Vitamin A or retinol is one of the most studied ingredients in cosmetics. Its effectiveness in treating acne, fighting pigmentation, smoothing skin texture, and preventing aging has been proven in dozens of scientific studies.
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What is retinol?
Retinol is a form of vitamin A. It was discovered in 1913, the first vitamin amongst vitamins, which is why it was given the first letter of the alphabet. In the 1960s retinoic acid was isolated from retinol – the vitamin itself quickly dissolved, but in its new form it was stable, accelerated cell division, and quickly gained approval as an effective component for the treatment of acne.
What does retinol do for your skin?
It is one of the most powerful of all skin ingredients and has a huge evidence base based on thousands of studies. The 2 main things it does: acne treatment and anti-aging effects.
Both are based on accelerating epidermal cell renewal by applying “controlled trauma” (yes, that’s exactly how unsightly acid peel treatments, vitamin C care, and other frills sound in the mouths of medical professionals). But we do it every single day, so the name is purely conventional. So if you have young, problematic skin, you need retinol. If you want to rejuvenate, too, even if you don’t have acne.
Retinol for beginners
Advice for beginners.
Use retinol products when you’re first starting out:
- Use retinol products at night. Most forms of retinol will be useless for your skin in sunlight during the day.
- Get your skin used to retinol treatments gradually at intervals as we discussed above.
- Apply the products to clean and dry skin. Wet skin can absorb retinol too quickly, which will cause irritation.
- If you have decided to use retinol cosmetics for the first time, choose formulas with moisturizing components, which will soothe the irritating effect of retinol.
- For oily skin, it’s better to choose a serum with retinol and for dry skin choose an oil with retinol.
The concentration of retinol is usually from 0,1 to 1%. Sometimes stronger. The higher the concentration, the stronger the product and the more irritating it is. But in general, the effectiveness does not depend on concentration. It depends on the type of product: Retinol serums are of course much more effective than creams.
Retinol for sensitive skin
Retinol, a synthetic analog of vitamin A, has long and deservedly been recognized as a powerful anti-aging ingredient that can if not turn back the clock, then significantly reduce the manifestations of age. The strongest retinol is one of the few cosmetic ingredients that affect not only the surface layer of the skin but also the dermal layer.
The creamformula accelerates cell renewal and provides a regenerating effect, thanks to which it is effective against damage and inflammation of the skin. The concentration of the substance is an important criterion when choosing the best over-the-counter retinol cream. In cosmetic products, the dosage of retinol does not exceed 0.01 – 2%. Depending on the type of epidermis, the reaction to the ingredient is different. For sensitive skin types, we recommend using a face product with a retinol content of no more than 0.025%.
A cosmetic product with pure otc retinol should contain moisturizing ingredients. The composition of the cream should include natural oils, vitamin C, ceramides, peptides and hyaluronic acid. If, after two weeks of using the retinol cream, the epidermis remains dry and flakes, we advise you to start applying moisturizing masks.
Retinol for wrinkles
A course of treatment with the best retinol for sensitive skin successfully solves many skin problems. Retinol products for the face are known for their wide range of actions:
- reducing the expression of wrinkles;
- bleaching of age spots;
- regulation of sebum production;
- narrowing and clearing of pores;
- getting rid of acne and post-acne marks;
- improvement of face color;
- improve skin elasticity and resilience;
- exfoliation, smoothing relief;
- maintain skin hydration.
You can buy retinol quickly on the website. You will find there only the best deals and completely healthy products, from otc retinol for acne to retinol for sensitive skin. If you have not yet used the high-strength retinol formulas, we highly recommend that you start a course with the products presented on the website.