1-month Curology Review - My First Time Trying Prescription Skincare

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You know you’re getting serious about skincare when you get a prescription, and after my many failed attempt at trying to ged rid of my dark spots, I knew it was time for me to get serious. Sadly my health insurance doesn’t cover dermatology, but luckily there’s Curology. 

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Curology is pretty straightforward. You pay $24.90/month (or $39.90 every 2 months) and have unlimited access to a board-certified dermatologist, physician assistant, or registered nurse. You also get a customized skincare treatment (that’s formulated for your particular skin type and issues) either every month or every other month depending on your plan, and your health practitioner will work with you to reformulate the prescription based on your progress and feedback.

For me the selling point was being able to add tretinoin, one of the most powerful ingredients to treat + prevent wrinkles and stimulate collagen production (source, source 2). Since tretinoin increases skin turnover rate, it’s also super effective in fading dark spots (source)! If prescription tretinoin doesn’t work, I don’t know what will.

My first Curology formula

After filling in a questionnaire about my skin and uploading some up-close photos, I was matched up with Dr. Satur, a dermatologist in San Diego. She quickly reached out to me and let me know that she has prescribed the following formulation:

4% Niacinamide + 5% Vitamin C + 0.012% Tretinoin

Ah the holy grail anti-aging and brightening ingredients. Though I’m neutral about vitaminc c, I do love me some niacinamide! The tretinoin is at a very low dosage because I expressed my concern for flaking and purging (aka tretface), and Dr. Satur totally listened.

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You know how some doctors act like they know best and whenever you raise a question or opinion they look at you like you just committed blasephemy? Dr. Satur was none of that – she was friendly, helpful, and responsive to all my questions. I didn’t think having access to your own dermatologist was a big deal, but now that I have, it’s pretty awesome :D

Also, bonus points for the perfect skincare product packaging: opaque airless pump that minimizes oxidation and possibility of contamination. Now why can’t more products be packaged this way?

My 1-month progress

Day 1: Oh this isn’t bad at all. My skin does feel a little dry, but I’ll just lather on more of my I’m From Honey Cream.

Day 3: Holy crap my skin feels dry. And it burns a little. Are those flakes I see by the side of my mouth?? Ahhhh the dreaded tretface!! It’s happening! Layer on all the hydrating toners and serums! Jenny – 0, Tretface – 1

Day 4: Ok, I’m pretty sure my moisture barrier is weak af right now, and I need something to really seal in my skin’s moisture at night and do some repair work. Enter the CeraVe Baby Cream.

Day 7: Skin no longer burns and the flaking has stopped. Jenny – 1, Tretface – 1.

Week 2: Skin is feeling normal again with some minor dryness, even with 2 pumps of Curology every night. Jenny – 2, Tretface – 1

Week 3+4: I got bold and reintroduced acids and exfoliants back into my routine at the beginning of week 3. No dryness, burning, or flaking reported. Jenny – 3, Tretface – 1

The peeling + burning at the beginning probably could’ve been avoided if I used only 1 pump of Curology every other night. But nope, I dove head first and used 2 pumps every night because I was anxious to see results.

Tretinoin may be powerful, but I knew realistically it would take months, maybe even years, before my dark spots faded away completely. But for 1 month? The improvements were pretty good:

Arrows show the areas of improvement. I forgot to add arrows for my smile lines!

• My skin tone has gotten brighter and there’s less redness in my cheek area.
• A few of the dark spots have faded slightly, and no new ones have emerged.
• My smile lines are gone and I notice less fine lines near my eye area.
• My skin feels buttery soft, all the time.

Overall I’m very happy with the Curology experience and formulation so far, and would highly recommend it to anyone who is frustrated with store-bought products. If you use my referral link, you can actually get your first product free, and you can cancel at any time! $19.95 (for the 2 month plan) is cheaper than most beauty subscription boxes, and in my opinion, has a much better value.

9 out of 10

• Packaging9.5
• Ingredients9.5
• Texture/Application9
• Performance9
• Price8

• Formulated to suit your skin type and needs
• Contains proven anti-aging ingredients at prescription strength
• Actually fades my stubborn dark spots
• Can give you tretface if you're not careful (or too ambitious like me)
• So worth the $20 a month

Let’s Chat

What are your thoughts on prescription skincare over the internet, yay or nay?

What skincare issues do you have that store-bought products just can’t seem to fix? Have you considered seeing a dermatologist to address those issues?

Jenny Wu

Passionate about science-based skincare. Tested hundreds if not thousands of products since my 20's. Working regularly with brands like iHerb, Ulta, CurrentBody, and MedStar Health to share my knowledge and experience in all things beauty. Learn more.

Skin profile: 35+, dry/combination, focused on well-aging, hydration, and a healthy glow ✨

Comments & Questions

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Annie

April 2, 2016

Wow we have a lot in common! I'm a web developer, also obsessed with beauty and skincare, I love cats, I just started with Curology and I USE CERAVE BABY CREAM FOR MY FACE TOO! This is freaky but I love it! :)

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Jenny Wu

April 4, 2016

WOAH o__o This is so awesome, haha! What are the chances we have all this in common! Yay for us skincare-loving, cat-owning, web developing geeks! *high five*

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Cat

April 3, 2016

That's interesting! I've never heard of Curology, but it sounds like a great service. It's nice that the treatment is customized for you, and I'm glad you're already seeing improvements after only a month :D Hopefully it'll continue!

I started seeing a dermatologist a couple years ago, and it was seriously life changing. I saw him about a scar that had grown into a bump and was causing irritation. I dealt with for a few years before being fed up and booking the appointment. After a few treatments, it was flattened, and I was like, why didn't I do this earlier???

I also told him that I was frustrated that I was in my late 20s and still struggled with acne, no matter what products I tried. Now I'm on a prescription cream and face wipe, and my skin has improved drastically. I might get a pimple now and then, but for the most part, my acne problem is gone.

Fortunately, my insurance covers the visits and prescriptions, though not every treatment. I have a feeling it's because the insurance companies see it as cosmetic and not necessary, but it's amazing how much better you feel when your skincare problems are finally solved.

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Jenny Wu

April 4, 2016

That's awesome Cat! I've heard a lot of stories where people who struggle with acne saw huge improvements as soon as they saw a dermatologist! I'm not too familiar with anti-acne ingredients myself but I think there are several very powerful ones that are prescription only, which could be why. That's great that your visits and some prescriptions covered in your insurance. I wish insurance companies would realize that seeing a dermatologist is more than a superficial thing - it can really affect a person's well-being!

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Marie

January 29, 2017

Did you apply curology to you undereyes area?

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Jenny Wu

February 2, 2017

I apply this all over my face, which does include my under eye area. I tend to focus more on my forehead and my cheeks where I have hyper pigmentation, and as I massage it in I'll bring it to my eye area. I haven't experienced any issues doing this, but I would definitely check with your Curology health care provider, since every formula is different. Hope this helps!

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Leah

June 10, 2017

Did you do this only at night or morning and night?

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Jenny Wu

June 26, 2017

Curology should only be applied during the evenings as the active ingredients can make your skin more photosensitive. Since every formula is unique to your skin type, your assigned healthcare provider will give you clear instructions on how and when it should be used. You can always message them directly if you have any questions.

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Amber

July 26, 2017

I am on day two of my Curology bottle and I'm already seeing results! I suffer from hormonal acne and horrible acne scars. I'v seen a dermatologist in the past and two prescriptions and a pretty large dermatology bill later, I still had ACNE!! My formulation is 8% Azelaic Acid, 1% Clindamycin and .25% Zinc Pyrithione.

Wish me luck!!

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Jenny Wu

July 26, 2017

That's awesome Amber! Hope you continue to see great results, good luck!

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katherine canales

November 7, 2017

I been on antibiotic for a year on and off, but i know being on them for too long is not good for you. Now that i ran out of antibiotic im breaking out again. i suffer from cystic acne, around my chin area. I wonder if anyone with the same problem has used this

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Jenny

November 29, 2017

I would definitely suggest contact Curology directly with your question. They can let you know if any of the other users are in a similar situation and whether or not the prescription ingredients will work for you. Good luck!

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katherine canales

November 29, 2017

thanks

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Jessica

January 14, 2018

What happens if you stop using curology?

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Jenny

January 14, 2018

I'm not sure what the case would be if you were dealing with acne, but in my case (anti-aging and brightening), you'd no longer notice any continuous improvement to your skin, but it shouldn't regress to the previous state. However I'd recommend asking Curology directly to confirm :)

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Lin Adams

January 11, 2021

Hello, I came across your review on Curology. Since this is an old post, can you tell me if you still use Curology skin care? Thank you!

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Jenny Wu

January 11, 2021

Yes I still use it, but at a lower % now and not everyday. I just shared it on my Instagram today if you're interested in a retinol comparison: https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ6Y9ltn2rg/

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Lin Adams

January 11, 2021

Wow, thank you very much for your speedy reply! Did you find Curology not perform as well as you hoped, and that's why you incorporated other items?

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Jenny Wu

January 11, 2021

You're welcome! It actually performs really well but my skin still finds tretinoin irritating if I use it daily, that's why I like to alternate with a gentler retinol alternative!