Retinoids are one of those uniquely effective ingredients that can directly influence gene expression, contributing to its incredible potency. 

Retinoids refers to the class of ingredients that includes retinoic acid, retinaldehyde, retinol, retinyl esters, retinyl palmitate…etc, but why are they so effective?

“60% of what you put onto your skin enters your bloodstream” - if this statement was true, there won’t be so many considerations of an ingredient’s electric charge, molecular weight, membrane permeability…etc when cosmetic chemists formulate a product, because most of what we put onto our skin actually don’t get absorbed, that is exactly the function of our skin - to protect ourselves from external environments. Retinoids are so effective because skin cells actually have receptors (RARs and RXRs) that form complexes that directly enter the cell. That’s why while some ingredients just sit around on our skin surface or in our ECM even if they can enter, retinoids enter directly and trigger a cascade of events to activate the RAREs region on our DNA to trigger cell proliferation and normalize keratinocyte function, prompting brighter, plumper, healthier skin, less dead skin cells thereby preventing clogged pores, removal of cells that contain melanin and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, adjusting skin thickness to a healthier level on top of combating free radicals. 

How to Begin a Retinoids Routine -

The best time to start using retinoids is in your mid to late 20s, when your elastin stops regenerating, keratinocyte and collagen renewal slows down…etc, but if you have severe acne, which is a medical condition, consult a physician and your family to see whether you are a good candidate for oral retinoid medication. 

Important note 1: if you are pregnant, planning on getting pregnant, or breastfeeding, do refrain from all topical retinoids. If you have a medical condition, consult with your physician. 

Important note 2: patch test before use. Discontinue in case of sensitivity such as persistent redness, swelling, itchiness.

Important note 3: use PM only and always use at least an SPF 30 the next day; discontinue use if excessive sun exposure, photon treatments, or medical cosmetic treatments are being carried out.

Important note 4: start with concentrations of 0.1-0.3% and work your way up as your skin builds tolerance.

Learn about types of retinoids to start with the mildest form:

 

Retinoic acid is the most potent form of topical retinoid, with all the other forms taking steps to convert to Retinoic Acid in the skin.

Retinaldehyde takes 1 step and has quite high potency, whereas Retinol takes 2 steps, which is also potent but more gentle. Retinyl Esters and Retinyl Palmitate are one of the gentlest retinoids both taking 3 steps to convert, but their potencies are generally lower. 

There’s also a non-retinoid ingredient known as Bakuchiol that have shown to demonstrate gene expression capabilities just like retinoic acid, stimulating collagen growth and reducing photodamages in the skin but without the irritation - there’s solid evidence that it’s effective, but to put it in perspective there’s currently 400 studies on Retinoids vs. around 15 on Bakuchiol - just a frame of reference for those interested.