Simply put: Retinol is vitamin A.
Vitamin A is found naturally in our bodies and skin and supports cell function. And vitamin A, or retinol, is a proven anti-aging miracle, and get this, an anti-acne treatment. This bad boy has been slowing the visible aging process for years.
Music to my ears! I've been struggling with acne since I turned 13 years old. But I didn't know much about skin care and more advanced topicals until I became a Makeup Artist at 23.
Now, retinol is a type of retinoid - stay with me - and retinoic acid is the only type of retinoid that our skin recognizes. So, when retinol is applied to the skin, it converts in to retinoic acid.
Retinol does a number of things I LOVE:
promotes cell turnover
increases collagen production
brightens skin and acne marks
anti-aging (reduces fine lines and wrinkles)
keeps the skin plump and tight
See, babies have the softest skin because they have the quickest cell renewal process. I wish! As we get older, we just accumulate layers of dead skin - gross - because our skin cells don't break down as frequently anymore. But a retinol can bulldoze its way in to those layers of dead skin cells just hanging out, break them up, and start to repair them.
TIP: YOU MUST WEAR SUNSCREEN WHEN WEARING RETINOL DURING THE DAY. Seriously, you WILL BURN! Don't test it. Take my word for it. Most people tend to use retinol at night so they don't have to worry about applying SPF, but why not add it to your normal, daily day-time routine?! You should also NOT WAX ANY PART OF YOUR FACE or apply CHEMICAL PEELS. It's also not a bad idea to exfoliate before using your retinol so that the product has a clean slate to begin with.
Just starting out?
Slowly introduce your skin to retinol by using it just once or twice a week. I suggest incorporating it daily in to your skin care routine after a month of use.
My 2 favorites right here:
Botanical A Facial Cleanser by ONE LOVE ORGANICS
They have this amazing foaming gel cleanser with Pro Vitamin A and plant derived ingredients to exfoliate, purify, and diminish lines and wrinkles.
Retinol Treatment & Moisturizer by Perricone MD
I apply this at night to absorb and control excess oil and heal blemishes while I sleep, with all the cool retinol benefits.
