'I typically recommend patients apply a moisturizer on top to alleviate any potential dryness,' Dr.

Kim cautions.Īs we talked about earlier, the ideal frequency is different for everyone, so start slow and small (a pea-sized amount) in terms of dosage and build up over the course of a few weeks. However, 'it's important to note that 1 percent retinol is a relatively high concentration and could be irritating to people with sensitive skin, especially patients with eczema or rosacea,' Dr. It also happens to a Best of Beauty Award winner, in case that sways you. Kim recommends Drunk Elephant's A-Passioni Retinol Cream, which contains 1 percent retinol encased in nourishing oils like passionfruit, apricot, jojoba, and marula. These are doctors' orders - well-established ones - that we've long practiced and preached.ĭr. You can also buffer your retinoids with a squirt of anti-inflammatory serum or lotion - think formulas spiked with niacinamide, polyphenols, lipids, and ceramides. New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, MD, reminds us that some degree of irritation - like dryness, peeling, redness, and burning - is normal and should subside by the fourth week.

With any retinoid, especially if you have sensitive skin, you have to practice restraint and apply a pea-size drop only one or two nights a week until your skin acclimates. Over-the-counter vitamin-A formulations, like those with retinol and retinaldehyde (often shortened to retinal), tend to be weaker because the skin has to convert them to retinoic acid before they can take full effect. 'Studies have shown that retinol is about 10 times less potent than prescription-strength retinoic acid, so I usually recommend products with at least 0.25 percent retinol.' How often should I be using retinol?Įspecially for first-time users, retinol treatments generally come with an irksome adjustment period. 'When it comes to a retinol cream, it's important to know what percentage of retinol is included in the formula to determine if the product is actually going to deliver all the glorious benefits vitamin A has,' New York-based board-certified dermatologist David Kim, MD, explains. What is the ideal concentration of retinol to use? This directive can translate to countless improvements, like normalized cell turnover for clear, glowing skin balanced pigment production for fewer dark spots revved-up collagen synthesis for smoother skin and tighter pores.

As a refresher, retinoic acid is the active form of vitamin A that immediately binds with receptors on our skin cells, causing them to behave in a healthier capacity.

Just One Night, Vol. 1 by Kim Black