How do retinol creams work?

Retinols are pretty much the gold standard in improving some of our most annoying skin complaints.

Vitamin-A based skincare products contain the best anti-aging ingredient on the market. Unlike other solutions that simply mask the symptoms of skin aging, retinol actually fixes the cause by preventing and repairing skin damage at a cellular level.

That means retinol-treated skin doesn’t just look younger it actually is younger. Paired with a good moisturizer, you can expect to see significant results.

So What is Retinol?

The retinoid family of molecules is made up of Vitamin A derivatives. Retinol is an ingredient in the retinoid family.

How does it work?

Retinoids work to improve the skin on several levels.

The short answer is that retinoid products work by causing skin cells to turn over and die. This increase in skin cell turnover helps our pores stay clear, which is why retinol is such a great acne-fighting ingredient. It can even help with acne scarring.

But skin that more readily turns over also looks better in terms of tone and texture, a couple of the physical markers we associate with aging.

Retinoids also increase collagen production, which in turn helps our skin look plump and young. This decreases wrinkles by thickening the skin from the inside out.