Gina Speed
Winter is the best time to focus on your skin. All that dryness from indoor heaters takes a toll! Exfoliating and skin care products are more important during this season and Retinol is my new favorite. Basically, Retinol is the technical name for vitamin A, so it sounds scarier than it is. Skin absorbs vitamins extremely well and uses them to reverse some of the aging process.
Drugs 101
If you’re a beginner, Retinoid is the prescription variety and Retinol is the over-the-counter stuff. It’s a good idea to start with the over-the-counter products and then work your way up to the harder stuff. Pay a visit to your handy-dandy dermatologist or esthetician for advice on what product would be best for your skin condition. Retinoids can make your skin sensitive to sun and dry it out if you aren’t careful, so that’s best left to the professionals. [ Ed. Also, thanks to our reader Kb for alerting us to the possible danger of using Retinol before waxing. Refrain from using Vitamin A 2 – 5 days before waxing to prevent damage to sensitive skin. ]
Collagen Enhancement
It also boosts collagen production which serves to strengthen your skin. Weak skin sags and wrinkles, so collagen basically has the opposite effect. The great thing about skin is that it has the potential to age-reverse. That means proper diet and skin care can actually turn the clock back and restore your youth!
Rid Your Skin of Blemishes
Another benefit is that it helps keep your skin clearer. When it absorbs in the skin, enzymes in the body convert it into an active form of vitamin A. It then works to increase cell turnover and helps skin stay hydrated and glowing. Pores become unclogged and I’ve experience results overnight! So nice to wake up with smoother skin.
Even Out Your Complexion
If you’ve got dark spots, another sad result of aging, Retinol comes to the rescue there as well. That same vitamin A process helps to normalize pigmentation and is best to start using in your 30’s. By your 40’s, it best to add to your night time routine. It should be used sparingly and paired with a moisturizer as well.
Favorite Retinol Products
So, I have my friend Jenny to thank for this one as well. She’s my friend who spent the last 15 years working for a San Clemente dermatologist in my area. She treats me with skin care products that I quickly can’t live without! She turned me on to the first product below, Insta Natural, which is a great night time
moisturizer. Murad also has a solid reputation and a few products you might like. Their Renewal Serum has a combination of a fast-acting Retinoid, a time-released Retinol, and a Retinol booster. Three’s Company!
Eat Your Veggies Too!
For natural vitamin A, be sure to add plants with high levels of beta-carotene into your diet. Carrots and dark green or yellow veggies are best. Eggs are also a great source of vitamin A so keep those scrambles coming!
Clear Skin is Happy Skin
I was just scoffing at the no-makeup movement and here I am writing about it. Interesting turn of events. Bottom line, if you have healthy, radiant skin, you can get away with much less makeup. You’ll also just feel better about yourself and that kind of inner radiance is worth 100 bottles of Retinol. It’s one of those which came first conundrums. So take care of both and keep being beautiful, lady.
I was told by my spa lady that skip vitamin A for a week before getting waxed. Since retinol makes new skin when waxing the skin can get waxed off and then create scars.
Yikes! Thanks for the good information – this is important to know. We’ll add this to the body of the text in case readers don’t make it down to the comments. Appreciate it 🙂
Quit trying to turn the clock back, enjoy being older, and for goodness sake, don’t wear any makeup at all. None. Zip. I don’t see men bothering, wasting time and money, so why should women? Don’t we have important stuff to do?