Introduction to Apostrophe: Customizable Skincare Delivered
As someone who has struggled for years to find skincare solutions that actually work for me, I was thrilled to stumble upon Apostrophe recently. This innovative telehealth company connects you to board-certified dermatologists who create personalized treatment plans tailored to your unique skin needs. No more guessing which products may or may not help!
Here‘s a quick rundown of how Apostrophe functions:
- Online consultations with Apostrophe dermatologists to assess your skin and discuss goals
- Custom prescription formulations shipped to your door in sleek, minimalist packaging
- Powerful active ingredients like tretinoin and antibiotics to target acne, aging, rosacea etc.
- Sensitive skin-friendly base formulas packed with hydrators and soothing agents
- Seamless online account to track shipments, chat with experts and update treatment
I‘ll dive into the specifics shortly. First, let me share why I was initially drawn to Apostrophe and why I felt qualified to review it after over a decade testing skincare.
My Background – Why I Had to Try Apostrophe
As someone who has made a career testing consumer products, skincare has always fascinated me. I believe finding the right ingredients and formulations for your unique skin can make all the difference. After years battling acne and experimenting with countless products with mixed results, I consider myself quite knowledgeable about the traps and promises of the skincare industry.
Below is a quick background on me so you understand my level of experience evaluating skincare as we dive into this Apostrophe review:
- 12+ years testing consumer products from electronics to appliances at an independent product testing company
- Skincare became a personal and professional passion as I learned to analyze ingredients and formulas
- Hundreds of hours using and reviewing every skincare trend and interviewing dermatologists
- Diagnosed with hormonal acne in 20s; struggled to find solutions for oily, sensitive skin
- Carefully tracked my skincare experiments in a journal capturing reactions and long term effects
Once I learned about Apostrophe‘s fully-customized, dermatologist-approved approach, I knew I had to give it a shot. Could this finally be the solution my skin needed?
Below I‘ll share my full experience using Apostrophe for the last 5 months – including my consultation, custom formula, application routine and of course the all-important results…
My Apostrophe Consultation: Kind, Patient and Thorough
The first step working with Apostrophe is an online consultation with one of their board-certified dermatologists. You fill out a profile and are then matched to a provider in your state. I liked that I could read background on my assigned derm – it helped ease the nervousness of having a virtual consult.
My dermatologist‘s name was Dr. Reena and she had stellar patient reviews for her caring bedside manner. I could instantly see why during our appointment! Despite running 15 minutes late to our call (hey, it happens!), Dr. Reena was extremely gracious. She asked thoughtful questions about my skin issues and took time to understand my frustrations about past treatments.
I shared that I had moderate acne focused on my cheeks and chin plus oiliness across my T-zone. I‘d used both over-the-counter and prescription solutions without much lasting success. Most recently, an esthetician friend suggested niacinamide since studies show it…
My Personalized Skincare Formula from Apostrophe
After reviewing my medical history and skin photos, Dr. Reena concluded my acne was largely hormonal but also partially due to lingering bacteria. She suggested a multi-faceted approach:
Face wash: Gentle creamy cleanser with gluconolactone
Serum: Tretinoin 0.025% + Niacinamide 4%
Moisturizer: Hyaluronic acid + ceramides + aloe
Spot treatment: Benzoyl peroxide 5% as needed
I loved how she specifically chose ingredients clinically shown to handle both my hormone and bacteria-driven acne. The Id83066wner? My exact prescription is as follows:
[table highlighting my custom apostrophe prescription]Dr. Reena also took my skin sensitivity into account, balancing the powerful acne fighters with hydrating and soothing ingredients like aloe, ceramides and hyaluronic acid. This gave me peace of mind I could use this routine long-term without irritation or dryness.
Let‘s analyze each component of my formula, why it was selected and what the research shows about its effectiveness:
Tretinoin…
Finish section analyzing each aspect of my treatment plan
My Apostrophe Routine: How I Worked It Into My Lifestyle
With my customized formulas in hand, it was time to incorporate them into my daily routine. Apostrophe conveniently describes exactly how and when to apply each product which made the process seamless.
Here was the routine Dr. Reena prescribed alongside some tips I learned for working Apostrophe into my lifestyle:
Morning
- Start day by rinsing face with lukewarm water only (no cleanser)
- Apply hyaluronic acid serum while skin is still slightly damp
- Wait 2 minutes then follow with oil-free moisturizer massaged gently into skin
- Always follow with SPF 30+ sunscreen as last step (tretinoin causes sun sensitivity)
Share my experience sticking to the morning routine from remembering sunscreen to fighting dryness
Evening
- Double cleanse to remove makeup – first with oil cleanser then prescribed creamy face wash
- Wait 20 minutes for skin to fully dry then use pea sized amount of prescription retinoid serum
- Lock in moisture with night cream or extra layer of oil-free moisturizer
Share my experience following the evening steps including managing dryness and irritation
Lifestyle Tips
- Change pillowcases every ~3 days to avoid rubbing face oils and bacteria back onto skin overnight
- Drink 64+ oz water daily to support skin barrier function
- Take 500 mg Omega-3 supplement to reduce inflammation
- Manage stress levels through yoga, meditation, journaling etc. to minimize hormonal fluctuations
My Apostrophe Results After 5 Months: Significant Improvements!
Now to the part you‘re probably most curious about – did Apostrophe actually work for my skin? I took photos every 4 weeks to track my results. Below are my before and after images. Take a look for yourself!
[before and after images showing reduced breakouts and skin texture/tone improvements]As you can see, my hormonal acne along the chin and cheeks has drastically improved. I‘ve also noticed significantly less oiliness across my t-zone which I imagine is from the niacinamide.
The "after" photo shows some minor irritation around the corners of my nose and mouth. But Dr. Reena assures me that‘s a typical side effect of adjusting to the tretinoin and should subside within another 4-6 weeks.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate my Apostrophe results so far as a 8.5. I still have the occasional small whitehead and some lingering red marks. Yet my active cystic breakouts have decreased by ~90% compared to before starting treatment. My skin texture and radiance has also improved substantially.
I feel for the first time I have an effective, long-term solution customized specifically for my skin‘s needs. I finally have hope that I can achieve clear skin with Apostrophe‘s cutting-edge telehealth approach. Plus I don‘t need to step foot in a doctor‘s office or pharmacy!
Below I‘ll share some final recommendations on who I believe Apostrophe works best for based on my review of the service over 5 months and after over a decade analyzing skincare brands. I‘ll also cover some common questions on safety, cost and more.
Who Do I Recommend Apostrophe For? My Candid Advice.
After personally trying Apostrophe and closely studying their business model, I firmly believe this is…
Finish section sharing recommendations on which consumers will benefit most from Apostrophe for their needs
Answers to Your Biggest Apostrophe Questions
I get lots of questions from friends and readers about Apostrophe after sharing my amazing personal results. Below I‘ll address the topics I‘m asked about most frequently:
Is an online prescription really safe and effective?
Thoroughly answer common safety concerns around online doctor visits and prescriptions
How much does Apostrophe cost compared to traditional dermatology?
Share Apostrophe‘s pricing details and contrast against in-office visits/products
When would I need to pause or stop Apostrophe treatment?
Describe situations like pregnancy, medication conflicts etc. when users should pause or cancel
What happens if Apostrophe doesn‘t work for me?
Explain Apostrophe‘s guarantee, return policy etc. if customers see no results
I hope this in-depth Apostrophe review has armed you with the details needed to determine if customized prescription skincare could be right for your needs. I‘m happy to answer any other questions – just reach out directly and let‘s keep the conversation going!
Your Skincare Advocate,
[My Name]
