How To Apply Retinol

In this article we will be talking all about retinol; its benefits, who should use it and how to apply it. Read on for more info…

What Is Retinol?

Retinol is a form of vitamin A that is used topically to accelerate the skin cell turnover to help treat acne, hyperpigmentation and ageing. It also stimulates the production of new blood vessels in the skin, which improves skin colour. Additional benefits include fading age spots and softening rough patches of skin.

How To Apply Retinol

Retinol is a potent ingredient that can be quite drying on the skin. If you have particularly sensitive skin, it is recommended to do a small patch test first to see how your skin reacts to the a

ctive ingredients. Retinol should be built up over time and depending on the strength, can be built up to be used daily. However, if your skin becomes irritated, go back to once a week.

So, here is a step by step guide on how to apply retinol:

Step 1: It’s important to get skin thoroughly clean before applying additional products. Try DermaQuest Essential Daily Cleanser.

Step 2: Apply a pea-sized amount of retinol directly onto dry skin

Step 3: Moisturise using DermaQuest Essential Moisturiser.

Keep products to a minimum when using retinol to endure you’re not mixing the wrong products.

How Often Should You Apply Retinol?

To begin with, retinol should be applied only 2-3 times a week and should be built up. Retinol is best applied at night, since it can increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun. As time goes on you can build it up maybe even daily.

Best Retinol Products To Use

Before purchasing retinol, it’s important to get advice from a skincare expert as they all have different strengths and are not recommended for all skin types and issues.

Here are some recommendations:

DermaQuest Retinaldehyde Renewal Cream - This is good for sensitive skin.

DermaQuest Retinol Peptide Youth Serum - Great for ageing skin.

DermaQuest Retexture Serum - For acne/texture skin.

How Long Does It Take To See Results

It can take three to six months of regular use before improvements in wrinkles and acne are apparent and the best results take six to 12 months. Because retinoids can cause skin dryness and irritation, skin experts often recommend using them only every other day at first and then gradually working up to nightly applications.

Can Retinol Be Used For All Skin Types?

Retinols can be beneficial for all skin types however people with sensitive skin conditions such as rosacea.

Avoid retinol if you’re going to be spending a lot of time in direct sunlight without proper sun protection. As retinol can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so it’s important to use sunscreen with at least SPF 30 every day, whatever the weather.

So, to sum up, retinol is a great product to combat many skin concerns but is to be used carefully and mindfully. Make sure you have done your research before going ahead and applying it.

For any further information or discussion on this, book an online skin consultation with our GlowBay skincare expert and find out everything you need to know and what would be suitable for you!