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What else is there? Both Dr. Peredo and Dr. Claire Chang call out moisturizing silver mushroom, calming oat extract, and nourishing ceramides as additional key ingredients that ease any irritation associated with the retinol itself.
Key ingredients: retinol, oat extract, silver mushroom, ceramides, hydroxymehtoxyphenyl decanone | What skin type it’s best for: normal | Fragrance-free: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common types of retinol found in skin-care products?
First things first, retinol is not a catch-all term. “Retinoids is the general term that includes all the vitamin A derivatives both natural and synthetic,” Caroline Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and ounder of Rhode Island Dermatology Institute, previously said. The topical retinoids most commonly used in skin care are retinoic acid, retinol, retinyl esters, and retinaldehyde.
As for their benefits, “[retinoids] are keratolytics, which means they increase skin cell turnover and are known to stimulate collagen synthesis,” Sheila Farhang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Tuscon, Arizona, previously explained.
Whereas retinoic acid (also known as tretinoin) is only found in prescription formulas, retinol is the most common vitamin A derivative that pops up in over-the-counter (OTC) skin-care products—and it’s arguably just as effective. “There’s a lot of literature showing that while retinol is more gentle than retinoic acid, biochemically it does exactly the same thing—it may just take longer to see results,” Dana Sachs, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at the University of Michigan Medical School, previously told Allure.
You might be surprised to learn this but retinaldehyde (often referred to as retinal) is actually closer in efficacy to retinoic acid than retinol is, as “[retinal] can be directly converted to retinoic acid and is more stable than retinol,” Dr. Kim explains.
On the other hand, there is also a group of retinyl esters that are gentler on the skin, but less effective. “Products that are designed for sensitive skin typically have retinyl palmitate (a type of pro-retinol) but because it has to be converted to retinol before it becomes retinoic acid (the active form), it is not as potent as retinol,” Dr. Kim explains.
What concentrations do you recommend for patients just starting out with retinoids?
Even for beginners, there’s no one correct dosage. “If they have sensitive skin, I typically start them on 0.25% and have them use it twice a week,” Dr. Kim recommends. “If they have regular skin, I start them on 0.5% twice weekly, and if they have really oily skin, I typically start them on a prescription retinoic acid twice weekly right away.”
In terms of incorporating retinoids into your serums versus creams, it’s up to your personal preferences. However, some dermatologists, including Dr. Chang, prefer retinol serums followed by a soothing moisturizer to minimize any potential side effects such as irritation, dry skin, or flaking.
What active ingredients should be avoided when using retinol?
Dr. Kim cautions against using any exfoliating acids, including AHA (glycolic acid, lactic acid), BHA (salicylic acid), and PHA, as they can further irritate the skin. However, if you’d like to incorporate both without causing irritation and inflammation, try alternating days between the two types of formulations.
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