After I shared my post about the 10 skin habits you should start this year I got a ton of questions and DMs asking about retinol. Questions like: What is it retinol? What’s retinoid? Can anyone use it? When should I have started using it? What exactly does it do?
Well, don’t you worry! I did all the research for you so sit back and relax because Retinol 101 is now in session:
Here’s the breakdown of everything you need to know about retinol:
1. Retinoid is made from vitamin A, which helps your skin cells reproduce naturally.
2. Once upon a time, retinoid was used as an acne treatment, but then it was discovered that it works really well for its anti-aging properties!
3. Retinol is a subset (or you could say lower dose) of retinoid and can be found in many over the counter products whereas retinoid is only available via prescription.
4. Retinol and retinoid are used to treat acne, improve skin texture, reduce pore size, and reduce fine lines & wrinkles. (Can you say MIRACLE product?)
5. If you’re using a product with retinol, make sure to use sunscreen during the day and if you can, I would suggest avoiding using retinol in the mornings. (Side note: I can’t stress it enough, but you should always be using sunscreen no matter what. Every day. Every morning!!) I like to use my retinol products during my night time skincare routine.
6. If you’re pregnant, avoid using retinol as it can go into your bloodstream and affect your baby.
7. Retinol comes in many different types of products so choose the one that fits your lifestyle and needs. From an eye cream like this one, a mask like this one, or a peel like this one– there’s a type of retinol that can work for everyone and their skincare routine. If you’re new to the retinol world- this one by Honest Beauty is very light and a great way to introduce retinol into your routine!
8. While I talked about it as a product for anti-aging in this post here– it’s good for all ages depending on your skin’s needs.
9. If you feel like you could benefit from retinoid, the safest bet is to ask your dermatologist! If you don’t think you need that high of a dose, check out my favorite retinol products below!
Are you already using a retinol product? If you’re not, do you think you’ll start? Let me know your thoughts down below and have a great day!
