Everyone who ever reached for an anti-aging product in their life heard about retinol. It is an incredibly ambiguous chemical used in anti-aging industry and can be found in a lot of serums, creams, and masks. Over the course of years, retinol has been said to be unsafe and people started avoiding it, but it has recently made a comeback. Doctors, dermatologists, and scientists take time to explain to people just what is it that makes retinol so special and effective.
What is retinol?
To make a long story short – retinol is a powerful antioxidant derivative of plain vitamin A. It can help restore youthful look of aging skin by speeding up cell turnover, and reduces the damage done by free radicals. By interrupting damage process which free radicals make, retinol stops the formation of dark spots and fine wrinkles. So where does its bad reputation come from? Those who have sensitive skin should avoid using products with retinol because these can lead to flakiness and drying which can take a long time to disappear.
It promotes skin renewal
You can get smoother and firmer skin by using products which contain retinol, since these can improve skin tone and its texture. Gentle skin around the eyes can become thicker and firmer, thus also becoming smoother over time. This is especially important after summer, since skin loses its glow due to the sun. Use retinol in fall and winter for several weeks to help your skin recover. You can also use it occasionally when you need your skin to glow, for example just before you leave for a nice dinner or a celebration. This occasional usage will regenerate your skin gently and slowly, so be patient and don’t expect miraculous results overnight.
The downsides
We mentioned that people with dry skin should avoid retinol, but that is not the only reason people don’t like it. Sadly, it is not particularly nice to use since its texture is not the best and it chemical-like smell is quite discouraging. Be careful when buying retinol products too: only those in opaque packages are safe to use, since any exposure to direct light or air breaks them down and they deteriorate rapidly. Also, if you’re just starting to use it, you shouldn’t apply it every day nor over long periods of time. Instead, mix it with your moisturizer and apply it every other day so that your skin slowly gets used to it.
Seize the night
Make sure you keep all your retinol products away from direct heat and light since exposure to direct sunlight will break the retinol down. Thus, the best time to use these products is the night. When we sleep, our bodies regenerate and heal, and what is more, you will not be exposing your skin to any other influence. Instead you will sleep, your body will slowly restore itself and so will your skin. Cell regeneration will be more effective with the help of retinol since it promotes cell turnover, and night is the perfect time for this to happen.
If you decide to use products that do contain retinol, you need to have patience. Even though it’s effective, these effects can take long to show; sometimes even longer than six weeks. If this doesn’t seem too appealing to you, you can always choose to avoid retinol and opt products which don’t have it. Whatever you decide to do, it’s imperative that you stay informed so that you can make the best decision.
