If you’re hoping to reveal younger, brighter skin, I’ve got just the product. It’s retinol. You’ve probably heard of it. You may have even heard some really bad things about it. But I’m here to break it all down for you.
Why? Because I love retinol. I think it’s a miracle worker and it’s the one thing (besides a moisturizer with SPF) that I would want with me on a deserted island. It’s THAT GOOD. And it’s one of the types of essential skincare products everyone should own in their skincare routine.
But what the heck is retinol? It’s a Vitamin A derivative that’s used in anti-aging products. It’s a Retinoid and there are many types of retinoids out there. There are weaker-strength ones that are usually in drug store brands and for sensitive skin.
Then you can get much stronger ones from more clinical type brands like Cosmedix or Dermalogica. And lastly, there are prescription-strength Retinoids as well that a dermatologist can prescribe.
What Does Retinol Do For Your Skin
The question often is though, what exactly is retinol doing for your skin? Why is it the miracle product? Retinol will reduce fine lines and wrinkles, encourage cellular turnover for a boost in collagen and elastin production and can even skin tone.
It’s basically the only anti-aging product you need. It does it ALL. This product can be used for other skin concerns too like acne and reducing the appearance of large pores. It is your answer to aging skin. Period.
Retinol does all of this good stuff because it works on the cellular level versus simply topical. It helps to trick your skin into thinking it needs to turn over its cells (which your skin naturally does anyway) but just faster. As we age, your skin turns over more slowly. Insert a Retinol regimen and you’ll be revealing younger-looking skin faster than ever.
Is Retinol Bad For Your Skin?
There’s a lot of “clean beauty” talk about this ingredient and here’s the deal. It really isn’t bad for you. Just like any other vitamin for us to be human, you don’t want to overdose.
But studies show that topical absorption is minimal at most. And the over-the-counter versions are already weakened unlike the prescription Vitamin A. The thing that people tend to be worried about is the sun sensitivity.
Because Retinol encourages cellular turnover and forces your cells to divide and create new skin cells, your new skin is well, new. It’s super new. And sometimes it can take a little while for cells to develop to fully protect you from the sun.
The Pros and Cons
The list of Pros for Retinol goes on and on. Since your turning over cells, you’re revealing younger looking skin. The only true con to this pro, is that since the skin cells are so new it can be sensitive to light. This is one of the main reasons you may want to stay out of the sun when using retinol products.
A good SPF will help to protect this newly visible skin. The process of cellular turnover may cause some redness and irritation. But that’s because retinol is an active ingredient that WORKS.
Many people shy away from any sort of redness or tingling because it scares them and they think it’s a terrible side effect. But rest assured, that just means your product is WORKING. Don’t you want something that works?!
Pros
- Boosts collagen production
- Increase cellular turnover
- Reduce the appearance of fine lines, scars and hyperpigmentation
- Improve skin texture
- Tighten pores and minimize the look of them
- Slow down your skin’s aging process by increasing collagen production and decreasing collagen breakdown – source
- Better absorption of skincare products – Ingredients can be absorbed better to the new skin caused by the cellular turnover (in turn making your other creams and serums work better)
Cons
- Flaking and dry skin
- Redness
- Sun sensitivity
To help combat some of these cons, it’s recommended to use retinol as tolerated. No, you shouldn’t be a miserable flaking, red mess. So dial it back a bit.
Start with once a week, then twice a week. You don’t HAVE to use this nightly at all. A little bit is normal and over time your skin will probably get used to it. It’s also recommended if you’re getting super dry from retinol, to add in a moisturizer as well.
Shop More Retinols
A few of my favorite retinol I’ve tried and loved include the Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol serum, and the Cosmedix Define retinol.
How To Use Retinol
With any skincare product, there is usually a proper way to use it. Retinol is unique in that you may have to build up to using it or your skin will look and feel just awful. It can cause redness, sensitivity and flakiness. To avoid this, or at least minimize it, you’ll want to use retinol slowly and gradually increase the number of nights you use it.
Use Retinol once a week and then increase to twice a week. Avoid any other active ingredients with it. It’s best to use this at night after cleansing, and then top with a rich moisturizer or a skin barrier cream like Avene Cicalfate.
Depending on the strength of the retinol, you may be able to use it more frequently or not. It’s also common to go through a bit of a purging period where your skin feels a bit angry for a little while. Layer on the skin barrier creams, and reduce any other actives while using this product.
Lastly, it is important to always use an SPF when you are actively using retinol. It makes your skin very sensitive since it’s turning over cells revealing NEW skin cells faster than normal. So even though you are using this at night, you’ll want to use SPF in the morning no matter what.
Who Shouldn’t Use Retinol?
I used to always think that Retinol was something every person should be using. It’s the ultimate anti-aging ingredient. I was wrong. Retinol is very powerful, and it can be very sensitive for some people. There are a few people who should avoid retinol and instead try
- Pregnant People – There’s not enough data on the safety of retinol in pregnant people or lactating people either.
- Sensitive Skin – For people with very sensitive skin, skip this product or it will wreak havoc on you. Even though you CAN technically use it, anyone with eczema, rosacea or atopic dermatitis should avoid this ingredient.
- Teenagers – Retinol is designed to improve collagen loss and young teenagers do not need to worry about this. Stick to just protecting your skin with SPF and addressing any current skin concerns like acne, oil or dryness.
For people who can’t use retinol, you can try a natural retinol alternative like Bakuchiol, Vitamin C and peptides to help with decreasing fine lines, and improving skin texture while boosting hydration and improving your skin barrier.
Natural Retinol Alternatives
There may not be anything on the planet I can tell you or that you may read that will convince you retinol is in fact safe to use when done properly. And that’s a battle I’m not willing to fight.
You do you, girl. So I do want to provide a “natural” alternative to retinol. I also hate that this is even a thing. Retinol is Vitamin A. Retinol is in your fruits and veggies, people. It IS natural.
Obviously, most retinol in skincare isn’t derived from our fruits and vegetables and are instead manmade. Sure there are preservatives and stabilizers in it that people may argue are dangerous. But this also keeps your skincare products from growing mold. A win. But I digress.
If you want an alternative to Retinol that isn’t retinol but has similar results of cellular turnover and reducing fine lines and improving texture, try Bakuchiol. This is a great option if you’re worried about retinol being too harsh for your more sensitive skin.
Shop Bakuchiol Retinol Products
Why Bakuchiol?
Bakuchiol is having a serious moment right now. What exactly is it though? It’s a plant-derived ingredient from the Psoralea corylifolia plant,” aka the “babchi” plant. Bakuchiol is the only retinol equivalent that’s “been scientifically studied and proven to function the same way as retinol“.
The thing we look for in retinol performance is collagen production. Why? Well, collagen production is what actually improves skin texture, fine lines and more. This IS the secret to anti-aging. Bakuchiol does this without the dryness that retinol has gotten such a bad reputation for.
And for the record. The dryness doesn’t affect EVERYONE. And it all depends on the potency of the retinol as well. Pure Retina from the pharmacist will dry you out for sure but also give you insane results. My Cosmedix retinol products cause NO dryness for me. But everyone is different.
Which anti-aging superstar will you try?
Photo by Hannah Lozano
