Not many people like an extensive beauty regimen or have the time for it. Even if you have a 13- step beauty regimen you might have skipped this important step. I know I have. I didn’t notice how important it was until I stopped using it. Which product am I talking about? The Ordinary Retinol. Or any retinol.
Truth to be told, I didn’t use retinol for the longest time. Mainly because I had already use an exfoliating acid, so why bother with another exfoliating product?
Big Mistake. For the past couple of months, I didn’t use any retinol and that’s when I noticed. My freckles were noticeably darker.
Retinols are not the same as an exfoliating acid. Although they both exfoliate the skin, only retinol increase the cell turn over rate and enhances the collage production.
Only when I started to reincorporate a retinol, The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion back into my skincare did I noticed my freckles to fade. This makes sense because an exfoliating acid only loosens the dead skin cells whereas the retinol increase cell turn-over rate at a faster rate to help reveal the younger skin underneath.
So what are retinol? Is Retinol for acne skin?
Will retinol help acne? Retinol is a vitamin A derivative that was originally used as an acne treatment. To be exact the stronger version of retinol, a prescription retinoid was used. As the patients continued to use the retinoid for their acne, they noticed that their skins became smoother, their wrinkles became less obvious and their skin-tone became evener. That’s how an acne treatment became an anti-aging product. Not all retinols are for acne though, if you have a severe case of acne you should visit your doctor.
Retinol works by prompting cell turn over, collagen production which in turn reveals new skin cell underneath. In doing so it thickens the skin making wrinkles less pronounced and evening skin tone.
Retinols vs retinoids? Retin-a? Are they the same?
Retinol and retinoids are similar in that they are both vitamin As. However, retinoid is a general term that houses both over the counter and prescribed retinoids.
Over the counter retinol are generally weaker than prescribed retinoids. The reason for this is because retinols needs more conversion to become retinoic acid compared to prescribed retinoids. The more conversions = more time in inactive phase = weaker retinoid.
Retin- A is just the brand name a prescribed retinoid, the only way of getting it is a prescription from your doctor.
What does Retinol do to your skin
- Improve skin texture
- Improve skin tone
- Reduce pigmentation
- Decrease wrinkles,
- Help decrease acne
- Fights free radicals
- Increase cell turnover
- Unclogs pores
Beware
Since retinol increases the rate of cell turnover, it makes the cells that are close to the top to peel off, making your skin look dry.
Therefore it might cause:
- Dryness
- Peeling
- Skin irritation
- Acne flare up
myths
There are many myths circling retinols, many people believe it will make the skin more prone to sunburn because we are told not to wear retinols in the day time. That is not true. It is not because using retinols make your skin thinner it is because retinols tend to break down in the presence of sunlight rendering it inactive. However, you should still wear sunscreen.
the types of retinol from the ordinary/which one should you use?
Although it is tempting to start off with a high strength retinol, it might actually be better to start with lower strength. Lower strength retinol will have fewer likely side effect while being just as effective.
Currently, I am using a retinol from The Ordinary. The Ordinary Granactive Emulsion hasn’t made my skin peel or turn red. It is an easy retinol to start with. If you really want a stronger retinol to try out, try A313 or go to your doctors and ask for a prescription of retinoid.
There are other retinols from The Ordinary. If you are a bit scared to use retinols, The Ordinary Granactive Emulsion isn’t irritating compared to other retinols they make.
| Retinol from The Ordinary | Strength | Irritation | Price |
| The Ordinary Granactive Emulsion 2% | moderate | no irritation | $9.80 |
| Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane | moderate | no irritation | $9.60 |
| Granactive Retinoid 5% in Squalane | high | no to low irritation | $13.90 |
| Retinol 0.2% in Squalane | low | moderate irritation | $5.30 |
| Retinol 0.5% in Squalane | moderate | high irritation | $5.80 |
| Retinol 1% in Squalane | high | very high irritation | $6.70 |
The difference between these retinols, is the strength and the irritability. Their Grandactive Retinoid is effective yet not irritating, whereas the retinol in squalane is less effective and is slightly more irritating but it is cheaper compared to the Grandactive formulas.
Conclusion
Retinols is an amazing ingredient to add to your skincare regimen. It even your skin and makes your fine line less noticeable. While you use it, you really have to make sure to moisturize your skin and apply sunscreen daily.
What to check out other products from The Ordinary? Check out my other posts One Product You Should Buy From The Ordinary and What to Buy from The Ordinary.
A beauty lover that loves everything about beauty and skincare. She is always on the lookout to find the new “it” product. Whether it is budget friendly or high end, she plans to share with others her beauty adventures and beauty experiences on this blog.