Retinol is like the bronzer of the skincare world. Go in too heavy-handed and it’s obvious you’ve overdone it, but hit the sweet spot and skin positively glows.
It’s a lesson I learnt the hard way a few years ago. So, if you are serious about starting your retinol journey, my best piece of advice is to start slow and prepare to possibly push through a few weeks of sensitivity and irritation as your skin acclimatises.
But don’t let any of this put you off. There’s a good reason retinol is both, beloved by dermatologists and one of the most Googled skincare ingredients: it’s a skilled multitasker.
Retinol plumps up fine lines by speeding up cell renewal and stimulating collagen production; it dusts off pigmentation and can even help with cystic acne and blemishes. So it’s worth getting to grips with, which is why we’ve put together a straightforward guide for how best to use retinol.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What is retinol?
Retinol is a form of vitamin A, a key vitamin in the body. “Your skin needs vitamin A to be healthy,” says Dr Yannis Alexandrides, plastic surgeon and founder of 111Skin. When used in skincare, it’s the gold-standard ingredient to help renew the skin and reverse signs of ageing.
Retinol is a member of the retinoid family: different types of vitamin A that vary in strength and work slightly differently in the skin.
What does retinol do to your skin?
Retinol, like all retinoids, works by increasing cell turnover, which is just a fancy way of saying they exfoliate the skin, unclog pores and boost collagen production.
“Retinoids address a whole host of skin concerns from acne, rough texture and dullness to minimising the appearance of pores and ageing,” says cosmetic doctor Dr Ewoma Ukeleghe.
The benefits include:
1. Retinol improves the appearance of acne
“Retinol is amazing for skin that is congested or prone to acne because it removes bacteria from pores and reduces oil production,” says Dr Alexandrides.
2. Retinol smoothes acne scars
Acne scars develop as a result of injury to the skin and the body’s natural wound-healing response, which can sometimes lead to uneven texture and pink or dark spots on the skin. Retinol and retinoids speed up cell renewal and kickstart collagen production to improve the look of indentations and discolouration.
3. Retinol evens skin tone and patches of pigmentation
Those dark, clover-shaped patches on your skin are excess melanin (pigment) caused by sun damage or inflammation. “We know that retinol slows down the production of melanin, so it’s good for pigmentation,” notes Dr Alexandrides.
