"i was terrified to use epiduo after reading the reviews but once i realized i had to buffer it, it seemed much more approachable. if you&#039;re not used to using retinoids, don&#039;t put this directly on your face and don&#039;t use it every night. i took a pretty conservative approach and mostly been able to minimize pain/flaking. 

here&#039;s what i do:
-wash my face with a gentle cleanser (i use aveeno positively radiant)
-put on some cerave moisturizer
-wait 20 minutes
-put on the epiduo forte

i only do this at night, once every 2-3 days. if i feel my skin getting irritated, i&#039;ll stop using the epiduo till it gets back to normal. don&#039;t muck around with your skin! if it&#039;s irritated and awful, no reason to torture yourself and use the epiduo every night just use it every couple of nights"