How to use retinol – the beginner’s guide

Not sure how to use retinol in your skincare regime? You may be wondering if the hype is real?  You might have heard about it, but are wondering if it’s something you should be using in your skincare routine.

What is retinol?

Retinol is commonly referred to as the superstar ingredient when it comes to skincare.  With proven benefits for the skin including boosting collagen production, improving skin texture, diminishing dark spots and minimising the visible signs of aging, it’s a real multi-purpose skincare ingredient.

What are the benefits?

It increases cell turnover on the skin.  By removing those dead skin cells, this prevents them from clogging up pores, along with exfoliating and smoothing the skin.  As it exfoliates at a cellular level, it gives brighter, fresher, smoother looking skin, with fewer breakouts.

It restores the look of firmness to the skin.  Collagen works at keeping the skin bouncy and taut.  As we age, our collagen levels naturally deplete. Retinol works at stimulating collagen production and inhibiting the breakdown of collagen that’s already present in the skin.

It helps to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation.  If your skin has had a lot of sun exposure or acne scarring, this shows up as dark spots.  It works by helping to reduce the amount of melanin in the skin, leaving the skin brighter and more even-toned.

What are the side effects?

The main side effects are redness, irritation, dryness and peeling.  For that reason, it is always recommended to start using it at a lower dose and frequency, building up tolerance.  Any potential irritation when using retinol is usually reduced by the second week of using it as your skin becomes used to it.  But if your skin is sensitive, or you are brand new to using this ingredient, then you might need to incorporate it even more slowly into your routine.

How to use retinol?

When using products containing retinol, it’s recommended to use it at night time.  The following morning, cleanse the skin and apply an SPF as retinol can make your skin sensitive to UV light.  As mentioned above, starting off with a milder formula on a less frequent basis will minimise any potential irritation.  As the skin adapts to it, the frequency and strength can be increased over the following weeks so that you can enjoy all of the benefits.

What Image Skincare products contain retinol?

The  AGELESS total overnight retinol masque transforms the skin while you sleep.  It contains hydrating microspheres of marine collagen to lock in moisture and delivers retinol deep into the skin to support intensive collagen remodelling.

The AGELESS total retinol-A creme contains a highly concentrated blend of retinol and polypeptides that resurface, rejuvenate, and repair ageing and acne prone skin.

The AGELESS total repair creme stimulates skin rejuvenation with a proprietary KemSpheres delivery system that allows the release of pure, encapsulated retinol into the skin with minimal irritation.

For a skincare consultation or for more information on retinol and how to use it, book in for a consultation in your local IMAGE Skincare Clinic.