Despite being one of the most talked about skincare ingredients, we still see many of our patinets’ using it incorrectly.
Here are our top 3 retinol skincare hacks that will totally transform your experience of using topical vitamin A (aka, retinol).
What is retinol?
Retinol is a potent version of vitamin A that stimulates the skin’s own natural collagen production as well as skin cell turnover.
1. Apply a moisturiser before retinol
Applying your moisturiser before your retinol-based product will help to soothe irritation and sensitivity, especially if you’re a retinol newbie. The moisturiser will also make an additional layer between your skin and the retinol, reducing dryness and giving retinol the opportunity to benefit your skin.
2. 15 mins after retinol apply moisturiser to avoid dryness
Apply your moisturiser again after retinol, creating a ‘retinol sandwich’.
This will ensure you have SPF protection (if you aren’t already using a moisturiser with SPF 50 then you should be!) and reduce the possibility of dryness and flakiness across your skin.
3. Start slow using once or twice a week, aiming to increase to 3-4 times weekly
When it comes to retinol, it’s all about baby steps. Introduce your skin gradually by applying once or twice a week. This will allow your skin to get used to the lower-concentration formulas. If you don’t experience any redness, irritation, or flakiness, you can increase your retinol concentration.
Retinol Concentrations
Low-strength retinol – 0.01% to 0.03%
Moderate-strength retinol – 0.03% to 0.3%
High-strength retinol – 0.3%-1%
What else do I need to consider before using retinol?
Some honorable mentions for our top tips list include:
Remember to use a pea-sized amount
Remember that with retinol, less is more. A small pea-sized amount is enough to cover the whole face – any more and you could risk irritating your skin.
Some dryness is normal to start with
The first couple of weeks may be a dry time for your skin. If this is accompanied by redness and flakiness, it’s time to reconsider the amount you’re using, and to seek advice from a dermatologist (that’s us here at Skinora!)
Be patient
Retinol isn’t an overnight solution for improving your skin. You will need to wait 12 weeks to see any significant results, and during this time you should monitor how your skin responds. So, don’t give up just because your skin isn’t reaping the benefits after a couple of weeks – good things come to those who wait!
Our best selling Retinols
| Skinceuticals Retinol 0.3% | Obagi 0.5% |
|---|---|
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| Ideal for normal, combination and oily skin types | Ideal for dry to normal skin types |
| LEARN MORE | LEARN MORE |