Your Guide to Retinol

Retinol comes from the Vitamin A family and is a powerful active ingredient that can help nearly all skin concerns. It works hard so you don’t have to by telling your cells to reproduce healthy new ones, shed the old ones and stimulate collagen production all while you sleep! This super hero ingredient tackles everything from acne to aging, pigmentation and more. Curious as to how it will benefit you and get your skin glowing?

AGING: production of collagen and healthy cells slows down by the year. Retinol increases both of these functions, encouraging your skin to act like a 20 year old again (yay!)

ACNE: reduce texture, clogged pores and regulate oil production, leading to a clearer complexion.

PIGMENTATION: encourage pigmentation to come to the surface and shed off rapidly. This includes hyperpigmentation from old acne, sun spots or hormonal pigment.

A few words of caution, while retinol brings an array of benefits, a gentle approach is crucial for maximum results. Start slow by incorporating your new product 2x a week and increase to daily use (at night) throughout the course of a few weeks. Flaking is normal as your skin becomes acclimated to this powerful ingredient, pair it with a lot of hydration to make sure your skin stays balanced.

Some of my favorite retinol products we carry at refresh:

Ageless Repair Cream— a luxurious night cream for sensitive skin types that need a gentle approach to retinol. The glycolic acid and shea butter make it perfect for dry and anti-aging skin types.

Ageless Overnight Retinol Mask— a mask that applies like a moisturizer, sleep in it and rinse in the morning. Great for all skin types (use 2-3x a week)

Derm-A-Gel— a nightly serum great for all skin types, retinol beginners and our fave for acne

Need help picking a formula, send us a message— let’s chat skin!

xx holly