Ingredient Spotlight – All Eyes On Retinol

That’s right – our Ingredient Spotlight feature is back! And today it’s the Jack Of All Trades antioxidant – Retinol.

The What: Retinol. A longstanding hero ingredient suitable for any skin type. Retinol (Vitamin A) is a skin cell turnover expert, aiding with collagen regeneration, texture improvement, and radiance enhancement.

The How: promotes skin cell turnover and collagen production.

The Why: Retinol has the ultimate list of benefits – it can address pretty much any skin concern you can think of:

Acne and large pores.
Revitalises cellular turnover.
Promotes elasticity.
Reduces pigmentation and hyperpigmentation.
Brightens skin.
Diminishes lines and wrinkles.
Refines skin tone and texture.

Read the full blog to find out:

Do I really need retinol?
How you can find out which concentration of retinol you need.
What long-term retinol use will do for your skin.

Do I really need Retinol?

Virtually anyone past the age of 18 can (and should) benefit from using a retinol-based serum. It’s around this age that the skin begins to struggle with producing its own collagen, and around our late 20s/early 30s, collagen levels reduce by 1% each year (so quite a lot!)

Retinol is an ingredient suited to all skin types, but not all skin types need the same concentration of Retinol.

Choosing your Retinol: which concentration do I need?

Retinol concentrations are classified as follows:

Low strength: 0.01% – 0.03%

Suitable for: Retinol newcomers and dry and sensitive skin types. To get the best out of low-strength retinols formulations, combine them with other (non-irritant) antioxidant ingredients to fend off free radical damage.

Moderate-strength: 0.03% – 0.3%

Moderate retinols will lead to faster results than lower concentrations, and visible signs of ageing like loss of radiance, and lines and wrinkles will disappear more quickly. To ensure your skin builds up a robust tolerance to moderate strength retinol, make sure you apply after cleansing every 3 of 4 nights every 2 weeks to begin with. This will allow you to see how your skin responds, and you can then move onto higher concentrations should you need to.

High-strength: 0.3%-1%

Suitable for more pronounced signs of aging such as deep lines and wrinkles, as well as uneven skin tone. High-strength retinols work swiftly and are particularly suitable for conditions that haven’t responded well to lower concentrations.

The best way to know which strength retinol works for you? Take our skin quiz and speak to one of our doctors for tailored retinol advice! Here at Skinora we can offer our patients the highest strength retinols available, following a consultation – our doctors are experts in retinol prescriptions and application.

How Does Long-Term Retinol Use Benefit Me?

Retinol is as much a short game as it is a long game. Yes, it can yield really fast benefits, but without sustained use, these benefits won’t hang around.

Retinol is a collagen-inducing ingredient, promoting cell turnover. However, it will cease to do this when you stop using it regularly. It’s also important to remember that low-to-moderate strength retinols can take up to 8-10 weeks to produce noticeable results.