RETINOIDS & RETINOL & BAKUCHIOL - what you need to know.
What Is Retinol? Retinol falls into a category of vitamin A derivatives known as retinoids. “Retinol is probably one of the best over-the-counter ingredients to counteract aging skin,” Dr. Jerome Potozkin, a dermatologist and author of Botox and Beyond: Your Guide to Safe, Nonsurgical, Cosmetic Procedures, told me. Other retinoids may show up on ingredients lists as retinoic acid, retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, and retinyl linoleate. These have varying level of potency. You may find retinol in sunscreens, anti-aging creams, and topical acne treatments. Since retinol and other retinoids can potentially heighten sun sensitivity, it is safest to only use them at night and to avoid them in products you would use during the day, like sunscreen. More on that below. How It Works As mentioned, retinol and other retinoids come from vitamin A, which is a nutrient that helps drive cell turnover. Studies show that when applied topically, ret...