In my late teens and early 20s, my skin went through a frustrating cycle. It would be seemingly clear for months and then, all of a sudden, acne would appear and plague me for weeks while I tried (unsuccessfully) to get rid of it. I’d attack my face with a series of lotions and potions that I’d bought at Ulta or — worse — cooked up in my kitchen. I was left with raw, dry skin and dark marks that wouldn’t go away. I simplified my routine to calm my skin, eliminating exfoliants and anything too harsh, and though my acne subsided, the hyperpigmentation persisted.
After five years of sticking to a non-foaming cleanser (Glossier Milky Jelly) and avoiding anything that I assumed would strip my skin (toners, retinols, and harsh physical exfoliants), I felt it was finally time to get back into more active ingredients to try and brighten my dark spots. The trick would be finding something gentle enough to do so without triggering more acne or drying my skin out entirely. (I’d heard horror stories about retinol causing skin to purge and break out, and after years of dealing with acne and stubborn dark marks, I wasn’t willing to put my skin through that.)
Plenty of products intrigued me with their claims that they would yield the smooth, glowing skin of my dreams, but it wasn’t until last winter that I found one I was actually moved to try. I was introduced to epi.Logic, started by oculofacial plastic surgeon Dr. Chaneve Jeanniton back in 2019. (Oculofacial means she focuses on faces, especially around the eyes.) epi.Logic stopped making products for a period until 2021, when it relaunched with new-and-improved clinical formulas backed by science. I was most interested in the Double Feature retinol because it is specifically formulated for Black and sensitive skin.
What makes it better for sensitive skin is the time-release retinol — it doles out its cell-turnover-encouraging ingredients slowly, making it less harsh. Combined with other ingredients like lactic acid, I was hopeful it would help brighten and hydrate my skin. It also didn’t look like any other retinol I had encountered before. Most have a medicinal stuffiness about them, but the deep-purple bottle adorned with polka dots made this product feel approachable, too.
I gave it a try as soon as I got my hands on it. After cleansing my face, I used the bottle’s dropper to squeeze the product onto my skin and was immediately shocked by its texture. The serum was soft, almost silky — more like a moisturizing shower oil than a harsh scrub or even a medicinal balm. The product quickly sunk into my skin without leaving the surface tacky or sticky, so I didn’t have to worry about it staining my pillowcases as I slept. I layered moisturizer on top and went to bed, eager to enjoy some true beauty sleep. The next morning, I rushed to the mirror to appraise my face. To my surprise, my skin looked noticeably brighter. My hyperpigmentation was still there, but my skin felt soft to the touch and had less of the dullness I was used to. I grinned at myself in the mirror.
Over the coming weeks, I diligently used the serum every other night, always layering a thick moisturizer like Dieux’s Instant Angel on top to protect my skin’s barrier and religiously using sunscreen every morning so UV rays wouldn’t undo all the hard work the product was doing while I slept. I waited for the retinol horror stories I had heard to come true, but they never did. In about three weeks, my dark marks started to fade and the overall texture of my skin became smoother and smoother.
A year later, Double Feature continues to be the secret sauce behind my now-luminous skin. It’s not cheap, but one bottle lasted me an entire year, which helps justify the price, as do the results. The difference isn’t just aesthetic — my skin feels better too. The persistent dryness and cycles of acne haven’t returned, and I confidently leave home barefaced. And it’s not just me; others have noticed. Recently I was on set (yes, she’s a model), and the makeup artist uttered the sweetest words a skin-care enthusiast can hear: “Your skin is, like, perfect. You have no texture at all!”
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