Navigating skincare products can be complex and messy, with endless options and promises. But there is one skincare ingredient that consumers and dermatologists have agreed on for years\u2014and that\u2019s retinol<\/a>. But just how effective is a retinol serum? Should you be using a retinol cream instead? What’s the proper way of using this skincare ingredient? Read on for everything you ever wanted to know about retinol, including how to choose the best retinol products for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In short, retinol<\/a> refers to a type of vitamin A. It\u2019s been found in skincare products since the early 1970s, gaining popularity for helping to improve a wide range of skin conditions, including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Most products with retinol can be available without a prescription, with more potent products available by prescription to help fight acne and other more serious skin concerns. <\/p>\n\n\n The terms retinol and retinoids are often used interchangeably. Retinol is actually a type of retinoid, but there are some differences to be aware of when adding a retinol product to your skincare routine: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Both retinoids and retinol<\/a> help increase the turnover of skin cells, which can help fight blemishes and reduce lines\/wrinkles when used regularly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Retinol<\/a> seeps into the outer layer of skin, where it helps prevent the signs of aging by promoting a firm, supple and smooth look. For this process to occur, the retinol in your product must be converted to retinoic acid. When it comes to how to use retinol effectively<\/a>, there are two oxidation steps needed for this conversion, including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Topical retinol is praised for its many benefits. What exactly does retinol do<\/a> when used regularly in your skincare routine?\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n The consensus in the skincare community is to apply topical retinol serum or cream as part of your rejuvenating skincare regimen<\/a> at night and to avoid application if you have any plans to be in the sun. Why? Retinol can be highly unstable when exposed to UV light, thus becoming less effective. More importantly, it may cause your skin to become extra sensitive, so be sure to apply SPF<\/a> as part of any skincare regimen that includes retinol. Additionally, you can apply a moisturizer<\/a> to hydrate and help reduce skin irritation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While retinoids are available in both oral and topical forms, retinol is typically only available in topical applications in these types of products: <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re wondering how to start using a retinol skincare product, we\u2019ve got you: <\/p>\n\n\n\n When first using retinol, you may encounter these issues (although often these side effects will diminish after a few weeks): <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you experience more severe irritation that doesn\u2019t resolve over time, you should discontinue using the product and contact your dermatologist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to going slow (incorporating retinol into your regimen gradually) and low (using a low percentage product), some other tips to help minimize side effects include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Murad, and are for informational purposes only, even if the advice of physicians and medical practitioners are included. This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and should not be considered specific medical advice.\u202f\u202f<\/em>\u202f<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n More about retinol here:<\/strong>\u202f\u202f References for this information:<\/strong>\u202f A beginner\u2019s guide to retinol Navigating skincare products can be complex and messy, with endless options and promises. But there is one skincare ingredient that consumers and dermatologists have agreed on for years\u2014and that\u2019s retinol. But just how effective is a retinol serum? Should you be using a retinol cream instead? What’s the proper way […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":3591,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-skin"],"metadata":{"_edit_lock":["1751300884:80"],"_edit_last":["21"],"adobe_analytics_repeatable":["a:1:{i:0;a:2:{s:4:\"name\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"value\";s:0:\"\";}}"],"_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":["5"],"show_featured_image":["1"],"_show_featured_image":["field_609ee1cf1ce13"],"primary_category":["5"],"_primary_category":["field_608c33bdd26d5"],"mobile_image":[""],"_mobile_image":["field_60bf7692abe28"],"_post_views_count":["field_6107dfafd6a27"],"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":["5"],"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":["30"],"_thumbnail_id":["3591"],"post_views_count":["11699"],"_wp_old_date":["2022-02-23"],"sidebar_products_use_global_default":["0"],"_sidebar_products_use_global_default":["field_63a349a11086a"],"sidebar_products_items":[""],"_sidebar_products_items":["field_63a349a110878"],"sidebar_products":[""],"_sidebar_products":["field_63a349a0dadad"],"_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":["Learn all you need to know about retinol in our beginner's guide. Discover how to use it, its benefits, and potential side effects for glowing skin."],"sidebar_products_title":["Related Products"],"_sidebar_products_title":["field_6408d62123449"],"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":["what is retinol"],"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":["37"]},"aioseo_notices":[],"acf":{"show_featured_image":true,"primary_category":{"term_id":5,"name":"Skin","slug":"skin","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":238,"filter":"raw"},"mobile_image":false,"post_views_count":"11699","sidebar_products":{"use_global_default":false,"title":"Related Products","items":""}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3427"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3427\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7214,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3427\/revisions\/7214"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/3591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What is retinol? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Retinol vs. retinoids <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What does retinol do for your skin? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Benefits of using retinol regularly <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How can you use retinol? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What should you look for when buying retinol products? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Are there any side effects to using retinol? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Minimizing retinol side effects <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The complete retinol review, part 2: A basic manual for putting together your ideal restorative skincare routine <\/a>
The complete retinol review, part 3: How to use retinol effectively, while side-stepping side effects <\/a>
The complete retinol review, part 4: Debunking the viral myths around skincare’s continually buzzy ingredient <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
American Academy of Dermatology Website,<\/em> Everyday Care<\/a>\u202f
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology<\/em>, 2015, volume 15, issue 1, pages 49-57\u202f
Advances in Dermatology and Allergology<\/em>, 2019, volume 36, pages 392-397<\/a>\u202f
Clinical Interventions in Aging<\/em>, 2006, volume 4, pages 327-348\u202f
<\/a>American Osteopathic College of Dermatology website,<\/em> Retinoids<\/a>\u202f\u202f <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"