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As y’all know, I’m fast approaching 35, but am working hard to hang onto my youthful glow. Every single skincare expert I’ve spoken with has told me that any anti-aging strategy must have a retinol component. That’s because scientific research shows that retinol does indeed slow down the aging process on the face. What is retinol? Retinol is a fancy name for a natural form of vitamin A. How does it help stop the clock? It exfoliates skin to help unclog pores, smoothes out fine lines and wrinkles; increases skin moisture and elasticity and stimulates new collagen production. Whew! This stuff is no slacker! The problem is that many retinol products can cause redness and skin irritation. Indeed, I have tried a few retinol products that have done just that, including prescription Retin-A, the strongest and most potent of the retinol products available. Retin-A did a number on my skin—it made it red, dry, flaky and it caused me to breakout. So for several months I’ve been searching for a retinol product that would provide me the benefits without any of the drawbacks. I have finally found it—its SkinCeutical’s Retinol 0.5. What’s the significance of the “0.5?” Well, a product must have at least 0.5% pure retinol to provide the benefits of the stuff. This product has this amount. The most a product can have is 1% pure retinol. The SkinCeutical 0.5 product is meant to condition skin not acclimated to retinol. Basically, it’s a starter retinol product. After I finish my bottle of Retinol 0.5, I can move up to the SkinCeutical’s 1.0, which has the maximum amount of pure retinol. Hopefully, by then my skin will be able to tolerate this max dose of retinol and I won’t have any of the irritating side effects, like peeling, redness and dryness. I’ve been using the 0.5 for about six weeks and so far so great. Not only am I not having any irritating side effects. As soon as I apply it, it gives my face this lovely sheen. This product has definitely kept its promise to minimize the size of my pores and prevent breakouts. My skin looks great right now, and hopefully, it will look great ten years from now! Although, the SkinCeutical line is mainly sold through dermatologist offices, I have found it online at good old amazon.com, it’s priced at only $46. (A tube of Retin-A will run you over $100!) And just an FYI: many drugstore products list retinol as an active ingredient, but because they do not disclose the percentage of pure retinol within the product, you have no way of knowing if it contains at least the minimum amount necessary to ensure that you receive the benefits of the retinol. That’s yet another reason I feel confident using the SkinCeutical Retinol product line—I know exactly how much I’m getting. So, ladies, if you’re serious about slowing down the clock on your face, you best get you some retinol!
xoxo,
BB
