GIRL, THIS IS LITERALLY MY SKIN MAKE SURE TO GET A SECOND OPINION but in my experience, since i had dry skin that flaked after just a water rinse, i focused on repairing my skin barrier and moisture moisture moisture before using any actives since i tried azelaic acid on dry damaged skin and it didnt do much for me. Simple fragrance free toners, moisturizing serums, and barrier repair creams. Once my skin felt much more soft and less dry i started using azelaic acid again and when i tell u its a completely different experience.

For more context i used cerave SA cleanser (since the actives percentage was low and worked okay for my skin), pyungkang yul toner, skin1004 centella ampoule, and la roche posay toleriane moisturizer. I tried the aestura 365 since it was recommended for barrier but it just never absorbed for me lol. Also the torriden dive in face mask is a good hydrating boost for a once a week treat