Ingredient Highlight: Why You Need to Start using Retinol Now
Skincare ingredients are a lot like catwalk trends. They come and go. Those that stick around tend to be the ones that really sparkle. The ones with superpowers too good to neglect several weeks on.
Retinol is one of those skincare ingredients.
From stimulating collagen to banishing blemishes, this multitasker constantly tops the list when it comes to tried-and-true skincare products.
And if you thought you had to be in your 30s to enjoy the benefits of retinol, you were wrong. Anyone 20+ can reap the rewards of this vitamin A derivative.
Let us give you the lowdown on retinol and why you need to make room for it in your skincare routine.
RETINOL EXPLAINED IN LESS THAN 10 SECONDS
Retinol is a form of vitamin A that, when applied topically, promotes skin renewal and enhances collagen production. Experts say retinol can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, minimize pore size, clear away blemishes, and even reverse some side effects of sun damage.
WHAT RETINOL CAN DO FOR YOUR SKIN
“Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient in skin care because it alters the behavior of aged cells so they act in a more youthful manner,” says Amanda von dem Hagen. a licensed esthetician and international educator for Glo Skin Beauty. “It smooths and refines skin’s texture, enhances skin radiance and treats aging.”
While it’s a famed anti-aging ingredient, retinol is capable of so much more. Let’s take a look at its full list of benefits.
- It Can Clear Acne – on the Face & Body
Vitamin A derivatives like retinol can treat acne as they help to regulate skin cell turnover. Whereas salicylic acid exfoliates dead skin cells and dissolves clogged pores, retinol seeps into skin cells and binds to nuclear receptors, which take care of functions like cellular metabolism and inflammation, instructing these receptors to fire up their turnover process.
Besides boosting cell turnover rate, there’s another benefit retinol offers.
According to dermatologist Deanne Mraz Robinson, “Keeping dead skin cells on the move can help to keep pores clear and open so other topical acne medications can penetrate effectively. Retinols are usually only part of a more comprehensive treatment plan for acne.”
In addition to treating the breakouts on your face, retinol can be helpful in your below-the-neck routine, too. So if you’re dealing with body breakouts, try incorporating retinol into your bodycare routine.
Treat your face and body to Truly’s Hemp Jelly Bundle, featuring a retinol-formulated facial cleanser, body cleanser, facial serum, and toner for top to toe smoothness.
- It Can Set You Up for a Line-Free Future
And let’s face it, who doesn’t want that?
“Retinol, or vitamin A, is best for 30+ skin with fine lines and wrinkles, however you can start using retinols younger if you want to,” explains Daniel Isaacs, Formulation & Development Director at Medik8. The younger, the better.
Issacs continues, “Younger skin types may not see the effects as much as older skin types as they have less age concerns, however prevention is better than cure. Retinol can enhance collagen production to prevent the formation of future lines and wrinkles. Combined with a high SPF and vitamin C in the morning, you are setting yourself up for great skin for life.”
So besides treating existing lines, retinol can also prevent that from occurring in the first place. It sounds like a winner to us!
Keep your skin looking youthful from head-to-toe with Truly’s Vegan Collagen Bundle. Inside, you’ll find four retinol-infused face and body formulas for eternally youthful skin.
- It Can Get Rid of Dark Spots and Other Unwanted Pigmentation
Retinol is one of the best ingredients for fading dark spots. Merged with vitamin C, it’s even more fantastic.
That’s because retinol speeds up cell turnover and penetrates really deep into the skin, helping to improve pigment production.
“By speeding up skin-cell turnover, retinol is able to push damaged, pigmented skin cells to the surface so they can easily fade away,” says dermatologist Shari Marchbein.
Tackle your hyperpigmentation and dark spots by using Truly’s Purple Rain Facial Oil. Made with retinol, glycolic acid, and antioxidants, this oil smooths wrinkles, while targeting unwanted pigmentation.
- It Gives You a Nice Glow
If dull skin’s getting you down, now might be the right time to add a retinol product into your skincare routine. It’s especially useful in the winter when your skin is more prone to getting dull.
This do-all ingredient can also brighten the skin through boosting cell renewal, which sends fresh cells to the surface of your skin, giving you a nice, healthy glow.
Grab yourself a Truly Glow-Up Kit, featuring three glow-enhancing products, two of which contain retinol, for day-long radiant skin.
- It Fades Cellulite
Thanks to retinol’s cell turnover-boosting abilities, it’s also an amazing anti-cellulite treatment. A study shows that topical use of retinol improved skin elasticity by 10.5% when applied to affected areas.
Anne Chapas, founder and medical director at Union Square Laser Dermatology, adds that retinol can “boost collagen growth and thicken the skin that overlies fat cells, which can gradually smooth lumps and bumps in the process.”
With regular use, retinol-formulated body creams can fade cellulite and make it a loss less noticeable than what it was before. You will have to be consistent to see results, though.
Give Truly’s Anti-Cellulite Bundle a try if you’re serious about shunning cellulite from your life. Both products in the bundle contain retinol to smooth and tighten your skin.
CAN EVERYONE BENEFIT FROM RETINOL?
Now you know how awesome it is, you’re probably dying to get hold of it yourself.
But is retinol suitable for all skin types and are there certain people who shouldn’t use this ingredient on their skin?
According to Issacs, “All skin types normally benefit from adding a retinol into their nighttime routine.”
He says, “The only people who shouldn’t use retinols are those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or those on medication which may clash with the vitamin A. If this is the case, always check with your doctor before starting on retinols.”
