BEAUTY
Myths About Retinol That You Need To Stop Believing
By JELENA ASKA
The Purge Period
When retinol is first added to a skincare routine, some experience dry and flaky skin, acne, and redness that can last a few weeks as your skin is resurfacing. To avoid severe reactions, introduce retinol slowly by applying the product sparingly once a week, then gradually increase as your skin adapts.
Daily Use
Although it seems sensible that the more you use something, the better it will work, the opposite is true about retinol. While it can be used daily if your skin is happy with that, three times a week is more than enough, although the lower the percentage of retinol in a product, the more frequently it can be used.
A Cure For Acne
Retinol can help lessen the appearance of acne as it unblocks pores and helps maintain a healthy cell turnover, but it won’t cure it. Hormonal acne isn't on the skin's surface, which is what retinol targets and those with severe acne won’t see as much progress as they would from tretinoin, a stronger type of retinoid.
Wash And Dry Your Face
Applying retinol to a wet face won't irritate the skin, but it may make it absorb deeper, which is counteractive to using it for skin resurfacing. In the 1980s, Retin-A was new, and instructions were to wash and wait 20 minutes before applying, but formulas are more advanced today and the waiting can be skipped.
Don’t Use with AHAs and BHAs
If your skin isn't sensitive, you can try retinol with exfoliating acids, as studies show that "combining retinol and an AHA exfoliant together can be an effective combination for hyperpigmentation caused by acne." As always, introduce products slowly and protect your skin barrier with a good moisturizer.