You bought A313. Now what?
A313 is a high-strength vitamin A pommade — meaning if you treat it like a regular moisturizer, your skin will not be happy. But used properly, it's one of the most effective over-the-counter skincare actives you can use. This guide walks you through your first three months: what to do, what to expect, and what to avoid.
Before you open the tube
A few honest things to know.
This is not a daily product. Not at first, and for many people, not ever. A313 works by accelerating skin cell turnover, which means using it too often, too soon, will cause irritation that won't lead to better results — just to a worse experience.
You will probably experience an adjustment period. The first two to four weeks may bring some combination of mild redness, dryness, flaking, tightness, or small breakouts in places you usually break out. This is normal. It passes. Most people stabilize by week six and start seeing real improvements between weeks four and twelve.
You absolutely need sunscreen. Vitamin A makes your skin more sensitive to UV. Skipping SPF while using A313 is the single fastest way to undo any benefit and add sun damage on top. This is the only step in this routine that is non-negotiable.
You do not need to overhaul your whole skincare routine. A simple cleanser, a moisturizer, A313, and a sunscreen will outperform a ten-step routine with A313 in the middle of it. The fewer actives competing for attention, the better A313 works.
Week 1: The introduction
The goal of your first week isn't to see results — it's to teach your skin that this new ingredient is here.
Frequency. Two nights this week. Maximum. If your skin is sensitive or you've never used a retinoid before, start with one night.
The application:
- Cleanse and wait. Pat your face dry and wait ten to fifteen minutes before applying A313. Damp skin increases penetration, which increases irritation.
- Take a pea-sized amount. The whole face uses about as much A313 as a small pea. More is not better.
- Dot it on five places: forehead, both cheeks, chin, nose. Then spread it outward in light circles. Avoid the area within one centimeter of your eyes, the corners of your mouth, and any active breakouts.
- Wait ten minutes. Then apply a simple, fragrance-free moisturizer on top.
- SPF the next morning. Broad-spectrum, 30 or higher. Every single morning. No exceptions.
What to expect: probably nothing dramatic this week. Maybe slight tightness the morning after application. Maybe a mild flake somewhere. That's it.
Weeks 2 to 4: The adjustment
This is the phase where most people consider quitting. Don't.
Frequency. Stay at two nights per week for week two. If your skin is comfortable, move to three nights per week in week three. By week four you can try every other night.
What's normal during this phase:
- Mild dryness or flaking, especially around the nose and mouth
- Slight redness for a few hours after application
- Small breakouts in your usual problem areas (the "purge" — congestion coming to the surface faster than usual)
- Skin feeling slightly more sensitive than usual
What's not normal:
- Severe burning that doesn't subside within minutes of application
- Wide, persistent redness lasting days
- Cracked, peeling, painful patches
- New breakouts in areas where you've never broken out before
- Eye irritation or swelling
If you see "not normal" symptoms, stop for a week, simplify your routine to just cleanser and moisturizer, and restart at half your previous frequency once your skin is calm.
The most common mistake during this phase is increasing frequency too fast because you don't see results. Results aren't coming yet. Your skin is adapting. Patience here pays off later.
Month 2: The build-up
By now your skin has adapted. The dryness has settled. Maybe you've noticed your skin looks slightly smoother in the right light. Quietly, the changes are starting.
Frequency. Three to four nights per week is the sweet spot for most people. Some can go five or six. Very few need nightly use to see strong results.
What's happening to your skin:
- Cell turnover is faster than baseline
- Collagen production is up
- Existing congestion is clearing
- The skin barrier has adjusted to the active
What you might notice:
- Slightly smoother texture
- Pores looking smaller (they're not — your skin is just more even, so they're less prominent)
- Fewer small breakouts
- A subtle "glow" in good light
This is the phase where you can start adding back other actives carefully. Vitamin C in the morning is safe. Niacinamide any time. Avoid AHAs and BHAs on A313 nights — alternate them.
Month 3 and beyond: The results
The biggest visible changes show up between months three and six.
What people typically see by month three:
- Noticeably smoother texture
- More even skin tone
- Softer fine lines, especially around the eyes and forehead
- Fewer breakouts overall
- A clearer, more refined look
Your tube of A313 typically lasts six to eight weeks of consistent use, so by month three you're probably on your second tube. Stay consistent. The retinoid that you actually use for a year will always outperform the one you stop using after a month.
How to layer A313 with the rest of your routine
This is where most people overcomplicate things. The simplest possible approach:
A313 nights (PM):
- Gentle cleanser
- Wait until skin is fully dry (10–15 minutes)
- A313
- Wait 10 minutes
- Simple moisturizer
Non-A313 nights (PM):
- Gentle cleanser
- Optional: an exfoliating acid (AHA or BHA) one or two nights per week
- Moisturizer
Every morning (AM):
- Gentle cleanser (or just water if your skin is dry)
- Vitamin C serum (optional)
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher, broad-spectrum
Things to avoid combining with A313 on the same night:
- AHA or BHA acids (glycolic, salicylic, lactic, mandelic) — alternate on different nights
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Strong physical exfoliants (scrubs)
- Any other retinoid product
Safe to use any time, any day: hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, niacinamide, peptides, simple moisturizers.
The mistakes that cost people results
Three patterns we see repeatedly from customers who don't get the results they hoped for.
Skipping SPF. The single biggest cause of disappointing retinoid results is not wearing sunscreen. UV undoes the work A313 is doing — and often does more damage on top, because retinoid-thinned outer skin layers are more vulnerable. Without daily SPF, you're effectively running A313 on a treadmill.
Quitting during the adjustment phase. Weeks two through four are uncomfortable for most people. This is when results are starting to build, but it doesn't feel like it yet. Most people who quit, quit here. The ones who push through almost always say it was worth it.
Using too much, too often, too fast. A pea-sized amount, two to three nights per week, for the first two weeks. This is the recipe. Increasing frequency or amount in pursuit of faster results almost always backfires — you irritate your skin, have to take a break, and lose the consistency that actually drives results.
When to reorder
Your tube typically lasts six to eight weeks. If you start running low, don't pause your routine to wait for new product to arrive — that consistency gap is harder on your skin than continuing through. We'll send you a refill reminder around week eight of each order, so you don't have to track it.
If you have specific questions as you go — about your particular skin type, about combining with other products, about whether something you're experiencing is normal — write to us at info@a313.eu. We'd genuinely rather help you sort something out than have you struggle alone with a product we sold you.
The summary, if you skipped everything above
- Two nights per week for the first two weeks, then build up gradually
- Pea-sized amount on clean, completely dry skin
- Avoid the eye area and the corners of the mouth
- Moisturizer on top, ten minutes after applying
- Sunscreen every single morning, no exceptions
- Expect the adjustment phase in weeks two to four. Push through.
- Real results between months three and six
- Skip A313 if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, and consult a dermatologist if you have an active skin condition under treatment
Most people who do this consistently for six months tell us they wish they'd started sooner. The hardest part is the first month. After that, it gets easy — and the results compound.
The A313 sold on this site is authentic, sourced directly from Pharma Développement in France. Free shipping in the Netherlands and on EU orders over €40. 30-day returns.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have a clinical skin condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have any concerns, consult a dermatologist before starting any retinoid product.
