Retinol Night Time Skin Care Routine

Both retinol and Retin-A are from of Retinoid, derived from vitamin A. Retinoids are great for exfoliating, the process of removing dead skin cells and other debris to unclog pores, making them a great tool for the fight against acne. They have also been shown to speed up skin cell turnover (the creation of new skin cells) and stimulate the skin’s production of skin firming proteins like collagen and elastin. This is why they are so popular within the beauty and skin care  industry. 

Retinol doesn’t affect the skin directly. Rather, it gets converted into retinoic acid via enzymes found within this skin hence the reason it takes time to see the effect. It's an over the counter product therefore anyone can purchase and use it. 

Retin A is the brand name for tretinoin, a prescription-based medication that has been for the treatment of acne. 

Unlike retinol, Retin-A is already in retinoic acid form so the skin does not need to convert it. As such, Retin-A is effective immediately upon application. This means Retin-A is not only more powerful than retinol, but it works faster. This is only usually by prescription only. 

So, whilst tretinoin will help those with acne as well as wrinkles, fine lines etc , retinol will help those who have no issues with acne but are targeting wrinkles and anti aging in general too. You should not use both vitamin A derivatives at the same time! 

Retinol is commonly used in concentrations ranging from low strength (0.1% to 0.3%) to high strength (1% or more). It is important to use retinol in appropriate concentrations according to the tolerance and skin type of each person. Overuse of retinol or high-strength concentrations can have adverse effects on your skin (irritation, mild burns, inflammation. 

Retinol is naturally derived from vitamin A, while tretinoin is a synthetic form. Tretinoin is significantly stronger than retinol. Whereas retinol serums are meant to help with wrinkles and serve as an antigen aging serum, tretinoin is used in the treatment of acne. Other products for acne treatment include Adapalene and Benzoyl Peroxide. 

I use The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalene which is their highest strength of retinol. My skin tolerates it with my once a week usage.

The retinol routine 

1. Cleanse with St. Ives hydrating cleanser

2. Allow the skin to dry and apply a few drops of the retinol 1% in Squalene.

3. Follow up with The Ordinary NMF moisturizer

It's very easy to get tempted to use this retinol daily. However, you need to allow your skin to build tolerance over a period of time before you can use it frequently. 

I make sure to use a sunscreen daily because these ingredients make your skin sensitive to the sun all day.