Listing out top skincare products or ingredients you’ll definitely see retinol in almost any list. Touted as the gold standard in skincare, there’s a solid reason why retinol continues to be the timeless ingredient in a skincare routine that it surpasses others that last for a short time.
After all, what can you expect from an ingredient backed with decades of research? Here’s why retinol can be important in your skincare routine.
At the essence, retinol is a type of vitamin A – derived from it so your skin will be converted into retinoic acid that your skin can use for various benefits. And as mentioned before, decades of research on the ingredient is definitely worthwhile.
Historically, retinol was available via prescription from dermatologists and solely used to treat severe skin issues such as cystic acne, severe wrinkles, and pigmentations, as, during the time when technology is limited, the ingredient was available in relatively high concentration that it poses significant side effects.
Hence, if your doctor deems your skin needs it, then you will be prescribed it.
Thanks to the latest technology, you can find retinol-based ingredients in varied types of skincare products and with varying concentrations to suit one’s needs, with (of course) the highest one is still available via prescription.
After all, despite plenty of benefits that dermatologists and beauty enthusiasts agree, retinol is still relatively harsher for one’s skin, and monitoring any side effects at the early use is critical to ensure your skin is not hurt more than it should.
Side effects of using retinol include tingling sensation, redness, irritation, flakiness of the skin, as well as extra sensitivity to sunrays that your skin gets easily burned.
The key is to make it work for your skin.
As retinol is available widely in varying concentration, choosing the lowest strength for first-time users are essential to ensure your skin will adapt to the ingredient while minimizing side effects as much as possible.
With varying concentrations available in the market recommended range is between 0.5-1% concentration, highly recommended either in serums or night cream, and use it sparingly a few times a week to monitor.
Why?
Because for first-timers, using retinol at night is better than in the daytime, as not only gives your skin to get used to the ingredient but also pretty much eliminates sunray exposure as a potential factor that can aggravate your skin while using retinol.
And another helpful tip is to accompany retinol with a hydrating moisturizer or essence that will soothe the skin and to further minimize any side effects from developing while avoiding other ingredients that can clash with retinol such as vitamin C and benzoyl peroxide (a common ingredient in acne treatment products).
This tip is especially critical if you have dry or sensitive skin types.
After a few weeks using the product, see if your skin starts to improve such as fewer wrinkles, fewer acne breakouts, and a more supple skin thanks to retinol triggered the production of glycosaminoglycan that helps the skin to retain water content.
By that time, you can either increase the frequency or the concentration to speed up the skin’s healing process and in a few months, you can officially include retinol as part of your skincare routine.
