of course even if I don't, my skin is left with red marks that are just has hard to cover up as the inflamed bumps. I've tried EVERYTHING over the years. You name it, I've tried it, and that includes Acutane (but I wouldn't stay on it due to concerns over liver damage). The only thing I haven't tried that I heard could work is Spirnolactane. I was actually prescribed it but decided not to take it, again, over concerns about what it would due to my health. I don't even know how many dermatologist, primary care and OB/GYN appts I've had to discuss the matter. One derm went so far as to tell me, "If you still have acne at this age, you'll always have acne." In other words, I'm hopeless. I hated that guy. That was told to me when I was around 22 and I've never forgotten it 13 years later. Recently, I moved to a new town and got a facial. The woman that was treating me suggested Differin Gel. She mentioned she'd seen some success with it and that it was a fairly new OTC product. I figured, what in the heck do I have to lose. Desperate, I ordered it from Amazon. And after using it for the first time, I BROKE OUT EVERYWHERE, particularly my forehead. It was AWFUL. My only patch of clear skin was now what seemed to be infinite whiteheads. Every pore was a whitehead. It was awwwwwful!!! I immediately quit the product, and was so angry that another thing failed me. It took WEEKS for the whitehead breakout to clear up. While I waited, I kept researching it. I don't know why. And I read how people talked about it "purging" the skin so people get a bad initial breakout. Ok. Well, I don't know if it was out of frustration or a little nagging gut feeling, I decided to try it again. AND MY SKIN GOT SO RED AND DRY AND BURNED SO BADLY. I mean, excruciatingly painful. And it turns out that's just because I was coating on a thick layer of it all over my skin. How embarrassing showing up for work and my whole face is just red and massive FLAKES. But after all that flaking and peeling, and using non-stop aloe on it (also borrowed my husband's thick Aveeno Eczema lotion... it seems to really work!), I had.... clear skin. I can't believe I'm typing this. It's been weeks, and my skin has cleared up 98% (I did have a couple neck and jawling cysts this period cycle, though - but they're not as hidden under the surface as they used to be). My skin doesn't get nearly as oily (overcompensating for the dryness of Differin) or as flaky (because I'm using a little bit for the whole face with a little more added onto my problem areas). It seems to have finally balanced out. I really just can't believe it, and I am so unbelievably happy and feeling so much more confident than I have in a long time. I truly hope this helps someone. Shoot me a question on here if you have one and I'll be happy to answer. For the record, after a ton of my own research, I believe I have a sensitivity to DHT. My blood test DHT levels are normal, but as I understand it, sensitivity to DHT cannot be measured, and I believe that may explain my female hair loss and cystic acne. I recently purchased Saw Palmetto Extract to see if that can help -- though it made me feel very faint so I stopped after a third day.

My dermatologist prescribed Differin back in the early 2000’s and it’s the only product that didn’t also give me occasional bouts of dry damaged skin barrier issues. It’s so user friendly especially compared to Retin-A. I seem to recall that my Insurance didn’t cover the cost back then and it being much more expensive so I was surprised and thrilled to see it sold OTC at an affordable price. It clears up acne, blackheads and whiteheads plus prevents new ones from forming. It also smooths fine wrinkles. My derms instructions were to use a pea sized amount every night over entire face, not just on active blemishes. It’s a retinoid so it can be drying at first and sunscreen is a must.

Finally a product that works for those annoying skin colored pimples then never want to pop unless you dig a crater into your skin trying to excavate it! This stuff is literally a miracle in a jar. I always got those small little pimples that never want to go away. They are skin colored so they don't look too bad but they hurry so much. I eat healthy but I think it's my bc. Anyway I was starting to lose hope until I found this. Wmthis stuff has been a lifesaver! I had an annoying pimple that wouldn't go away for at least a month and this stuff got rid of it in a week! It also helps with lightening acne scars. I use it 4x a week because if I use it daily it will severely dry my skin. Awesome stuff!

This is a great product! But there is a side effect you should make sure you're ready for. I'm almost 26yrs old & I've been struggling with acne since I was a teen. I had been using Aveeno Clear Complection face wash for years & it usually kept it under control. The past few months my skin just kept getting worse & worse (no change to my diet, skin products, etc.) & no idea what caused my skin to have such horrible breakouts. I decided to look into Proactiv to help. I know a few people who have been on it & half loved it & half hated it. But all of them hated the price & how difficult it was to unsubscribe. That made me not want to get Proactiv. I did more research & found this product, Differin. It has the exact same amount of Adapalene Gel .1% as the ProactivMD Acne Treatment gel. It's basically the same product, they just charge you 2x or 3x the cost for it, depending on the size you order. With that in mind, I order the Differin gel & Differin Gentle Cleanser. Now I did read the reviews on the Differin gel. I knew it would cause dry skin. But I didn't worry about it because I knew I had a pretty good moisturizer (Bio Oil is not meant to be used as a moisturizer but I accidently discovered it makes an awesome one) that I've been using for at least a year. However, when I started using the Differin products, my beloved moisturizer did Not stand a chance. I switched to an Aveeno face moisturizer & Nope, that didn't work either. My skin felt Raw. It was so dry, it started to peel which then made my skin feel raw, itchy & so red. I started shopping around buying different face moisturizers & every one I used made my skin feel like it was set on fire. It burned. I guess because it was raw, I'm not sure. I didn't want to stop using the Differin product because I had read in other reviews that the dryness & peeling was normal & a good sign that the product is working (hard to believe, I know), all I had to do was use a good moisturizer. So I did some more research for what I could use for very dry & itchy skin. A few websites suggested a number of things that I already wasted money on except petroleum jelly (aka Vaseline). I know... Vaseline? On my face? It's really thick, won't it clog my pores? I had given just about everything else a try & my skin was screaming for relief. A website said the thickness of it helps prevent waterloss in the skin. So I decided to give it a try. Oh my goodness.... It worked!! After a couple of days the dryness, peeling, & itchiness was almost completely gone. After a little over a week, no more redness, no more rawness & no more anything. Well I still had acne, lol. The greasy texture takes some getting use to. I apply small dabs & rub it in, leaving a thin layer to soak in. Okay, I found an excellent moisturizer to combat the drying side effect of the Differin products. Since I've been using all three; Differin gel, Differin Gentle Cleanser, & Vaseline. My skin is looking Amazing. I started using the gel daily but it was/is too much for my skin. So instead I use it every other day but I use the cleanser & moisturize daily & nightly. You will go through a "purge" phase. This is normal for most acne products, even Proactiv. So don't be scared away when this happens. Think of it like it's digging out all of the built up junk that's been lying under your skin, waiting to pop up at the most inconvenient time like a date or job interview. For me, it's been about a month. I battled the dry skin side effect & patiently waited out the purge phase & now my skin is truly looking amazing & so much better. I still have acne but only about 50% of what I had when I started. Your skin might take longer or less time to purge before clearing up. Just be consistent. Be patient. Don't chicken out. And be realistic, this is not a one week or one month cure. It'll take time & you'll have to continue using it even when you're acne is gone. Or else it'll come back. So you might as well buy the 2 large bottles. I've already order again & plan on using these products long term. My advice.... Buy this product!! You won't regret it. Just make sure you have a really good moisturizer. I would add a photo of my skin now but it wouldn't mean much because there's no before photo so you would have no idea of how bad my acne was when I started. Just know, I'm very impressed after one month.