What is retinol and why do I need it
DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I GET A COMMISSION FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS, AT NO COST TO YOU. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.
I don’t know about you but lately, all I hear is retinol this and retinol that. What actually is retinol? Do I even need it? In a few words its essentially magic, kinda. Like the secret to staying young forever… kinda.
Retinol is a type of retinoid which is derived from vitamin A. What retinol does is slow down your body’s aging process. That’s all I needed to know before rushing to go buy some. If that is not enough to convince you then keep reading.
Retinol vs retinoid vs retin-a
Am I the only one that was constantly confused every time I heard the words retinol, retinoid and retin-A? Stop scratching your head and let me explain.
Retinoid is the umbrella term for all vitamin A derivatives. Retin-A is the prescription level retinoid. Retinol is the over-the-counter version of Retin-A. Once it hits the skin it becomes the active retinoic acid.
What is Retinol?
Okay, so now that you have a better understanding between retinol, retinoid, and Retin-A, let’s talk about the most popular girl in school, retinol.
Like I said before, it can “stimulate the metabolism of skin cells and encourage collagen production” for thicker skin according to Hallie Gould from Byrdie. Not only that, but it can help with the appearance of sun damage to wrinkles to large pores!
Did you know that until your early 30’s every 28 days you get a fresh new layer of skin? After your mid 30’s your skin won’t turn over until every 50- 70 days! That is a very drastic change.
What retinol does is speeds up cell turnover, so your skin doesn’t have to wait so long to get a new layer of skin. This gives your skin the ability to look younger and fresher. I mean, need I say more?
What are the benefits
Pin post for later
It is an exfoliating (well more like a peeling agent), anti-aging, anti-breakout, anti- dullness. So if you are facing with adult acne, the solution you are looking for maybe retinol. If you have dark spot on your face, go get yourself some retinol. If you see some fine lines or wrinkles, you guess it, put some retinol on it.
It is also supposed to shrink pores! Since mine are the size of a marble (Ewww) I am especially excited about this. You basically need one product to solve all of your problems, well when it comes to your face. It doesn’t pay your bills, unfortunately.
I just want to be clear that I don’t consider aging a “problem.” It is a gift denied to many so we must be thankful for the opportunity of each day. Although I do believe that if you want to look your best, then do it! This doesn’t mean you are not being grateful for getting older.
Not only is this product great at multi-tasking, but it also works well for all skin types! Well almost, but I will talk about that later.
So you don’t necessarily need your own as you do with your other skincare products. This is because you have a different skin type then the other women you live with so you should only use what benefits you.
With retinol, you can use your sister’s, mom’s or your roommates! If you are using creams like the Olay Regenerist retinol 24, then this wouldn’t be sanitary to do since you’ll have to dip your fingers inside the jar.
What to watch out for
If you suffer from eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea, then you might want to stay away. So not for every skin type. The reason being is that retinol can inflame your skin and worsen your symptoms.
Retinol can increase photosensitivity also knows as sun allergy so make sure to weak a high broad-spectrum sunscreen when you apply it during the day. If you care to know more about the different types of sunscreens I cover it in my Simple skincare routine post.
On the nights you apply your retinol, don’t use any products that contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, which are found in acne products. The reason is that it will irritate your face.
When should you start using retinol
You can start using retinol when you are in your mid-twenties, or if you have adult acne, pigmentation or start noticing some fine lines and wrinkles. It is suggested to use retinol in 3-month rotations since research suggests cell turnover is no longer increased after 3 months of use.
How to use it
Since retinoid can be pretty drying, it can feel extra drying for those who have dry or dehydrated skin, so it is best to follow with a moisturizer to hydrate your face.
Retinoid is not only drying, but it can cause redness and flakiness. It’s best to introduce the product to your skin gradually to build a tolerance to it.
I understand that you might be super excited to try it, or maybe super desperate to get rid of your specific concern, but applying too much of it too soon will cause more damage than good.
It is best to start with a pea-sized amount of retinoid after you have washed and dried your face. I hope the mention of “Pea” didn’t bring you PTSD from when you were a kid. Only do this during your nighttime skincare routine and ONCE a week ONLY to start off.
Avoid applying retinol to your eye area since that is a very sensitive area. Don’t worry though, there is under eye cream with retinol in it now!
After you apply the retinol wait about 20-30 minutes before continuing your skincare routine. Gradually increase the days you apply retinol as long as your face tolerates it, but don’t increase the amount.
Can you use retinol during the day?
When it comes to using retinol during the day, it isn’t very effective. The reason is that this product breaks down in sunlight making it less effective. This is why retinol is packaged in opaque packages.
What strength of Retinol do you need?
Did you know there are different strengths of retinoids? Each strength has a different name. If you have seen percentages, that refers to this. Such as .025% or 1%.
I’ll break it down for you. The weakest retinoid and the one you should probably start off with is Retinyl Palmitate, this is ideal for sensitive or dry skin.
The next strongest would be the one we have all heard of which is retinol like I mentioned before this works for all skin types.
Retinaldehyde is even stronger than retinol and the strongest over-the-counter option would be adapalene, this one is specifically for treating acne. Don’t advance to this retinoid until after at least a year of using retinol.
I know you want to freeze time and not let your face age another second, but research shows that even if you do use the least strength retinoid, it will have the same antiaging effects over time if you would use a moderate retinoid.
If you go to a dermatologist, then they can prescribe you stronger retinoids called tretinoin and tazarotene.
When it comes to skincare needs and wants, it is best to visit a dermatologist since they are seeing your skin up close and personal and can tell you what your skin actually needs and what it doesn’t need. This is for informational purposes only.
Not all Retinols are created equal
There are many people who concentrate on the percentage of the retinol, but that isn’t nearly as important as the form in which it comes in.
Molecular weight is much more important because if the molecule is too big, it won’t penetrate the skin. Many retinol products use retinyl-palmitate, which is a large molecule that has difficulty penetrating the skin so your skin is only penetrating a small amount.
Products that contain retinol and retinyl-propionate are better for penetrating through the skin. One great example of a product that uses retinyl-propionate is Olay Regenerist Retinol24.
The retinol I use and why
I recently purchased Olay’s Regenerist Retinol 24 night moisturizer to try it out. It is the only retinol I have ever used so I can’t compare, and I haven’t been using it long enough to rave about the benefits. I have been using it for a while now and here is my honest review.
Although I have noticed my pores have gotten slightly smaller. I will keep an eye on them and let you know if more change happens. This moisturizer does make my skin feel moisturized and it doesn’t sting or leave my skin red.
Olay regenerist retinol24 also contains niacinamide which is a form of vitamin B3. Niacinamide is an anti-inflammatory and it strengthens your skin’s barrier which helps hold moisture inside better.
Not only that, but it also gives your skin cells an energy boost which helps your skin make the most out of the skincare products that you apply on your face! So this one product helps your skin benefit more from the other products you apply on your face, how cool is that?
Olay’s Regenerist Retinol24 also contains hydrating glycerin so it helps counteract the retinol’s drying effects. The really cool thing is that you can use this every day! Every day? Yes! Every day.
The reason is that Olay is using a very gentle version of over-the-counter retinol is more likely to penetrate your skin, as appose to just sit on top because of the large molecule like I mentioned before.
Where to start
Personally, I feel this is one skincare product you shouldn’t miss out on. Retinol gives you loads of benefits that you only need one product to help with the majority of skin concerns.
Olay Regenerist retinol 24 is a really good place to start, don’t just take it from me do your own research and you will want to buy it.
Shop the Product
If it is out of your budget, I have also heard really good things about Tree of Life’s retinol serum. This is perfect if you don’t want to spend much since it’s really affordable with really good results.
Shop the Product
If you are still trying to figure out a skincare routine that works for you, then check out my post on how to simplify your skincare routine for a little bit of help.
Takeaways
1. Retinol is an over-the-counter retinoid.
2. It speeds up cell turnover which helps make you look younger.
3. It shrinks pore size, helps with sun damage, shrink pores, minimizes wrinkles.
4. If you suffer from eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea, then you might want to stay away since retinol will inflame your symptoms.
5. You should start using retinoid in your mid-twenties or if you have fine lines, acne, pigmentation. Use in 3-month rotations.
6. Start by applying a pea-size amount once a week.
7. Don’t use it during the day since the sunlight makes it less effective.
8. Start off with is Retinyl Palmitate, since it is the weakest retinol.
9. products with retinyl-propionate penetrate the skin much better than other retinols.
10. Olay regenerist retinol 24 is the one I am currently using since it has retinyl-propionate along with other benefits.
Sources
https://www.skincare.com/article/get-retinized-the-beginners-guide-to-using-retinol
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7544967/
https://www.marieclaire.com/beauty/a22777936/what-is-retinol/
https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/gallery/retinol-what-you-need-to-know
https://www.elle.com/beauty/makeup-skin-care/a28844233/and-not-have-your-skin-freak-out/
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a29416123/you-should-use-retinol/