Another ingredient and step to include in your skincare routine?! Seems crazy right? However, I have learned this ingredient can be so powerful and has become a new staple in my routine. I am a little on the crazy side when it comes to analyzing every fine line, wrinkle and gray hair coming in (Hello 27!) so I knew I wanted to try retinol. I always thought this ingredient was for those in their 40’s+ but I was very wrong! So today I am going to share the in’s and outs of what retinol is and how you can benefit from it! Plus the product that got me into trying this new ingredient!

What is Retinol?

Retinol is a type of retinoid in which there are many versions like face creams, serums etc. but even the strength of the retinol can vary as some require a prescription! I liked this description given by dermatologist Shari Marchbein, M.D since it is so straight forward. “Retinoids work by increasing collagen production as well as increasing the rate of skin cell turnover, they also help treat acne, blackheads, and clogged pores by reducing the stickiness of the cells that clog pores, as well as speeding up the rate at which the skin turns over and regenerates.” So retinol is a game changer for skin texture, minimizing pores and helping reduce fine lines! I won’t lie that I was very nervous to try a retinol since I have sensitive skin so I wanted to ease into it which brings me to my next topic.

What Retinol I Tried

I have reviewed and talked about the Beauty Bio Glo Pro countless times on the blog. Another product I thought about purchasing for quite sometime was their R45 the Reversal, which is a 3 step retinol system. I liked the idea of this product since it comes in 3 separate stages with varying retinol strengths. I thought this would be good for my skin to be able to work up to the stronger strengths and I was right! This 45 day retinol system is instructed to use only twice a year. I love following Beauty Bio and the founder Jamie O’Banion as she does these “boosts” on her Instagram stories and really sold me on the results and made me feel comfortable on how to use the product. If you are interested in retinol but are scared to take the leap I strongly suggest following her! The system targets aging – discoloration, wrinkles, enlarged pores and uneven texture and claims to be safe for all skin types which I can attest too since we all know how sensitive my skin is! I will say I took longer than 45 days to complete. As I progressed into the last step I took several days in between so my skin would not get too sensitive.

Dematologists suggest starting with lower retinol percentages and building your way up. Thats why I loved this product so much! It allowed my skin to get used to a retinol and not have a bad reaction. “0.05% is a good place to start if you don’t have sensitive skin, and you can work up to stronger amounts over time. If you have more serious acne, your doctor can prescribe you a prescription retinoid (adapalene or tretinoin), that will be more potent, but can also be more irritating.” Also start using retinol once every week and then build up to daily to give your skin time to get used to it!

Side Affects

You can expect some dryness, redness, and peeling which can be result of the cells turning over. It is VERY important that you ALWAYS wear SPF when using retinol. Retinol can make your skin more sensitive to the sun creating dryness so make sure you take care of your skin. I make sure I keep my skin super moisturized with moisturizers and my hyaluronic acid serum.

What Retinol I am Looking to Start Next

So what retinol should I try next now that I have completed this system? I am looking at 2 options! The Beauty Bio the Nightly or the Shani Darden Retinol Reform. I am thinking of buying the trial size of the Shani Darden retinol as I have heard AWESOME reviews on it! I would like to try both at some point and see what different results I get from each!

In conclusion, remember that not all skincare products are for everyone! This is by all means not me saying you MUST use a retinol. I have found out in the past year that simple skincare is better so if you already have a routine that works for you and your skin keep with it!