The miracle ingredient your skincare routine is missing
Ageing is unavoidable, but there are a few things you can do to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation and sun-damage.
One of the most powerful weapons in our arsenal of anti-ageing products is Vitamin A. More commonly known by the name of Retinol, this elixir of youth will soon have you looking smoother, and more youthful than ever.
What will Vitamin A do for your skin?
Retinol has been present on beauty counters for years. Vitamin A’s time-tested ability to increase cell turnover allows it to effectively address skin concerns from your late teenage years through to adulthood. After at least three months of nightly use, you’ll start to notice those pesky pimples, dark spots and wrinkles simply fade away. A dream come true!
Is retinol the product for you?
If you have oily to combination, acne-prone, or sun damaged skin, retinol is the skincare solution for you. Working wonders on non-sensitive skin, almost everyone can benefit from topical application of Vitamin A.
Important pointers before you start using retinol.
There’s no doubt the first mention of reducing wrinkles had you hooked, but before you start slathering on this age-defying wonder, there’s a few things beauty industry expert Annie Millar wants you to know.
- Introducing it too quickly can cause irritation, so it’s important to slowly add this step into your skincare routine. We recommend introducing a pea-sized drop of gentle retinol serum once a week, before bed. If all is well, you can increase this to twice a week, then to every other night, and gradually move up in serum concentration.
- Be liberal with your daily SPF application. When introducing a strong retinol cream or serum into your skincare routine, it’s very important to keep your skin protected and sun safe, as application of this product can make your skin more prone to sun-damage.
- Don’t neglect your neck and décolletage! Maintain an even skin tone by continuing your skincare routine below your chin.
Our fave kick-starter retinol serums:
Both retinol creams and serums are available in different strengths, so you can choose and manage the level of vitamin A your skin is exposed to. Two perfect serums include:
- Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane by The Ordinary
- Retinol 3TR™ Advanced 0.3% Vitamin A Serum by Medik8. This retinol serum ranges from gentle to high concentration, so they’re great to both start and continue your Vitamin A journey.
If you want to start your journey back to youth with something a little gentler and moisturising (especially if you have dry skin), two great options are:
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