Vitamin A or Retinol is an extremely effective skin-transforming ingredient that seems to know just what your skin needs to help diminish visible signs of aging. Combined with Vitamin c and sunscreen, it does wonders to your skin.
What does Retinol do ?
Over 40 years of established research shows it can help visibly increase the appearance of firmness, minimize fine lines and wrinkles and even open pores . They improve uneven skin tone, smooth and refine the surface of skin.This plumping action of tretinoin is not the temporary kind of plumping achieved from moisturisers.
How Does Retinol Work?
The plumping is because of increased collagen production under the skin, so the results last. It is also because of this reason that Tretinoin is a gold standard in removing wrinkles. For acne prone skin, Tretinoin / Retino A is a spot treatment, scar removal cream plus an anti-aging night-cream. It doesn’t get better than this.
What You Need to Know Before Buying and Using Retinol
All forms of vitamin A break down and deteriorate when exposed to air and light. Only buy a retinol product if it’s packaged in an opaque container that eliminates or minimizes exposure to air and light.
If you are new to using retinol, start slowly
Apply your retinol product once every other three days for a month and then on alternative days for another month. You can apply it around your eyes too and follow with an eye cream, if preferred. I use a hypo allergic moisturizers along with it.
*Make sure the rest of your skincare routine is soothing and entle
Use a gentle cleanser, soothing toner, hypoallergic moisturizers, and serums loaded with antioxidants and skin-restoring ingredients to help your skin get maximum benefits from the retinol.
Click to see my List of The Best Cleansers
Always apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen rated SPF 30 or Higher
Even the proven anti-aging ingredients won’t be able to deliver the results you want if you neglect sunscreen. Retinal definitely makes your skin more sensitive so Unprotected sun exposure and getting a tan (indoors or outside) is just bad for skin. Daily use of sunscreen as directed, along with other sun protection measures, decreases the early skin aging caused by the sun.
Click to find the best sunscreens for each and every skin type with Ingredient Analysis
Don’t depend on retinol products alone
As great as retinol is for all skin types, everyone’s skin needs more than just one ingredient to look and feel better. It needs a mix of beneficial ingredients to look younger.
L’oreal Paris Revitalift range night cream
My Review
Low retinol content, I did not find any changes on my skin. It is comodogenic 🙁 so might cause acne flare ups and has a strong fragrance which gave me headaches. It might be due to my sensitive skin because i have seen people rave about this product.
My mom used this one and she still prefers the 40+ cream to this one. 🙂
Ingredients:
The Revitalift night cream contains nanosomes of pro-retinol and dermo-elastyl. These active ingredients reduce the presence of wrinkles in skin and genuinely strengthen the support tissues of the skin. The cream balances the skin and leaves it feeling clean and noticeably smoother.
- The fresh, revitalised feeling becomes apparent after only a few days of use.
- It moisturises skin and is absorbed quickly into it, without leaving it greasy.
- improve the texture of the skin and to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- It can even be used on sensitive skin
- non-greasy
- formula doesn’t cause breakouts and allergies.
Pond’s age miracle range night cream:
My Review:
I dont have anything positive or negative about this cream if I take it as a normal night cream. The night cream does moisturise and is matte but It doesn’t work on fine lines or wrinkles as the retinol content is too low.
Pond’s age miracle range night cream has comodogenic ingredients 🙁 in it along with fragrance. This cream caused sweating for me and leaves a white cast. It is heavy and hence makes me uncomfortable. I used the whole range but i will not be buying it again.
I think people in their twenties and those of you who do not have fine lines yet can also try this. I think it suits fair skin tones. The day cream too leaves a white cast or should i say pink cast. Ahh, this purchase was a disaster for me.
The serum is good, it is silky and gets absorbed instantly. but other than that, i did not get any results.
Vichy Liftactiv Retinol HA SPF 18:
My Review:
This one definitely works for me. There was a glow on my face. My skin looked clean, even toned and calm. There was no inflammation, sweating or anything uncomfortable about this. The three in one face wash from this brand is awesome too. Loved it. But its costly compared to other counterparts.
Neutrogena rapid wrinkle repair moisturizer:
My Review:
Another serum that worked on my skin. Neutrogena rapid repair serum even toned my skin and gave a glow to my skin weeks after i started it, just like I had done a facial.
Both the day n night cream eventually brightens your skin, reduces pore size, minimises fine lines too. but you have to be consistent for it to work on fine lines. This remains as one of my favourites.
Dr. Reddy’s Strea A-15 capsules:
I haven’t used this one as I couldn’t find it anywhere at that time. Now its back in stock.
This is what Dr.Reddy Strea A-15 Says:- Strea A15 is a unique formulation of Vitamin A in Retinol form.
Retinol is delivered to skin in precise, most stable & in purest form. Strea A15 is recommended to use as a daily skin care agent to refine the skin texture and improves cellular regeneration. The product is ideal to complement the ongoing skin care programme as a maintenance agent for best skin rejuvenation.
Ranbaxy Yugard retinol cream:
My Review:
This is a dermatologist recommended cream which contains pure retinol. I used cetaphil intense moisturizer along with this so I did not have any irritation or other issues. Don’t forget sunscreen ever even when at home. In three months you will notice a difference in your skin. Use 30+++ or above when using yugard cream.
1. Wrinkles and age spots
2. Dead skin or scaly skin
3. Pigmentation
4. Acne and acne scars
5. Dull lifeless skin
It really gives results, although one that acts slowly.
Description:
Yugard facial Cream contains Retinol. Retinol work by causing surface skin cells to shed rapidly, making way for new skin cells underneath. They prevent collagen breakdown in the skin and thicken the skin to prevent formation of wrinkles. For hyper pigmentation, retinoids exfoliates dark skin cells and reduce the formation of melanin.
Bello Yugard antiageing cream:
This cream is from sun pharmaceuticals. Yugard can help improve hyper pigmented brown spots left by pimples. That is because it induces exfoliation of skin cells, so new, healthier skin cells come up faster and the pigmented cells are gotten rid of.
Retino-A 0.025%,0.05%,0.1% :
My Review:
This cream has been with me for the past 4 years or so. I use Elovera Vitamin e intense moisturiser along with it. My skin is used to retinol now so I don’t have any problems.
When you start ,you might see flaking of skin if you don’t use a really good moisturiser. But I still haven’t increased the concentration yet. I started slow, once in three days for two months,then by 6 months i could using it daily. It depends on your skin tolerance.
Update on 23.07.2018 : Increased concentration to 0.05% 🙂
My Experience With Retinol
I have used most of the below creams in my experimental days 🙂 but the only over the counter products that worked for my sensitive skin were those of Vichy and Neutrogena. Even though I swear by these two products, I switched to dermatologist recommended creams as they are economical and more potent. 🙂
My skin was really dull and uneven that’s when I decided to start using these. Now my skin has improved a lot. I’m not a product junkie by the way.
- Dermatologist recommended products definitely work but you have to use intense moisturiser and sunscreen or else you will end up damaging your skin but it’s worth the pain.
I’m using retino-a for the past 4 years along with my night cream. Make sure not to use harsh scrubs or bleaches as your skin is more sensitive when you start retinol. Use skin soothing creams like these during the first couple of months.
If you have sensitive skin like me then follow up with a hypo allergic fragrance free moisturiser like Cetaphil, Elovera, Avene and A-derma skin repair cream. These are my go to products.
Click to find the best Skin Healing And Repair Creams
