[Review] Rory vs. Curology vs. Apostrophe

Beauty Tips For Body Care
Hi! I tried these three online prescription services over the past two years and thought a comparison review might be helpful.My skin: dry, extra sensitive, eczema proneConcerns I wanted to address: redness, slight texturePackaging of all three (pumps)RoryCost: $5 trial, then $75 per quarter (for my specific formula)Prescriptions: first 10% azelaic acid, 2% tranexamic acid, 1% magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. Second 0.015% tretinoin, niacinamide 2.5%Formulation: this formulation also includes ceramides, which I really liked for my dry skin. It was the creamiest and thickest out of all three brands. However, it also had gritty bits in it that made it less enjoyable and more irritating to apply.Results: Slight redness reduction after 4 months of using every other nightPersonal Opinion: I felt the entire experience was very generic and that my provider was not personalizing my formulas. After experiencing irritation with azaleic acid, they switched me to tretinoin, which did not make sense to me. I did not purchase or try my second formula with the tretinoin.CurologyCost: $5 trial, then $19 + shipping every month or $40 with free shipping every two monthsPrescription: 4% azelaic acid, 4% niacinamide, 0.25% zinc pyrithioneFormulation: this formulation was the smoothest and felt most like a normal moisturizer to apply. Mine had no scent and layered well with the products I used underneath it. It caused no irritation.Results: Significant redness and texture improvement after 3 months of nightly usePersonal Opinion: My Curology provider was the most responsive and informative of the three. Curology is known for their low-strength formulas, so I wasn’t surprised that this was the mildest of my prescriptions. My provider has been clear that I can increase strength when I feel ready, though. For now, I appreciate that this causes no sensitivity, and I don’t feel like my skin concerns need anything stronger. Also, the zinc pyrithione in this one really helped flakiness around my eyes and mouth. I usually use a zinc pyrithione cleanser, so it was nice to be able to skip that step with this.ApostropheCost: $90 without auto refill, $75 with auto refill every three monthsPrescription: 15% azelaic acid, 4% niacinamideFormulation: This was the thinnest of the creams. It disappeared almost immediately after spreading it on my face. It also had gritty pieces similar to Rory, but these ones were much finer.Results: Unable to tell because it was too irritating to use more than twice a weekPersonal Opinion: The 15% azelaic was too strong for me to start out with. When I asked my provider if I could have something milder or a different ingredient, they replied that I should just use an over the counter azelaic acid. I did not appreciate this, because I have tried the over the counter products and do not like the consistency or the other ingredients they contain. Apostrophe was by far the least helpful and least informative of the three.Overall favorite: CurologyCurious to hear others’ experiences!Edit: i also forgot to mention these all use the same base formula containing:aloe barbadensis leaf juice, C13-14 isoparaffin, caprylic/capric triglyceride, water, laureth-7, maltodextrin, phenoxyethanol, polyacrylamide, tocopheryl acetate, triethylene glycol
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Submitted by tavia1029