The Power of Retinol: Everything You Need to Know About Skincare's MVP
What is Retinol, and how did it come about?
Retinol is in the vitamin A family, which is related to the prescription form retinoic acid or tretinoin. When you touch retinol on the skin, it is converted by an enzyme is the same exact active ingredient that is in the prescription.
No other ingredient on the market has been researched medically as much as Retinoids.
Retinoids first came to the market when Dr. Kilgmana, a world-famous dermatologist, first invented retinoic acid or Retina at the University of Pennsylvania. Originally, when it was approved by the FDA, it was only approved for Acne, but he knew it had tremendous effects on aging.
We all know Retinol is a hot topic these days, but what are its benefits?
minimizes fine lines and wrinkles
normalizes skin cell production and function
boosts the production of collagen and elastin through fibroblasts
speeds up healing to help with scarring
prevents breakouts
normalizes the appearance of pigmentation
supports the skin’s immune system
How Does Retinol Work?
Retinol works by communicating with our genes, which are made up of DNA. Expressive genes send signals like instructions, and these instructions are the only instructions that your body and your cells are going to look at, if your doing any repairs like overcoming the day in the sun and you happen to get a sunburn, the expressive genes are what gives your body the instruction sheet to heal it’s self and how to heal it.
These cells become compromised as time goes on and we get older, as well as with exposure to the sun and environmental factors, and they stop functioning optimally. So what retinoids do is that they affect gene expression and can actually help fix the instructions coming from your DNA. So when you're not using a retinol, those institutions are not getting corrected.
Retinol has also been shown to thicken the dermis up to twice as much. Your dermis is 80% Collagen, and when you hit the age of 20, you lose collagen every single year. That’s not only going to have an effect on the apperance of fine lines and wrinkles, and the overal apperance of your skin but itll help with acne scarring, pore size all of that.
The right retinoid grows new blood vessels near the surface of the skin, little microvascular vessels (not the ones associated with rosacea) that give your skin that beautiful glow and make the skin vibrant.
How Do You Choose The Right Retinol for You?
Every formula of retinol can vary so greatly, even just beyond the percentage of the active ingredient, the combination within the formula really matters as well. For new users of retinol, start with a lower vitamin A to help bring your skin back to normal vitamin A levels. We recommend starting off with something gentle, like a retinyl palmitate, which is the gentlest form of Vitamin A. From there you can then upgrade to a higher dose to start reversing the damage.
We really love Eddy’s Retinol called The Doyenne because it’s encapsulated, meaning there is a time-release technology. Think of the retinol wrapped in bubble wrap and only unwrapping once it’s deep down in the dermis, where it starts to get to work. By doing this, you limit irritation, dryness, and flakiness, making it safe for even the most sensitive skin types!
To ensure your creams are effective, make sure your also checking expiration dates.
You can also choose to take your Vitamin A internally alongside your topical; in this case, I recommend beef liver, but we will get into this in another blog.
How To Apply Retinol
Before diving into retinol, first, ensure your skin is well-prepped to receive the ingredient. Your skin barrier should be strong, resilient, and stable – think of it as building a solid foundation before adding advanced treatments. Start with a consistent baseline skincare routine that your skin responds well to. Vitamin C can be an excellent preparatory step, helping to strengthen your skin before introducing retinol.
Starting Your Retinol Journey
When you're ready to begin, remember that slow and steady wins the race. Start by applying your chosen retinol just 1-2 times per week, gradually increasing frequency as your skin adapts. If you're not experiencing irritation, this is a positive sign that your skin is adjusting well and you may eventually be ready to increase strength or frequency.
Timing Matters
Make sure your always applying retinol in the evenings, as it can increase your skin's sensitivity to sunlight. Since retinol works to combat signs of aging and acne – conditions that sun exposure can worsen – it's crucial to pair your evening retinol routine with daily SPF protections so you're not contradicting the effects of your retinol.
Application Steps:
1. Begin with thoroughly cleansed skin in the evening
2. Use a pea-sized amount for face, neck, and décolleté
3. Wait several minutes for absorption before applying other products
4. Follow up with Moisturizer to lock in hydration
When to Start?
You can safely begin incorporating retinol in your twenties. Remember that retinol is a long-term commitment – while results build gradually over time, patience and consistency are key to seeing transformative results.
Retinol Myth?
Despite common belief, retinol doesn’t actually thin the skin. What is actually happening is you're creating a faster cell turnover. This creates a more compact top layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, and actually thickens the dermis. This means stronger skin, more collagen and a glass-like appearance on the surface, and this is exactly what we want!
What Are The Side Effects of Retinol?
Side effects
When are skin is expose to sunlight, the Vitamin A in your skin is destoryed. and at the same time the UV destorys the Vitamin A re cpetors on the cell wall. Not only does this skin become dificiant in this essential nutirent, but it also becoems diffienct in the receptors trying to metabolize it. What you can expect? Dryness, redness, itchyness and some may expeirnce warmness on the skin. Understand that it trasnitent - meaning that the condition is most likely temporary and can slowly improve as the skin is gradually more exposed to Vitamin A and you build up more receptors. This is why you start off with a gentle formulation first and formost.
Contraindications
CANNOT use if you are Pregnant or Nursing