Why Retinol Should Be Your Skin BFF

You've likely heard of retinol, but you also likely have no clue what retinol is or does. Retinol first burst onto the scene in 1971, as a treatment for acne. They later found that while retinol was amazing for acne, it was also a instant fix for hyperpigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles, and skin texture. Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A, and it works by penetrating into the skin and increasing cellular turnover, meaning it gets in your skin and kicks all the bad stuff (dead skin, acne, pigmentation) out. Even though retinol is a skin savior, it's gotten a bad rap in the past few years- that it dries you out, that it turns you red, that it encourages skin purging. This was mostly due to crazy strong retinol products that weren't formulated with buffering or encapsulating (more friendly to skin) ingredients. The retinol products of today are created with gentle, but efficient formulations, to help encourage glow and give you the skin of your dreams. Retinol is a product you want to "baby step" your way into. We recommend beginning with low strengths and not too frequent application- say, 2-3 times a week, at night. Once skin is comfortable, you can always work your way up to a more frequent application, or a stronger percentage. Some of our favorite retinol products are:

ISClinical Super Serum: a serum that blends vitamin c and retinol to help firm the skin and bust up pore clogging dead skin cells.

Epicuren Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Complex: a creamy cocktail of retinol and glycolic acid to rapidly reduce dead skin on face and plump up fine lines and wrinkles.