Introduction
Like fashion, skincare and beauty trends are also changing very rapidly. Because of which it often becomes a bit difficult to be aware of all these and keep abreast of every new trend and product. Not only this, there are many such products, actives and ingredients in skincare whose names sound similar which add to our confusion further like retinol serum etc.
If you are also struggling with this kind of confusion, then we can help you a little. What is the first name that comes to your mind when it comes to anti-aging products? Retinoids or Retinol? Are you confused? This is bound to happen because the skincare industry is flooded with anti-aging ingredients. You must have heard all the names and you would think that they are all the same. For example retinol serum, retinoid serum, retin-A serum etc.
But this is not true! Dr. Kaustav Guha, Head of Research and Development, renowned skincare brand SkinKraft Laboratories helped us clear this confusion and understand these anti-aging ingredients better. Dr. Guha has tried to explain the difference between Retinol, Retinoids and Retin-A in simple words and also told which one should be used.
What are Retinoids
Retinoids are a chemical compound derived from vitamin A. Due to the presence of vitamin A, it is able to protect your skin. Retinoids increase your skin’s collagen production, which makes your skin look younger. It prevents the signs of aging and protects your skin from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Topical application of retinoids can also help clear up some types of acne.
What is Retinol
Retinol, on the other hand, is the most natural and active form of vitamin A. Retinol has the ability to create new skin cells, due to which it is quite popular in the skincare industry and is used in many anti-aging products like retinol serum. Retinol is found in large quantities in fish liver, egg yolk, milk, butter, cheese etc. Along with this, retinol is also found in fruits like mango, orange, grape, watermelon. It is most commonly used nowadays by the health and beauty industries due to its various benefits like retinol serum is used to prevent hyperpigmentation.
Benefits of Retinol Serum
Wrinkles are Erased
Using skin care products containing retinol helps to give a smoother look to the skin and reduce facial wrinkles. If the signs of aging have started appearing on your face, then you must include this element in your skin care regimen.
Get Rid of Oily Skin
Women who have oily skin often get acne and pimples on their face. Due to being oily, makeup also starts coming off on their skin very quickly. Retinol serum prove to be very beneficial for women with such skin. Actually this element controls the process of sebum production of the skin and does not allow the face to become oily. Also, it does not allow the pores of the skin to get clogged. With this, the problem of pimples goes away and a natural glow appears on the face. The problem of acne and pimples on the face is very high in teenage. This problem can be overcome by using products containing retinol serum.
Facial Spots Disappear
The skin gets affected a lot when exposed to the sun. Due to this there is a difference in the skin tone of the face. Somewhere the skin looks clear and somewhere dark. Apart from this, dark spots also appear at some places on the face. Due to this the beauty of the face deteriorates. If you want the skin tone of the skin to look even and the spots on the face are also lighter, then using a retinol serum can be done easily.
Along with adopting these tips to give a glowing and youthful look to the skin, make retinol-rich food products a part of your diet. This will help even more in healing the damaged skin.
What is Retin-A
The synthetic version of vitamin A is known as Retin-A. It is used by doctors as a prescribed medication to reduce wrinkles and skin discoloration. Retin-A is also used to treat skin conditions such as actinic keratoses or acne vulgaris.
What is the Difference between these three
After explaining the basic difference between these three active ingredients, the question arises as to how to differentiate between them. The biggest difference between these three ingredients is their efficacy. The strength of these ingredients determines how different they are from each other. However, its quantity used in any product decides how effective it will be on any skin problem. Since retinol is used in cosmetic products like retinol serum, the concentration is not specified or controlled. But Retin-A being a prescribed drug, its composition details are given by the manufacturer.
What is Better for your Skin
Retinol serum are gentle on the skin and suit almost every skin type without any serious side effects. This is great for people who are new to using vitamin A products. Retinoids are similar to retinol in this respect. Retinoids are also light and easy to use. These are easily available in almost every local medical store or skincare store. But let us tell you that retinoids are slow because they are converted before use in any cosmetic product. Retin-A is faster and more effective than the other two. Keep in mind that if you have sensitive skin, using Retin-A can cause skin irritation, flakiness, and redness.
But in the end what will be best for you and what will suit depends on your skin type and current skin condition. For example, fair skinned people are advised to use retinol serum once in three days. At the same time, people of dark or dark complexion are advised to use it once a week. All this is to test the tolerance level of your skin and then the frequency of its use is decided accordingly.
Tips for Applying Retinoids, Retinol and Retin-A
Do not use any vitamin A and retinol serum products during the day. It is always better to use it in the evening or before sleeping.
Before applying any of these products on your face, be sure to clean your face with a mild cleanser. A clean face and open pores are able to absorb the goodness of these products better.
Precautions
Always keep in mind the quantity of the product. Remember that a pea-sized amount of product is enough, no more is needed.
Protect your eyes while using them. Make sure that your eyes do not come into contact with the product.
Never forget to apply moisturizer to your face after applying Retinol/Retinoid/Retin-A. All these ingredients make the skin dry.
Vitamin A products often make the skin photosensitizing. So always apply sun tan removal cream during the day to avoid sunburn.
