Our Top Tips For Anyone New To Retinol
- Definitely avoid eye area if you have sensitive skin.
- Start off with a small amount every other night and build up to using it every night. However tempting it is to rush straight in, trust me on this.
- Leave it to soak in for 5 minutes before applying anything over the top of it.
- Start with the most gentle formulation you can find. We think this one is a great place to start. There’s also a version in Squalane oil. Some people love Squalane, others don’t. It’s really trial and error. Use just a couple of times a week to check your skin reaction to it. Be sure to us no other treatment after this, just moisturise/oil.
- Retnoids initially can cause peeling and some redness, a process called facial retinization.
- Remember that a Retinoid is not the same as a Retinol. 1% is much stronger than 2%.
- You should be prepared to wait at least six to eight weeks before you start to see significant changes.
- You absolutely must use a good quality sunscreen daily, no exceptions. Retinoic acid can thin the outer layers of the skin by about a third, making skin more susceptible to sunburn.
- Try to avoid excessive heat, either from sun or sauna.
- The best time to start using retinol is early thirties, when your cell turnover rate begins to slow. One of the benefits of getting an early start on over the counter retinols is that you can hold off on prescription retinoids until at least your forties or fifties.
