Glycolic Acid, Salicylic acid, Mandelic acid, Azelaic acid. If you’re into skincare, you know exactly what we’re talking about. If the first line confused and intrigued you, then buckle up, we’re going for an interesting ride.
Over the years, skincare products have been greatly improving and evolving to cater to every type of skin out there. Be it anti-aging, acne, hyperpigmentation or dry skin, there’s a product for all of them in every possible price range. As curiosity and interest in skincare increases, it’s easy for a beginner to get lost in the various ways they can improve their skin.
So, let’s start with something easy – Retinol.
Yes, we know we said easy and then said Retinol, like the meaning of it would be apparent. But, we’re here to hold your hand through your skincare journey. Let’s go!
What Exactly Is Retinol?
Retinol is a fat-soluble form of Vitamin A which is used widely in skincare. Retinol is used in products that treat acne, and ones that promote anti-aging effects. It is an over-the-counter product, and therefore is easily available through most skincare lines. You can also choose to visit a dermatologist to discuss how you can work retinol into your daily skincare routine.
Since retinol is topical, you can find it in the form of creams, gels, serums and lotions. It is important to separate retinoid and retinol before you start using either of them. Retinoid, to put it simply, is a stronger version of retinol and is available only in prescription medication. We suggest that if you are starting out, you begin with retinol.
What Will Retinol Do To My Skin?
There are many benefits to using retinol on a daily basis. Primarily, it increases skin cell production, unclogs pores, exfoliates your skin and increases collagen production. An increase in collagen production then reduces the propensity of fine lines and wrinkles in your skin, which gives it a fresh look.
A direct result of this is younger, healthier looking skin and fewer breakouts thanks to the unclogging of the pores and exfoliation.
Benefits of Retinol
1. Helps Clearing Your Acne
One of the major effects of retinol on skin is the unclogging of pores. Acne, a skin condition which is caused due pores blocked with dead skin cells and/or oil and other types of pimples, can be helped with a prolonged use of retinol. Retinol also prevents further outbreaks and keeps the pores unclogged. On occasion, some might see an increase in acne after starting to use retinol (referred to as the retinol purge). However, that is only temporary and the skin will clear up soon after, if retinol is regularly applied.
2. Anti-aging Benefits
Retinol is one of the most used and well-studied anti-aging ingredients available today. Unless you have extremely sensitive skin, retinol is a safe and important step that you can add to your skincare routine.
3. Helps With Stretch Marks
Sometimes, you don’t want your stretch marks to be seen or noticed. When they start out, stretch marks can be red or pink, and they fade with time to white or a pale silver. You can apply retinol to your stretch marks to make them less noticeable.
4. Helps Even Skin Tone
Thanks to retinol’s skin cell turnover properties, it ends up exfoliating the skin and clearing it of dry skin. Since it also increases levels of collagen and elastin, a prolonged use of retinol will help even out your skin tone and smoothen out any minor blemishes that you might hate.
5. Easily available
You do not need a prescription for retinol. Like most over-the-counter skin care products, retinol is easily available in most pharmacies and beauty stores. Furthermore, you can also compare different brands and pick one that best suits your needs and budget.
Are there any side-effects to using Retinol?
Like with everything we do in life, we have to be careful while starting something new. While not extremely common, retinol can cause redness, irritation and burning in some skin types. If there is a higher concentration of retinol in your products, the chances of the side-effects increase.
However, the skin will eventually build a tolerance and the irritation may go away within a few weeks. If it persists, please go to a medical practitioner.
Another issue that might pop up is an increased sensitivity to the sun after applying retinol. Make sure to apply sunscreen judiciously to avoid the chances of a sunburn.
How do I use retinol?
Now that we’ve told you what exactly retinol is, here are some basic tips you should remember while using it –
- Apply it after washing your face and patting it dry.
- Use a tiny bit of the product and spread it evenly over your face, avoiding your eyes and mouth.
- Always follow retinol with a facial moisturiser.
- If you can, apply it at night before bed.
- If you’re applying it during the day time, remember to follow it up with a strong sunscreen to prevent sunburn.
- Use only one retinol product at a time.
We hope this clears any apprehensions you may have about using retinol. Give it a whirl, girl!
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