Skincare is something I've become more passionate about since entering my thirties and with that retinol has become a huge part of my skincare routine.
So what is retinol? Retinol is also known as vitamin A which helps to speed up skins healing, prevent breakouts and build up the immunity of your skin. Retinol also promotes natural moisturising and helps to promote and maintain a healthy dermis and epidermis. All of these properties help to make your skin look smoother, give a better complexion as well as help with anti ageing. Who doesn't want that in their lives!?
There are various price points for retinol products on the market but the one I've found works for me as well as being very reasonably priced is The Ordinary . They strive to make their products exceptional as well as sensibly priced which to me is a no brainer and I've certainly seen the benefits!
Retinol 1% in Squalene
When I began using retinol I started off with a low percentage as it can cause irritation and peeling whilst your skin builds a tolerance so I began with the 1% in squalene. I used it 1-2 times a week and initially I did notice that my skin felt a bit more sensitive than usual but I could see an improvement in fine lines and pigmentation in my skin. With having an oily complexion I was also worried that this oil based treatment would worsen by condition and break me out but it did quite the opposite and for the first time in my life I could use an oil on my skin! I used the 1% for a good eight months before stepping it up to the next level.
Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion
The next level I used was in fact retinoid rather than retinol as retinoid is stronger and with it being in emulsion this product was oil free. The great benefit to this was I found it sunk into my skin a lot easier and was very light weight.
Being a higher strength than the 1% I was previously using and having built up a tolerance to that, the 2% Retinoid continued to improve my skin's signs of anti aging and the slight rosacea I have on my left cheek. I used this for four months this time before adding in a 5%...
Granactive Retinoid 5% in Squalene
I've been transitioning into the 5% retinoid for a few months, using it in between the 2% and I can definitely feel the strength with it being over double that I've been using before which is why I'm easing into my skincare regime gradually.
I've also gone back to the squalene solution which is the oil as whether it does or not, it *feels* like it works better? Whether that's the case or if it's a subconscious thing I don't know but again this is really helping with my rosacea and continuing to improve my skins appearance. It definitely looks more glowy and feels very soft too. I'll be shortly phasing out the 2% and using 5% all of the time!
So that's my retinol revolution. Since using it in my skincare routine I have 100% noticed a beneficial difference to my skin with it reducing fine lines and signs of aging, improving the texture of my skin and the pigmentation too. I would definitely recommend it and starting off slowly too. If you're after more of the science behind retinol, The Ordinary has plenty of information on their website which will explain far better than I can!
Have you introduced retinol to your skincare routine?