You may know that retinol is a powerful age fighting ingredient, however you may be inclined to believe that it’s not for you, that it’s just for people with more mature skin. Once upon a time that’s how it was prescribed, to reverse existing signs of aging. But we’re here to tell you that as science continues to learn and formulations evolve, so do we; now we know the truth, retinol really is for all!
Preventative Maintenance that Measures Up
Let’s take a minute to consult Webster…
Preventive maintenance (v)
The regular and routine maintenance of equipment and assets in order to keep them running and prevent any costly unplanned downtime. A successful maintenance strategy requires planning and scheduling maintenance before a problem occurs.
While your face is not a car, it is with you much longer and should be cared for with a regular routine. Let’s be honest, it’s a lot easier to proactively prevent than to undo what’s already been done. Enter retinol.
Put ‘em up! Fight aging before it starts.
A buzz has been made recently about collagen, people are taking supplements, mixing it in their water, and various other methods to get it in their bodies, but what is collagen? Collagen is a vital protein that your body produces (until about 30 *cough*) that plays an essential role in the structure and function of skin, cartilage, bones & connective tissue. Not 30 yet? Don’t relax too much. Though the body may not stop producing collagen until around 30, it slows production as you age starting from the time you’re in your late teens to early 20s! The result of collagen loss is thinning, drier, less elastic skin. The loss of collagen leads to wrinkle formation. So what does all this depressing news have to do with retinol? Retinol not only stops the depletion of collagen in the skin but promotes the continued and increased production of collagen. What’s more, retinol also stimulates the production of new blood vessels which aids in evening skin tone, diminishing the appearance of dark spots caused by age and sun damage, as well as softening those annoying rough patches.
Not so fast!
While you may be inclined to immediately navigate away from this page and place an order, for a great, gentle retinol serum to douse yourself in, don’t leave just yet. We cannot stress enough to start slow. Retinol is a super powerful ingredient, that’s why we suggest a gentle and clean formula, but no matter how gentle it is, it packs a punch designed to knock out signs of aging. Retinol promotes very rapid turnover and production of skin cells, when overused it can cause irritation, drying and can even appear to create problems that weren’t there to begin with. We suggest starting your retinol routine once a week for the first month before deciding to move to twice a week, if irritation occurs, there’s no shame, go back to once a week. Use only at night, and do not mix with other actives, but be sure to moisturize after. Wash your face the next morning before jumping into your morning routine, and always avoid sun exposure the day following retinol use.