Watched a client's skin texture shift from rough to smooth over 8 weeks after we stuck to a basic salicylic acid and mineral sunscreen routine. | Estheticians - Opinions Matter
My clinic sees this all the time. People come in with 12-step routines that wreck their barrier. We strip it back to a gentle cleanser and one active, maybe azelaic acid, and the constant irritation stops. That's usually what fixes the texture, not the product itself.
Reminds me of a friend who kept buying new gear for her bike, but the real fix was just pumping up the old tires. @the_jana's point about stopping the irritation first makes total sense.