Fall can be a hectic time for skin care. The changing seasons bring cold weather, dry air and less sunlight, depleting you of essential natural vitamins like vitamin D, UVB and B12. Needless to say, it takes a whole lot of adjusting your daily skin care routine to keep up healthy looking skin. Caroline Perdomo, and esthetician from The Spa, shares with us an easy and simple way to give your skin a fresh start to boost cell renewal and rejuvenation with products that are proven to work. So, what’s the secret?
“My favorite, and one of my most powerful ‘secret weapons’ when it comes to reversing the effects of aging… is retinol.”
What is retinol?
A form of vitamin A, retinol or retinoic acid, is clinically proven to improve the appearance of aging skin, acne and skin discoloration. It also helps promote cell regeneration, improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, skin discoloration and blemishes. When applied to the skin, retinol converts to retinoic acid and is often considered a more tolerable form of vitamin A.
How does retinol benefit the skin?
With age, the skin’s natural cell regeneration decreases which may result in a dull, uneven skin tone and rough skin texture. A topical retinol cream helps promote turnover of surface cells, which means dead skin cells shed faster, revealing visibly healthier and brighter skin. Similarly, retinol’s exfoliation mechanism helps improve the appearance of blemishes by preventing dead skin cells from clogging pores.
What do you look for when purchasing retinol?
Purity is essential for retinol absorption in skin because pure retinol most easily and actively converts to retinoic acid (highest concentrate of vitamin A). This is why it’s important to always look for a high concentration of pure retinol vs. retinol derivatives such as retinyl palmitate.
My preferred product line, SkinCeuticals, uses pure, high concentrations of retinol enhanced with stabilization technology to ensure maximum conversion and efficiency. The Spa at Woodside offers three levels of retinol night cream, perfect for all skin types, moving up with gradual intensity levels. This unique technology allows full dosage to be delivered into the skin slowly and evenly for less irritation than prescriptive retinols.
Other notes about retinol:
Vitamin A in retinol form is a powerful source for active exfoliation. Results may occur immediately or within days, depending on skin type and current exfoliation routine, It is safe for use with most skin types, when used correctly.
Nightly application on a clean skin can be routine and is best practiced with skin adjusting to a higher purity strength over a few weeks.
Always apply sun protection in the morning and throughout the day as the regeneration process will leave skin vulnerable while using pure retinol within that week.
Retinol is appropriate for many skin types. It can assist in the reducing acne and therefore is especially helpful for teens. Hyperpigmented and aging skin will change visibly and brightening of the complexion should result.
Caroline Perdomo
Caroline Perdomo is a certified esthetician and representative of SkinCeuticals skin care products with the intent to educate and inform on the many benefits of retinol.
Stop by The Spa at Woodside for a complimentary skin care analysis to see if retinol is right for you.
Note: Stop the use of retinol at least five days prior to waxing or other skin treatments such as chemical peels.
