What Skin Care Products Are Best After Obagi Nu Derm?

What skin care is best after Obagi Nu Derm? Many people have used Obagi Nu Derm for 4 months to tackle tough sun damage and facial pigment problems. Obagi Nu Derm is a powerful skin care system. Up until recently it has been unparalleled for helping to get rid of uneven facial skin pigmentation. It also treats fine lines and wrinkles and brightens the complexion.

Because the Obagi Nu Derm Kit contains prescription strength hydroquinone, many people, myself included, prefer the Nu Derm system used as a finite treatment, not a long-term skin care routine.

What is the best post Obagi Nu Derm skin care routine to maintain results?

That depends on your skin problems and skin type. I just received this exact question from one of my web readers. Here’s my approach to creating the best post Obagi Nu Derm Skin Care Routine to maintain results: I continue the nightly tretinoin treatment for the long-term benefits that it provides for your skin. It’s sometimes necessary to step down in strength since the Obagi Nu Derm Blender is mixed with tretinoin, thus lowering the actual tretinoin strength when you’re on Nu Derm.

I aim to maximize other effective skin pigment controlling products and rejuvenation products. This means using the highest concentration, professional skin care products your skin can handle. You want both a professional glycolic acid product and a strong retinol product.  To help your skin “allow” this treatment, you usually need to give it a well-matched cleanser, adequate moisturizing, and an anti-inflammatory product that soothes any subtle irritation that these products may produce.

I also have a beautiful Obagi Toner alternative - my Naturally Hydrating Pore Minimizing Toner

My Toner is made with organic botanical ingredients that I have blended into a natural formulation; it is highly effective at soothing and toning skin while providing a second cleansing step for your skin care routine. 

Best skin care for after you finish Obagi Nu Derm

I have two great options that are powerful anti-aging and skin pigment controlling routines for you once you just finished Obagi Nu Derm or if you want to "step up" your tretinoin treatment. 

After Obagi Nu Derm the best skin care routine is my Ageless Rejuvenation Skin Care Kit.

This kit includes a powerful level of glycolic acid and the highest concentration allowed of retinol to fight the signs of skin aging. I also include the best antioxidant in skin care (high concentration green tea) and the best facial sunscreen - both will help prevent skin damage. You can use this kit indefinitely - no need to stop because it will fend off skin aging every day, year after year after year. 

If your complexion struggles with pigment problems consider my Ultimate Pigment and Sun Damage Repair Kit

This kit includes the same key ingredients along with botanical skin lightening pads. These can be used indefinitely to fight skin hyperpigmentation. It also includes my beautiful Hydrating Toner. This kit is my full alternative to the Obagi Nu Derm Kit. 

The exact skin care routine looks like this:

In the Morning:

1.  Cleanse with Extremely Gentle Foaming Facial Cleanser. Follow with the Naturally Hydrating Pore Minimizing Toner. 
2. Apply the Pigment Fading Pads where you struggle with stubborn pigment problems.
3. Apply Green Tea Antioxidant Cream.
4. Apply Glycolic Acid Face Cream if your skin is not too sensitive
5. Apply the Daily Moisturizing Face Cream where you need extra moisture or to your entire face if you are not using the Glycolic Acid Face Cream that day.
6. Apply Sheer Strength Pure Physical Matte Tinted SPF 50+ Sunscreen 
7. Apply mineral makeup, as needed.

In the Evening:

1. Wash with Extremely Gentle Foaming Facial Cleanser followed by the Naturally Hydrating Toner.
2. Apply the Pigment Fading Pads as above.
3. Apply Green Tea Antioxidant Cream or Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream (which has the Green Tea Antioxidants in it).
4. Apply the Daily Face Cream where your skin needs extra moisturizer or again apply the Glycolic Acid Face Cream (yes on top of the Retinol)
5. If you are on tretinoin, ask your prescribing physician if you can apply Glycolic Acid on top of tretinoin and/or if you can use Retinol on nights when your skin it too sensitive for tretinoin but may be able to tolerate Retinol.  

You could also add a skin brightening cleanser to alternate with the Extremely Gentle Cleanser. My Triple Action Exfoliating Skin Cleanser brightens skin and I like to use it in the morning. I use the Extremely Gentle Cleanser at night. 

Remember, just like the Obagi Nu Derm, this is a powerful routine. If ANY skin irritation develops, let your skin rest by avoiding exfoliating products. This means no:

• tretinoin or retinol,
• glycolic acid wash, cream or lotion,
  
• Triple Action Cleanser.

After a few days or so, you can start back on the routine.  The results are worth it.

Author: Dr. Cynthia Bailey M.D. is a Board Certified dermatologist practicing dermatology since 1987. She has done well over 200,000 skin exams during her career and authors the longest running physician written skin health blog in the world.

“I love empowering people to take good care of their skin by educating them and putting the ‘self-care’ into their skin care so that they love the skin they’re in!” Dr. Bailey