Retinol: The miracle molecule in skincare?

AUTHOR - DR.DAVID JACK

Retinol. It’s one of those scientific terms we hear being used when discussing skincare – but what is it?

Put simply, Retinol is a form of Vitamin A, found in various beauty products.

But when we’re being blinded with science, and dozens of ingredients promising to make us look better, why choose Retinol-based products as part of a skincare regime?

The simple answer is that this miracle molecule has multiple ways to improve your skin’s health.

Here are just a few of them.

1. Clears acne
2. Reduces wrinkles
3. Stops discolouration
4. Shrinks pores

Clears acne

Retinol effectively treats acne by unplugging the follicles and exfoliating skin cells to keep pores clear. It also helps eliminate bacteria which causes spots, in a pre-emptive attack on future breakouts.

Reduces wrinkles

Retinol is a powerful antioxidant to help repair skin damage, by rejuvenating skin and smoothing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It's commonly found in over-the-counter anti-wrinkle treatments.

Stops discolouration

Retinol is extremely effective in evening out skin tone and fading skin discolourations. This is because it changes gene expression in melanocytes – the specialized skin cells which produce the protective skin-darkening pigment melanin. Retinol’s exfoliating properties, helping to slough off dark cells to reveal lighter skin beneath, can also help.

Shrinks pores

Your pore size is set by genetics, but retinoids like Retinol helps improve your pore's shape and size. Again, this may be due to its exfoliating effects, removing debris that stretches pores open.

Dermatologists will recommend Retinol for the over 30s, as they start to discover fine lines and wrinkles. But it doesn’t hurt to start using it earlier, on the basis that prevention is better than cure. Retinol enhances collagen production to prevent the formation of future lines and wrinkles.

Retinol products should always be used at night, as sunlight can diminish their power. That is why Retinol is the main ingredient in Good Night! our Vitamin A-based night cream, scientifically developed to rejuvenate the skin through strong antioxidant activity while you sleep.

All skin types benefit from adding a Retinol to their night time routine. Even blemish-prone skins can benefit from the power of Vitamin A, by speeding up the skin cell renewal process and clearing out clogged pores which cause blemishes to promote a clear complexion.

It’s recommended to use only one product with Vitamin A in a skincare routine.

Combined with Vitamin C after waking up, from our Good Morning! serum, and a high SPF to protect the complexion from sun damage, from our All Day Long moisturizer, you are setting yourself up with great skin for life.

Check out our All You Need! package and all beauty bases are well and truly covered.

Useful Resources

Melanocytes