For some reason every time I use anything with Retinol in it my skin actually peels a lot. I don't know if it is just me, or just my skin, because it does wonders for me. I use this pretty regularly, especially during the spring months, just in time for the summer. It just great to even the skin tone and to give some firming, especially in the neck areas. I have been pleased with it because of the dark spots I have and have tried everything to get rid of them once and for all. It is working for me in other areas, so I am pleased so far. Absorption It is really absorbs well, no issues in that department. Doesn't Clog Pores I have not experienced any clogging of my pores so far. Usually this happens to me right away, so if it has not happened yet, it probably won't. Effectiveness So far so good. It really does a good job peeling my skin. I am still unsure if that is what is supposed to happen though. Anyway, I have no complaints about it, because it is working for my skin.

pamela417

USA

I have suffered from acne since I was in my early teens and have struggled with acne scarring since I have such a fair complexion and used to pick at my acne when I was younger. It left many reddish scars on my face. These scars are very embarrassing. Philosophy Help Me Retinol Treatment has been a key factor in clearing up my acne scars. I found that this treatment really faded the red marks and rejuvenated my skin. My skin looks absolutely beautiful without these red scars and I have gotten many compliments on my complexion since I started using it. I also found that this retinol treatment helped fade the brown age spots on my face. While this was not my goal in using this treatment, it is a definite bonus! Overall, I am very happy with this product and highly recommend it if you have an uneven skin tone. You do have to be careful with sun exposure as this product does increase your risk of burning when you are out in the sun.

bedazzler350

USA

Philosophy's product Help Me Retinol Treatment didn't seem as good as most of the other products I've used of theirs. It made me break out with acne, and irritated my wife's skin, so I don't think it's a very good product. It wasn't worth the huge price when all it did was give us both problems with our skin. Absorption This was another one of my wife's purchases, I started using it when it caused her skin to turn red. I don't have sensitive like she does, so I thought, heck, I 'd better use it or it's forty bucks down the drain. I loved their Philosophy Peel Kit, but this wasn't worth the price. I'm not for sure if it would have even help because it broke my skin out so bad, I quit using it. I gave it a four only because their line is usually very good. It may have worked, but they need to do something about the ingredients because something in it breaks you out, or irritates your skin turning it red like it did my wife's. That cannot be good. Doesn't Clog Pores I'm not for sure if it was the the formula that clogged my pores that caused acne, or an ingredient. So, I'm giving this a seven on "doesn't clog pores", as I'm not sure if it does. I can say that it didn't seem to, so I'm giving it at least a seven rating. Effectiveness I used this for two weeks, and my wife used it for a week before that. It didn't seem very effective in the two weeks I used it, but maybe I didn't get to use it long enough, I'm not sure. I don't like breaking out in acne, so to me this wasn't worth it to find out if this would have been more effective if I had used it longer.

jarschnell

USA

I have, more or less, fairly average skin. It can tend to be oily (especially in summer and t-zone) but otherwise fairly common. However, those oily areas tended to have enlarged pores. I felt that my t-zone area had pores that seemed way to visible for my age, and decided to give Help Me a try. Now I've said in other reviews that I used to work for a department store with philosophy in it, so I had access to many of the products. This one is a treatment meant to help with (among other issues) pore size and visibility. It is a night time treatment (due to retinol, which can cause sun sensitivity). It has a smooth texture that soaks in nicely. After using it for a while I did notice that my pores became less visible. It also gave a great smoothness to my skin. I admit that I don't use it all that regularly anymore (use it mainly in summer/warm months when my skin tends to get more oil) but still feel like it worked really well for me. If pores are your issue, give it a try.

jvan8829

Chicago, IL

I started using Help Me a year ago. I was suffering from acne, and also concerned about the little fine lines popping up on the forehead. I had spent so much money and tried so many products and nothing helped with the acne. I decided to try Help Me. I am so glad I did!  The texture is very nice. It is a somewhat dense cream but is not at all greasy. It feels very nice on the skin, not oily or sticky. You only need a pea-sized amount to cover your whole face. So while the price might be considered a bit high, it will last you quite some time. You're supposed to only apply it  at night, because some of the ingredients can make your skin sensitive to the sun. Sunscreen or makeup with sunscreen is a must during the day while using this product. I started by using it every other night after washing my face with Philosophy's Purity cleanser. Help Me contains retinol, which I had never used before, so I wanted to start gradually to minimize redness and irritation to my skin. Right away, I saw results. Within 2 weeks, pimples were fewer, smaller, and healed faster. My old acne scars started fading. Those fine lines softened! My skin just looked more even and felt so much smoother. Within 2 months, my pores looked so much smaller and less noticeable. Everyone started commenting on it!  I have converted so many people to Philosophy products and especially Help Me. I hope and pray that they never stop making it!

amyrg82

Moscow, ID

Up until I turned twenty five I never experienced acne during my teens or early twenties. But after turning twenty five I started to break out all the time and it was severe. I tried numerous over the counter medications and went to dermatologists and nothing worked. I even went to get facials with no success either. I finally then tried Help Me from Philosophy. After two weeks my acne started to go away. For the past year I have not experienced severe acne. This product has also helped with fine lines as well. I bought a tube for my mother and she has seen improvements in her wrinkles as well. I use this product ever night and it has been gentle to my skin. i did not experience any dryness or redness. I love the way my skin looks in the morning when I wake up after using Help Me the night before. This product has become a staple in my night time routine. I never go on a vacation without it. Also this product is not greasy, it is light. I happy to have found it.

nannini

Forest Hills, NY