Retinol is one of the most popular And a true all-rounder! It smooths your skin, evens out skin tone, combats imperfections, and provides a fresh glow! In this blog post, you'll learn everything you need to know about retinol.
What is retinol and what effect does it have?
Retinol (vitamin A) is one of the most well-researched over-the-counter anti-aging ingredients . It has a cell-communicating effect, meaning it stimulates both cell renewal and collagen production. Existing wrinkles and fine lines are visibly reduced. At the same time, retinol minimizes light-induced skin damage such as pigmentation (age spots) and also provides relief from pimples and acne. With regular use, the skin looks fresher and acquires a beautiful glow. Whether in a face cream or serum, retinol is a truly powerful ingredient that all skin types can benefit from.
Retinol Application: When and how to use retinol correctly
We receive many questions about how and when to use retinol correctly. We recommend starting with a pea-sized amount of our retinol serum once or twice a week in the evening and seeing how your skin reacts. If there is no irritation, you can gradually increase the frequency to daily use . We also recommend incorporating retinol into your evening routine so the active ingredient can work effectively overnight.
Retinol and sun: Always remember SPF!
Retinol (vitamin A) makes skin more sensitive to sunlight. Therefore, when using a retinol serum, you should apply a high-strength sunscreen every day, at least SPF 30 , preferably SPF 50. This applies year-round, not just in summer. Learn more here.
What is the right dosage of retinol?
This question requires a short excursion into the world of retinol forms. The dosage depends largely on which form of retinol you use. The different forms of vitamin A are also called retinoids . In the skin, these retinoids are converted into retinoic acid. The more steps this requires, the milder it is for the skin, but the weaker the effect. The spectrum from mild and less effective to very effective but very irritating looks something like this: retinol ester - retinol - retinal - retinoic acid . While retinol esters are very gentle on the skin but less effective, pure retinoic acid, for example, is highly effective but can also be extremely irritating. Therefore, pure retinoic acid is prescription-only and is only used to treat severe acne.
Retinol is ideal for daily use, e.g., in the form of a retinol serum, because it is gentle on the skin while delivering visible effectiveness. In our DAYTOX , we use a concentration of 0.3% pure, encapsulated retinol . This is a concentration that achieves good results even when used 1-2 times a week and is ideal for both retinol beginners and retinol professionals! By varying the application of the retinol serum (daily or 1-2 times a week), you can easily adjust the desired effects yourself. The special thing about encapsulation is that the pure retinol—which is otherwise very unstable—becomes much more stable and causes less irritation when transported into the skin.
How does retinol interact with other active ingredients?
Retinol is one of the antioxidants that often work synergistically . This means they work better as a team. When it comes to facial care, we therefore recommend never using just one active ingredient, but rather opting for a well-balanced combination. That's why our products always contain several active ingredients that complement each other well—in the case of our retinol serum, for example, microalgae extract and aloe vera.
Can I combine retinol with vitamin C, AHA and BHA acids ?
You often hear and read that retinol shouldn't be used together with vitamin C or AHA and BHA acids (salicylic acid). However, this isn't true; this assumption is based on a misconception that's still being passed on today. It's believed that vitamin C and acids like AHA/BHA lower the skin's pH. Retinol can't fully develop its effects in this acidic environment. Experts usually cite a single (!) study from the 1990s, which, however, is worded in a confusing way. To date, there are no further studies or evidence to support this theory.
Instead, we know that skin naturally has a fairly acidic pH, and retinol works very well in an acidic environment. Therefore, there's nothing to stop these active ingredients from combining. Recent studies even suggest that vitamin C and retinol have a positive effect on each other.
But: Do you have very sensitive skin and already react to retinol, AHA, or BHA acids with redness, dryness, or skin irritation? Then we recommend not using these active ingredients together. In this case, we recommend pausing the use of each active ingredient for a while until your skin has calmed down. Take it slow and find out what works best for your skin.
Retinol for sensitive skin
Retinol is generally well-tolerated and suitable for all skin types. Our Retinol Serum, for example, has been tested on sensitive skin and found to be safe and well-tolerated.
Of course, it's still possible that your skin doesn't tolerate retinol well and reacts with irritation or redness. This can happen with rosacea or atopic dermatitis , for example. In this case, start slowly by applying retinol once and then wait 1-2 days to see how your skin reacts. Perhaps using it once a week is ideal for you.
Retinol during pregnancy
Although retinol in general, and our retinol serum in particular, is very well tolerated, there is one exception: you should avoid retinol completely during pregnancy and while breastfeeding .
