
This is one of those mysterious ingredients that you read about everywhere, but most of us know nothing about. The magical ingredient? Retinol: It’s renowned for its incredible skincare properties, and for once that isn’t an overstatement. Touted as the most potent non-invasive anti-wrinkle remedy around, this vitamin A derivative has the uncanny ability to unclog pores, boost collagen, and speed cell turnover, which helps plump fine lines and removes discoloration — sometimes in as little as a month. Retinol’s Hollywood fan base include Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez, Halle Berry, and Sandra Bullock, and if we looked like that at 50, we’d swear by it too. Here’s everything you need to know about our new skincare bestie:
What is retinol?
Retinol is a form of vitamin A (the holy grail of vitamins for skin repair and maintenance), which our body breaks down and converts into retinoic acid. Retinoic acid has the unique ability to rejuvenate skin on a genetic level; erasing fine lines, whittling away years of skin damage, and helping people achieve A-list skin by boosting collagen production. But it’s not just aging skin it can improve; if you were ever acne-prone in your youth, chances are you’ve already heard of the healing powers of retinol-based products, as they initially entered the limelight as the ultimate fix for acnegenic skin. Dermatologists noticed that not only did it wipe out their acne, but it looked even better than those with normal skin. Queue the beauty world’s obsession with retinol.
What to know about Retinol:
Retinol comes in different strengths and formulas: its most potent form, retinoic acid and Retin-A, are mostly found on prescription-only products. Retinol and retinyl are essentially weaker and have fewer side effects – these are the names you’ll find on the back of your drugstore beauty products (between 0.5% to 2% concentration). And then there’s Accutane (totally breaking the reti- trend there), an incredibly powerful, chemically enhanced variation of the vitamin, which is used to treat serious acne by prescription.
Should you be using retinol?
For aging skin: Retinol is used in most anti-aging, collagen-boosting beauty products and if you’re looking for anti-aging products, a retinol infused cream will be the most effective.
For acne: Retinol can work wonders to obliterate serious acne: it reduces the oils your glands produce, increases dead cell turnover, therefore declogging pores while also reducing bacteria that can cause acne. If you make it part of a routine, it should improve your skin, but be patient; it can take more than a month to see results, in some cases. Generally, it’s best to consult a dermatologist, and they may give you a more concentrated solution (usually in cream or pill format).
For pigmentation: If you’ve got pigmentation or a little extra skin damage, speak to your GP about a retinol cream. You can work your way up the reti-ladder to Retin-A as your skin gets used to it.
Check out our fave drugstore retinol here – it costs less than $13!!
So, what’s the catch?
Retinol and all its chemical cousins are sensitive to sunlight. This means your skin won’t tolerate the sun as well as usual, so try to use your retinol products at night and always use SPF 30 if you’re using any retinol based face creams. If you’re cautious, you can try Rosehip oil, a natural alternative to retinol that’s packed with vitamin A. Check out our guide to Rosehip oil here. Retin-A is known to cause red, swollen faces from time to time (just like a chemical peel would), so keep a soothing moisturizer close. Stronger creams can cause inflammation, so you should use retinol creams sparingly, to begin with, and increase use as your skin becomes more familiar with the formula.
How to use retinol:
From rich moisturizers and serums to oils and peels, there’re hundreds of formulas that will give your skin a hit of retinol. If you want to try a new retinol-based serum or cream, check the labels for products with at least 0.1% retinol, although a concentration of retinol between 0.5% and 2% will make a bigger difference. If you’re starting out on retinol, look for products that have pro-retinols (like: retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, and retinyl linoleate), which are the mildest of the group. If you feel you need something stronger go to your dermatologist and ask about being prescribed other ‘retis’ in the family. A brief prescription of retinoic acid or Retin-A can plump up tired skin and erase fine lines – yes, please!
Hey my love! Check out this post for all of our fave tips and tricks to get rid of pores. We hope this helps xoxo
Kindly prescribe Me a good retinol cream. I have oily sensitive skin
Dear Huda please reply to my queries.
Am waiting.
Can you mix sea buckthorn oil with rosehip oil in a bottle? Thank you in advance.
Hi! Dear Huda please suggest a good moisturizer which is anti- ageing and has hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C and glycolic acid to control discoloration or pigmentation and ageing lines with Spf. My skin is dry…only T zone is oily. Am waiting for your reply.
I ordered the eye cream which you suggested. Thanks for that dear..
Please Huda reply soon dear 🙂
hi! Huda am applying after face wash in the night the Ordinary Retinol 2% and I leave it like that on face in the night….Morning my face looks better. (Pores was my concern)…it has been only 4 days and am seeing the good results…I ordered the product from your site…
For day time I want to know the moisturizer which is anti ageing and has hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C and glycolic acid …to control discoloration or pigmentation and ageing lines. My skin is dry only T zone is little oily. And please suggest one good under eye cream to control fine lines and puffiness. Puffiness is my main issue.How is innisfree the green tea seed eye cream from korean skincare.
Hi my love, The Ordinary have a product with caffeine and EGCG in, which is designed to reduce puffiness and dark circles. You could try that, but be careful if you have sensitive eyes. http://theordinary.com/product/rdn-caffeine-solution-5pct-egcg-30ml xxx
Thank you Dear Huda for suggesting the under eye cream. I will buy that under eye from your site… Tell me if I have to apply under eye cream day time or night for the good results.
Please also suggest for day time I want to know the moisturizer which is anti ageing and has hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C and glycolic acid …to control discoloration or pigmentation and ageing lines. My skin is dry… only T zone is little oily. And please suggest good Toner cos’ day time am not applying The Ordinary Retinol 2%.
Hi! Dear Huda please suggest a good moisturizer which is anti- ageing and has hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C and glycolic acid to control discoloration or pigmentation and ageing lines. My skin is dry…only T zone is oily… And I ordered the eye cream which you suggested from
DECIEM. Waiting for it. Please reply.
Hi sweetie, I would recommend Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Cream which you can buy here – https://www.kiehls.com/super-multi-corrective-cream/495.html. I hope it helps! xxxxx
Please reply Huda
Saw this that you were having this open pore problem… Actually I’m having the same problem and couldn’t find any solution . Can you please tell me what did you use and was there really and change in them…
hi! Huda I have a dry and t zone oily skin.
my skin was good but now may be bcos of make up etc my pores are visible and i apply primer before foundation to hide them still they are visible. I started using in the night tretinoin cream retino 0.025 %. Is it good? although the pores are still same on my face.
please suggest.
Hi huda.. I have serious acne and acne scar problems…
Please tell me what to do to reduce this… And I am 23 years old
Hi gorgeous, check out our tips from Dr. Doris Day on how to control acne here, and hopefully our post on acne scarring can help you too. Also make sure you’re using a good cleansing routine and thoroughly removing your makeup at the end of every day, as sleeping in makeup will be bad for your skin. xxx
Hi,
I have bog pores on my face. Can you suggest Any night cream or mosturiser which can help to reduce it .
Thanks
Hello can you please let me know some whitening Cream??
Hi Huda,
I have combination skin but my skin is very sensitive I can’t use any products just like that i have big issue of uneven skin tone n hyper pigmentation I’m 32 now n getting worse day by day please guide me some good skin care which is reasonable coz i cant spend much on it
Hi my love, check out The Ordinary, they’re an amazing brand that does incredible skincare solutions at really affordable prices. Xx
the ordinary products are amazing and they have a guide on their website if you’re unsure of when to use/what with. x
Hello Huda . I have a combination skin , prone to acne , sensitive as well. Please suggest me how many % retinoid to use .
Hiii can you use The Ordinarys Granactive… product immediately after dermarolling?
Hi my love, I would be careful with using retinol after dermarolling. It would be better to contact The Ordinary directly to find out 😉 xx
Hii can these recommended products be used after using a dermaroller?
I would avoid using retinol products after dermarolling, especially if your skin is sensitive. xx
Hey Huda,
Will this work as therapy for scarring on pubic area as after effects of the ingrown hair after waxing? Or is there another treatment for it?
Anddd… thankyousomuchh for this post!!
Hey Huda,
I have these scarring on my pubic region as the after effects of in-grown hair after waxing. Will this help with that? Or is there any other solution for it?
Anddd … I am definitely going to be trying this on my face. Thankyou sm!!
Hi Huda 🙂
Tretinoin is that a A vitamin/retinoid ?
Sulekha
Huda, I live for you and your staff(I watch your daily snaps daily!). Your knowledge is well appreciated! Thank you. This article came just on time before my 25th birthday. I am looking for a night cream and retinol serum for normal/sensitive skin. Any suggestions?
Hi love! What product (including retinol in the product) do you recommend is best for acne prone (pinky) skin? I have occasional breakouts during ‘that time of the month’ so I’m a bit worried to use anything too drastic on my skin/face.
Hope you can help me out! Thank you & lots of love! Xx
Hello,
At what age should a person start using retinol creams? Thank you
Hi gorgeous, for anti-aging purposes, most people start in their thirties. But if you have acne, it can be used at any age to treat it (from your teen years onwards). xxx
Hi thank you for the tips..
Which products has retinol ? Pls
Thank you
Huda, you are the best . Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us ! ♥️
What products do you recommend that contain retinol? I’m a teenager who has some acne and I have combo skin. I just have a lot of acne scars as well and I’m wondering if this would help?
Hi my love, check out The Ordinary’s retinol products, they have a lot of options and they’re really affordable 🙂 xx
Hello,
What brands do you recommend for retinol
Hi my love, I like these: ALPHA-H Liquid Gold Intensive Night Repair Serum it’s a bit pricey, but very worth it. A more affordable option is The Ordinary’s Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion, which is quite a strong formula at 2% – I would recommend using this sparingly at first. Neutrogena and RoC also do some more affordable retinol night creams. Hope this helps xxx
Thank you so much! This is SUPER helpful!
Amazing review. Thank u so much for sharing this. Very helpful.
Hi Huda! I used to use Retin A and, for a few years, pharmacies have stopped stocking the cream. I still have some deep scars that I would love to see improve. Considering that I have exzema and still a tiny bit of acne that’s been induced by PCOS, I was wondering if you could kindly recommend a place and a name of a cream that I could use that could help reduce my scars and help reduce the acne?
Hi my love, for scars and acne I think it would be better to see your doctor, as they might prescribe two different creams for your skin concerns. Hope you can find something that works. xxx
Very helpful. Any recommendation for a night moisturiser or serum containing retinol? Normal skin but requires anti aging effects.
Hi my love, ALPHA-H Liquid Gold Intensive Night Repair Serum is a bit pricey, but very worth it. A more affordable option is The Ordinary’s Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion, which is quite a strong formula at 2% – I would recommend using this sparingly at first. Hope this helps xxx