What can retinol do for your skin?

Taking care of your skin whether you’re in your 30’s or 50’s is a commitment and knowing what to use in order to great the best results is key. I don’t know of anyone that isn’t looking for that miracle cream that instantly reverses aging, instantly gives a flawless completion or lifts like you’re in a wind tunnel…but, with how fast the skin care industry is producing innovative products it might only be a matter of time. Crossing fingers! In the meantime, one of our favorite skin care ingredients, which has been around for a while and has had proven results, is a retinol. Retinol is a form of retinoid, a derivative of vitamin A. Strengths in retinol vary from over the counter to prescription strength (through your dermatologist) and can be found in serums or creams.

Retinol, communicates with your cells and helps not only the damaged cells get back their normal healthy function but protects the good cells. Retinol allows the damaged cells to retain more healthy collagen and elastin, which keeps wrinkles from forming.

However, while retinol can boost collagen production, it cannot replace elastin. We start losing elastin in our late teens.

For those of us with dark spots or suffer from hyper pigmentation, retinol does help shed away the dead skin cells of your skin which is why some people are nervous about the continuous use and the flaky results seen with retinol. But, as mentioned before, you can buy a retinol that is appropriate for your skin type and sensitivity.

Sloughing off your top layers of skin will reveal new growth underneath, minimize fine lines and wrinkles, improve your skins texture as well as reduce symptoms of hyper pigmentation and slowing of the production of melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. Keep in mind that you will need to use retinol on a daily basis in order to see positive results.

Now for the secret benefit of using a retinol that we don’t see mentioned in most articles, is that by using a retinol, you are preparing your skin to accept your other skin care products better. There is a better absorption rate thanks to using a retinol.