Article Overview
- Retinol and retinoids are two powerful ingredients commonly used in skincare products to address signs of ageing and improve the skin's overall health. While they share similar properties and are both derived from vitamin A, there are important distinctions between the two that determine how they are used in skincare.
- Let’s take a look at the difference between retinol and retinoids.
What Are Retinoids?
Retinoids encompass a group of compounds derived from vitamin A, including retinol, tretinoin, adapalene, and tazarotene. They are more potent than retinol and require a prescription from a healthcare professional. Retinoids are used to address a range of skin concerns, including wrinkles, fine lines, acne, and pigmentation issues. Due to their potency, they aren't recommended for all skin types, as they're more likely to cause side effects such as dryness, redness and peeling, especially when first introduced into a skincare routine.
What Is Retinol?
Retinol is a mild, over-the-counter vitamin A derivative that helps improve the skin's texture, tone, and overall appearance. Retinol is often recommended as a starting point for those who are new to using retinoids, as it’s generally better tolerated and less likely to cause irritation compared to other forms of retinoids.
How Are Retinol And Retinoids Different?
Retinol and retinoids are both vitamin-A derivatives, but differ in their potency, suitability to certain skin types, and how long they both take for results to appear.
Retinoids
- Mostly prescription products
- Addresses fine lines and wrinkles, skin texture, pigmentation and skin tone
- Converts directly to retinoic acid for faster skin improvements
- Very potent and not suited to all skin types
Retinol
- Over the counter products
- Addresses fine lines and wrinkles, skin texture, pigmentation and skin tone
- Not as fast-acting as retinoids—skin benefits can take time
- Lower concentrations that can be formulated to suit most skin types
Can Every Skin Type Use Retinoids?
When introduced gradually, retinol and retinoids are generally well-tolerated by most skin types, but some may experience side effects. These side effects are an expected response to the skin growing accustomed to the product, but if skin is overly dry, sensitive and irritated for more than a couple months, you might need to stop using the product.
Starting with a very low dose and gradually increasing the frequency of using retinoids can help to mitigate the side effects. You should also use sunscreen daily, as retinoids increase the skin's sensitivity to UV rays.
How Are Retinoids And Retinol Used In Skincare?
Retinoids and retinol are used in skincare to address a number of anti-ageing skin concerns, as well as pigmentation and acne-prone skin. Both retinol and retinoids are typically applied to the skin at night as part of a skincare routine. They can come in the form of creams or serums, often formulated with moisturising ingredients or other anti-ageing ingredients. If you're interested in adding retinol or retinoids to your routine, here are some tips for incorporating them effectively:
1. Apply At Night
Retinol and retinoids should be added to your nighttime skincare routine as they can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight. Use them after cleansing and toning, but before applying moisturiser.
2. Apply Slowly, Increasing Frequency Overtime
When starting with retinol or retinoids, it is advisable to use them 2-3 times per week and gradually increase frequency as the skin becomes more accustomed to the product. This helps minimise the risk of irritation.
3. Moisturise and Hydrate
Another way to minimise skin irritation from retinoids and retinol is by following them with hydrating ingredients. Serums containing hyaluronic acid can counterbalance the drying effects of retinoids, followed by your regular moisturiser.
4. Use Sunscreen
Because retinol makes the skin more photosensitive, it’s even more important that you use a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day. An SPF 50+, broad-spectrum facial sunscreen, like the Ultra Facial Defence Sunscreen, provides very high protection against harmful UV rays.
*ALWAYS READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE.
Apply 20 minutes before sun exposure. Sunscreen is only one part of sun protection so wear protective clothing and seek shade. Avoid prolonged sun exposure. Reapply every 2 hours before and after swimming, towelling and perspiring in accordance with directions.
Explore SkinCeuticals’ Retinol Products
SkinCeuticals offers a range of skincare products formulated with retinol to address various skin concerns.
Retinol 0.3
A gentle retinol eye cream that helps diminish the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and under-eye circles, while improving overall skin texture. The low concentration makes it suitable as an introductory retinol product.
Retinol 0.5
This gentle, yet effective retinol serum is ideal as an introductory retinol or for those increasing their dosage from the 0.3 cream. It helps improve skin texture and radiance while minimising the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Retinol 1.0
For those looking for more advanced retinol treatment, Retinol 1.0 offers a higher concentration of retinol to enhance skin renewal and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Tripeptide-R Neck Repair
This luxurious neck cream combines 0.2% retinol with tripeptides to improve skin elasticity, firmness, and texture in the delicate neck area.
To discover the best retinol product for your unique skin concerns, use our online Routine Finder, visit one of our SkinCeuticals SkinLab locations.
Shop Featured Products
Retinol 0.3 Anti-Ageing Night Cream
Our concentrated retinol face cream uses pure retinol 0.3% to improve the appearance of visible signs of ageing and pores while minimising breakouts.
Retinol 0.5 Anti-Ageing Night Cream
SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 is a concentrated refining retinol night cream to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and skin discolouration
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Retinol 1.0 Anti-Ageing Night Cream
A high-concentration pure retinol 1% anti-ageing cream for experienced retinol users to refine the signs of ageing skin
Tripeptide-R Retinol Neck Repair Cream
Tripeptide-R Neck Repair Cream targets visible neck ageing in a retinol cream formulated with peptides. Improve the appearance of wrinkles, crepiness and uneven skin tone with a neck firming cream proven to achieve firmer, more defined results. Incorporating slow-release retinol for wrinkles into your daily care regime will help fortify fragile skin, in addition to complementing neck contouring professional treatments.
