Retinol, retinal & tretinoin.

Jeopardy answer: what are vitamin A derivatives?

Next to SPF, vitamin A is one of your skin’s best friends to slow the signs of aging. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant (we love those) with a roster of benefits, like …

• Stimulating collagen production and promoting cell turnover (read: diminishing wrinkles and fine lines)

• Regulating sebum production to reduce oiliness and prevent clogged pores

• Reducing hyperpigmentation by inhibiting melanin production

• Protecting against UV damage

There are two important parts to vitamin A – provitamin A carotenoids, and retinoids. Think of provitamin A carotenoids as A-rich foods we consume that also help us maintain healthy skin (carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale and mangoes, to name a few). Retinoids – the active forms of vitamin A – are where products factor in. And there are three popular forms comprising a majority market share in our skincare: retinol, retinal and tretinoin.

Retinol
Let’s start with the most beginner-friendly of the bunch, and the umbrella term for this skincare category. Retinol can be found in many over-the-counter products, with varying concentrations. For clients with “normal” skin looking to introduce an anti-aging component to their skin, a retinol is where I like to start (especially if they’re in their late 20s/early 30s). Why? When applied to the skin, retinol undergoes a 2-step conversion process to eventually become retinoic acid (the purest retinoid form). That gradual transition makes retinol a milder option compared to its other retinoid siblings. This SkinCeuticals retinol is one I’ve used and recommend a lot … I like when brands have multiple concentrations that you can slowly ease your way through. I also like Revision Skincare’s formula.

Retinal
Short for ‘retinaldehyde’, retinal is lesser known than retinol but stronger in its anti-aging delivery. Once applied to the skin, retinal only requires one step to convert to retinoic acid, meaning it acts faster than retinol. It’s generally tolerated better than tretinoin, but is still gentle enough to be a great option for most skin types. I’m in my mid 30s and this is where you’ll find me. I really like Barefaced’s RetinAL and currently have Medik8’s Crystal Retinal in my routine. I’ve been recommending Medik8 more lately because it’s another brand with multiple concentrations.

Tretinoin
Tretinoin (‘tret’) is a purer form of retinoic acid and only available via prescription. Because tret is already in its active form, it doesn’t have any extra conversion steps once applied to the skin; it’s strong and gets straight to business to exfoliate dead skin cells. She’s a frequent flyer at dermatology offices for this reason, especially for acne-prone clients. That sloughing or flaking that tret is known for is also why it’s super important to ease tret into your routine if prescribed to you – over exfoliating is easy with this one. No product recommendations from me when it comes to tret, I’m leaving that to the derm professionals.

Key things to remember!

1. Start low and slow. If you’re just beginning this journey, pick a lower concentration and start with 1-2 times a week. You can gradually increase that frequency (and concentration) as your skin tolerates it.

2. Save it for the PM. All of these formulas make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so best to let them do their work in the dark.

3. Rinse and SPF before sun exposure. I always do a quick rinse with some micellar water before heading to the gym in the morning. And if I know there’s a chance the sun may hit my face, I’ll do a quick apply of my favorite SPF.

4. Avoid over-exfoliation. If your nighttime routine also includes something like an AHA serum or BHA toner, along with actives like vitamin C, you’ll want to split custody and give each of them their own night for some face time. All of those things in one night would have your skin feeling some spice in a way we don’t necessarily want.

5. Moisturize as needed. If you’re more of a dry skin girl, you can do a little bit of a “sandwich” method and apply some moisturizer before your retinol. As always with product application, remember to give each one their time to sit and dry down before the next.

Ok, that’s it for today – any questions from the class? And obviously, thank you so much for reading Esthetically.