Retinol 101 – Rachel Love

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Retinol 101

It’s a love hate relationship. Retinol has helped improve my skins texture like crazy, but it can also make me feel like my face is on fire. Before using retinol, it’s important to know what it does and how your skin reacts to it.

What is Retinol?

Retinol is a source of Vitamin A. It was an ingredient used to treat acne back in the 70’s, but scientists later found that it also improves the skins texture; erasing lines, plumping up skin, and giving it a glow. Mix it in with your own night cream which will end up being more effective on the skin, all while saving you money.

What does Retinol do?

Retinol speeds up the process of renewing your skin. Your skin sheds naturally about every 30 days. The upper layer of your skin, the epidermis, sheds away to reveal the middle layer of your skin, the dermis. The thing is, once you hit 30, the skin shedding process starts to slow down. That’s where retinol comes in. You can still use retinol at any age, but it would be a lot more helpful after 30. One thing that’s really important is to remember to wear sunscreen every single day when using retinol actively. Otherwise you are just damaging that fresh baby-like layer of skin.

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How to introduce Retinol to your routine:

FIRST 2 WEEKS:
Introduce retinol 1x a week by adding it to your night time moisturizer.

SECOND 2 WEEKS:
Bump up your use to 2x a week, by adding it to your moisturizer

THIRD 2 WEEKS:
Continue using 2x a week, but this time using a it separately on your bare face, then layering your moisturizer.

Remember, retinol is a very strong chemical and patience is key. After these 6 weeks, you can gage your skin and decide how often you will use retinol in your routine.

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