Vitamin A is the enduring anti-aging ingredient everyone’s fascinated by, but if you worry about the initial irritation it can sometimes cause, dermatologist Dr Elyse Love suggests applying a thin layer of gentle moisturiser first, a thin layer of your retinol/retinoid a few minutes later, then a final thin layer of the same moisturiser. “It’s like building a sandwich,” Love explains. “The moisturiser creates a buffer that will dilute the retinol in those first few weeks.”
Retinoids reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen. They also stimulate the production of new blood vessels in the skin, which improves skin color. Additional benefits include fading age spots and softening rough patches of skin.
A skin product that contains retinoids is a good option for someone with mild acne, mild pigmentation irregularities, or mild fine lines and wrinkles.