A313 Pommade

A magic potion.

This is the most amazing skin care product that I have ever tried, I wish I had found out about it sooner! I've used prescription Retin A Micro (inconvenient) and otc retinol products such as PTR and Skinceuticals (way too strong) in the past. Nothing has worked nearly as well as A313. For over a year now my skin has been super sensitive and reacts to everything with a bumpy rash unless I take allergy medicine : ( So trying A313 seemed risky, but it was no problem even for my sensitive skin. I apply it before I go to bed wake up with super soft and clear skin, and I noticed an improvement right from the first time I used it. It seemed to get rid of any redness too - crazy!. Somehow it's both more effective and less irritating than other products. I would recommend trying it out, even if you have sensitive skin.

It is important to use this one a little different than other products. I only use it at night and wait at least 30 minutes after washing my face before applying. It is a very thick structure, so you only need a little. It will tickle a bit, but my skin really glows the next morning.

Firstly it's an ointment not a gel so it sticks to your face like petroleum jelly (vaseline). I knew this before I bought it, but It's so uncomfortable to sleep with as your face will stick to pillows and bedding and you'll feel like a greaseball no matter how little you use or how much you rub it in!! Secondly it's so itchy, it will drive you crazy! I've used many retina’s most with stronger tretinoin percentages but none were as torturous as this one!! Most importantly it does nothing!! In fact I felt like it was just making my skin look blotchy!! All of that torture and lack of sleep for nothing!! Bought this in Pais on Dec 26th been using it 3 times a week since (a month plus), and nothing! I first tried retina A (retino) gel when I went on holiday to India. It worked wonders, was the best thing I had ever used on my skin. At night it melted into my skin and dried, in the morning my skin was glowing! Going forth I had two Indian colleagues who id ask to pick it up for me when they would go on holiday, they also started using it and got hooked (I left that job). Luckily my husband found it in Lebanon without a prescription needed and that worked out perfectly as he’s always in Lebanon visiting family, but then it was discontinued ????‍♀️????‍♀️!! So now I'm stuck still searching! Stay away from this terrible stuff!!

I've used various forms of retinoids since I was 13 (I am now 30). I discontinued using them when I was around 28 because my skin became highly sensitized and could no longer tolerate harsh products - even spacing out the application by 4-5 days resulted in irritation. I was bummed in believing that I would forever be denied the well-supported anti-aging benefits of retinoids. However, on a recent trip to Paris, I finally tracked this baby down after popping into at least four different pharmacies and inquiring in terrible French. (The pharmacist that checked me out confirmed that it's in very high demand). A313 does have a greasy texture, as other reviewers have mentioned, but I actually enjoy it. To me, it feels more protective than many American retinoids. Even the more gentle formulations of retin a micro, Paula's Choice, etc., have caused my skin to become red and actually accentuated my pores. For now, applying the A313 pommade twice a week does not seem to irritate my skin. Given my history, I'm well-experienced in preventing product irritation so after showering I first apply a moisturizer "barrier" on places where my skin becomes easily irritated (eyes, nostrils), wait at least 45 minutes, and then, in a circular motion, I rub into my skin the A313 while avoiding the areas around my eyes and nose. I've only used the product for a month, so I can't speak yet to its anti-aging effects, but it does noticeably help with my minor breakouts and blemishes, and my overall skin texture appears smoother. Overall, I'm very pleased with the results and that my sensitive skin can tolerate it, unlike many vitamin a-based products. I plan to alternate the A313 with my Neostrata PHA-based moisturizer in my PM routine.

Smells like glue, looks like glue, feels sticky like glue, but makes my face feel so smooth and soft in the morning. A little goes a long way! I find it also clears stubborn blemishes (I've had a massive breakout recently, likely due to P50W) and lightens my scars. Note that I'm used to retinol so I have had no irritation whatsoever with this form of vitamin A, but I've definitely noticed flaking, which hardly ever happens with me, so that's new- lots of dead skin. I do physical exfoliation, along with some glycolic masks and then pack on some serious, but non-clogging moisture to fix that. I recommend using it on its own with a light moisturizing serum underneath. It's so thick and sticky that it wouldn't work in a layering routine. I will 100% repurchase next time I'm in France- it's one of the cheapest, yet the most efficient vitamin A treatment I've ever used. Edit: I actually now use even less and rub it throughly on my face dividing it in different areas (it doesn't spread very easily) after I've used a serum. I let it sit 30 minutes and then add a thin layer of moisturizer on top. It helps with the stickiness and I no longer experience flakiness. I'm still kind of blown away by its exfoliating properties- smoothest, softest skin I've had in a while!

It took me awhile to learn how to use this product. The trick is to wait a good 30 - 45 minutes after washing my face before I apply it, and then also use a moisturizer. I didn't like it at first because I was applying it too soon after I had washed my face, and oh my goodness, it seemed fine at first, but then I woke up a few hours later and my skin was itching and burning!! So make sure you wait at least 30 minutes to put it on after washing your face, your face has to be completely dry. I use it most nights, but sometimes I can tell it is getting to be too much for my skin (if it gets flaky) so I'll back off for a night or so and then slowly use it again. I can see a big difference in my skin when I use it. It's also quite cheap to pick up in French pharmacies (around 8-10 euros).

I read about this product in a Glamour article by Perrie Samotin and figured I'd Amazon it and see what it does for me. I'm 32 and haven't been very grownup serious about my skincare routine and felt I needed to be more precise and grownup and this rather ugly tube that looked pharmaceutical might help with that. *Sigh* emotional purchases... I'd say this active is rather harsh--goes on a bit greasy and a few nights of having it on I've considered getting up at 2am and trying to wash it off because of the uncomfortable itching. I haven't actually done so, but it certainly is maxed out for me at 3x-4x per week and I'm 3 weeks in on this product. I'm also using a BHA, sometimes on the same night, but this week I'm not using BHAs and AHAs on the same night. I've seen a significant change in my skin's texture and I believe a brightening, but also I'm mid-purge. Meh. Hoping I'll be out of it soon. The closed comedones on my neck and jaw are ugly, but knowing my skin, they are going much faster than normal, so that's a plus. I will update again if I see more significant results. I certainly think it's exfoliating, but this is the one product in my drawer that I'm a bit afraid of--like is it an itchy night, or am I ok? Some nights are ok. I've yet to go to bed without a moisturizer on top of it. Update 3/4/19 still on my first tube and now I know I should stick to 2x or 3x per week, and only apply to very dry (no moisture from cleansing) face. I have no other ahas to compare to, but I’ve seen significant improvements in my skin with my current routine. I may still swap out for a different aha in the future, but now I feel like I know how to handle this one.

This stuff is amazing. I should start off by saying that I use it on and off; I will probably work up to trying to use it more regularly, but right now I've found a good system that works with my skin. So, when I think I'm looking very rough/uneven/clogged pores, I use it every other night for a week or so, and then back off. I only use it at night, and after I've washed my face and really let my skin dry. I know that other reviewers have stated this, but it really is worth stressing! I was feeling lazier one evening and my skin was still a little damp, and it burned a little bit. (I've read online various things about wanting to use it on damp skin to increase its potency, but I really do not suggest that.) After letting it soak in for a few minutes, I follow up with my moisturizer. I know that some people leave it and don't apply anything on top, but for my dry and sensitive skin, this is a necessary step. I haven't had any problems with flaking or super redness. I think this is due in part to really working up to how often I use it. When I first tried it, I waited three days before applying again. I also think putting a moisturizer on has helped my skin as well, and, of course, SPF in the morning. It really does make my skin look and feel so much better. You really don't need more than a pea-sized amount for your face and neck, maybe a bit more depending on how low you want to go with your product application. Having read a lot of reviews with people having adverse reactions, I think it often probably comes down to usage. For the price, it can't be beat, and I plan on continuing to use this product as part of my routine. Update 8/26/18: This update is mainly so I can continue singing the praises of this product, but also to describe an updated routine. After working up to using this product nearly nightly (I'd take a few days off if I did other intense treatments, like acid peels etc), I got lazy this summer and my forehead really let me have it. I had tons of little bumps and my t zone in general looked congested and my skin was dull and tired. Within a week, using this every other night, my forehead is almost completely smooth again, and my nose is looking better, too. I'm still using a pea sized amount for my face, and another pea for my neck/chest. I definitely think that following this up with a moisturizer works best for my skin, and has kept it from making me itch. All in all, this is an absolutely indispensable part of my skincare routine! But I do want to, once again, stress the importance of making sure that the rest of your products work in tandem with A313, and that you're not overdosing your skin with harsh products.

Absolutely amazing! I don't use it continuously, I tend to use it as a treatment for a week, when my skin feels uneven and clogged. I smooth a thin layer on before bed, and do not use any other skincare fro ducts in conjunction with it. I exfoliate in the morning, and moisturise in the day time, and then I repeat this for a week, every night. By the end of the week, I have brand new, smooth and even skin that glows, and makeup looks gorgeous on it! It's a strange Vaseline like consistency, quite thick and it's slightly itchy when it's on my face, but nothing unbearable. Slightly acidy scent. I find that one tube lasts for at least 6-7 months. Couldn't live without it, it tightens pores, fills fine lines and gets rid of dead skin like nothing else does. Absolutely love love love it :)