Retinol Serum

Your best skin. Transformed.

Retinol, also known as Vitamin A, is powerful ingredient. It effectively works to resurface the skin. This allows the skin to appear visibly smoother with by reducing the appearance of acne and acne scars.

More power to play with.

Pure as gold.

Retinol is heralded as a must have ingredient in skincare. Many studies back the importance and effectiveness of this ingredient. The benefits are numerous.

Collagen

Retinol improves the appearance of your skin through several mechanisms. One is through the inhibition of collagenase, which is an enzyme that breaks down collagen. By preventing collagen degradation, the skin may appear more firm while lines and wrinkles may be diminished.

Skin cell turnover

Retinol has also been studied for its ability to initiate the increase of epidermal proliferation, which means it may help to support skin growth. The skin normally takes about 28 days from the first formation of a cell until that cell naturally sheds off. Retinol has been suggested to speed up this process to 14 to 16 days. This effect has been linked with a thicker skin and improvement in the appearance of fullness in the skin.

Exfoliation

Additionally, retinoids exfoliate the skin by supporting the natural shedding of the skin. The uppermost layers of the skin are typically composed of 14 layers of densely packed dead skin cells. These dead skin cells form the protective barrier that prevents moisture loss, bacteria overgrowth, and damage. However, in some people, shedding this layer may help to improve pigmentation and reduce the frequency of blemishes. The use of topical retinol helps to slough off some of these surface layers.

The combination of rapid regeneration of cells and exfoliation may help to improve the appearance of aging skin and reduce the appearance of dark spots and blemishes. Over time these actions may improve the appearance of acne, soften the skin, lift dark spots and reduce the visibility of wrinkles.

Antioxidant

Lastly, retinol functions as an antioxidant to limit oxidative damage caused by free radicals.

Antioxidants help to prevent free radical damage. Free radicals are produced by a natural process in the body called oxidative stress. However, environmental factors such as UV rays, smoking, diet, and pollution can increase the number of free radicals in the body.

This increase can be detrimental, as free radicals have been linked with damage to the body’s cells and studies suggest that they may be linked to aging. The ability of retinol to work as an antioxidant may provide the skin with a little extra protection.

Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpig-

mentation

Retinoids are often used to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation. They work by speeding up the skin’s natural shedding process, removing the pigmented skin from the surface. They also may work to influence the molecules that are responsible for pigment in the skin, melanocytes, allowing for regular arrangement of pigment in the skin.

The main thing to remember when using any retinoid product is that you need to use it in conjunction with sunscreen. This is particularly important when using retinoids for hyperpigmentation as the sun will contribute to the appearance of hyperpigmentation.

Acne

In acne prone skin, retinoids may help to reduce hormone driven excess sebum production, think oily skin. It may also help to reduce blockages in the pores, and reduce the inflammatory response.

Aging

Retinoids are widely used to reduce the signs of aging on the skin. While the aging processes of the skin are highly complex and depend on genetic and environmental factors, retinol and its retinoid counterparts have been shown to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles as well as improve skin texture and laxity.

Psoriasis

There is some new research that suggests that retinoids may help to support the treatment of psoriasis.