If you're not a fan of layering half a dozen products on your face and neck every morning, you�ll love this one. In addition to retinol, it's got a little bit of everything else you need -- from antioxidants to moisturizing ingredients -- so it can replace your treatment products and your lotion. (However, you should still apply more sunscreen on top -- annoying, we know, but totally necessary.) New York City dermatologist Debra Jaliman, MD, likes this product because it works quickly -- you'll see a change in a week. She says it has to do with a combination of Accelerated Retinol SA (a retinol that works all day long) and glucose, which keeps the retinol molecule from breaking down before it gets a chance to get to work on your cells.
This blend of ferulic acid (one of the best antioxidants available) and retinol is incredibly gentle, but also really effective. While the retinol speeds up exfoliation to get rid of wrinkles and dark spots, the ferulic acid prevents more damage. We love that this formula also contains salicylic acid and willow bark as bonus breakout-fighters. It absorbs quickly without being greasy, and it comes with microfiber pads you can use to apply the serum. (They're completely unnecessary, but silky and amazing -- we've been using them with our eye makeup remover instead.)
Woolery-Lloyd formulated this serum for patients who were worried about brown spots but wanted an alternative to prescription-strength hydroquinone (a controversial ingredient that's been linked to allergies and even cancer). In addition to retinol, it contains licorice for even more brightening, plus antioxidants to fight free radicals and prevent spots from getting worse. Just don't slather this one all over your face. "Because it's so potent, it's meant to be applied directly on the spots," she explains.
Retinols can dry out even oily skin, so if you're dry to begin with, you may need to pile on extra moisturizer when you use one. But that's not the case with this serum. It is more emollient than most, and it contains an incredible moisturizer, sodium hyaluronate, which is found naturally in your skin. Plus, instead of basic retinol it contains Retinyl Linoleate, a combination of retinol and omega-rich linoleic acid, for even more hydration.
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When to skip retinols
While we've been going on and on about the magic of retinols, we're bummed to say that it's not for everyone. Most doctors tell pregnant women to avoid products with retinol because high levels of vitamin A have been linked to birth defects. (There�s no research proving that vitamin A-derivatives in skin care products are dangerous, but doctors always want to be extra careful if you�re with child.) Woolery-Lloyd suggests that patients with rosacea or eczema also steer clear of retinols. "If your skin is red and irritated to begin with, you don't want to use an ingredient that may make it worse," she says.
Things we love about retinols: They get rid of wrinkles, lighten dark spots, and zap zits better than just about any other skin care ingredient in existence.
Things we hate about retinols: the red, lizard-like skin you get for the first six to eight weeks when you're using one; having to be maniacal about sunscreen; and only being able to use them at night.
If retinols were a boyfriend, we'd be bitching to our friends about how hot-yet-annoying he is.
Which is why we were downright giddy when we found out there are now daytime retinols (yes, you read correctly) on the market. And dermatologists are calling them a game changer. Throw out everything you thought you knew about how to use retinols. With these new products, you can get all of the benefits of every dermatologist's favorite skin care ingredient, morning and night, without your skin peeling off your face.
Skeptical? So were we. But here�s the deal: The old retinols would bombard your skin with retinoic acid, which drastically increased cell turnover. That sloughing off of old cells eventually makes your skin look baby-butt soft and new -- but it causes peeling and redness until your skin gets used to it, which can be six weeks or never (depending on how sensitive your skin is).
The new, over-the-counter retinols are delivered gradually; they're absorbed by your cells and converted to retinoic acid over the course of many hours, says New York City dermatologist Dennis Gross, MD. You still get the turnover, but it's more controlled -- that's what makes them safe to use during the day. Plus, the new retinols also come mixed with antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, sunscreen, and moisturizers -- so they're even less irritating than they were before.
While the combination of retinols with every other ingredient you could possibly want sounds like the Holy Grail of skin care, there's a catch: You still have to be careful about SPF.
"It doesn't matter if you use them at night or during the day," says Miami dermatologist Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD. "Retinols change your skin in a way that makes it more sensitive to the sun." And here's where the marketing hype comes in: The fact that some of these daytime retinols contain SPF doesn't mean anything -- you should still apply more sunscreen on top.
There aren't a ton of daytime retinols on the market -- yet. But here are the ones we're most exited about, and how to figure out which one might be your new go-to.
