Your 20's are an ideal time to start a tailored skin care routine and introduce retinol products. A topical retinoid is great to begin with, but SPF should also be used daily to prevent sun exposure. One of our favourite ways to get started is by adding a retinol serum to your routine.
Begin in Your Mid 20s or Early 30s
"Your mid-twenties are a great time to start using retinol," says Ellen Marmur, M.D. "Many patients who have used it for years swear by it."
Retinol products are safe to use in your teens - it's just that you may not need to. Some young people use retinol for its blemish-busting properties. If you're experiencing more than the usual teenage breakout, it can help to clear things up. You might also see a reduction in the size of your pores.
The good news is that it is never too late to start incorporating retinol into your skin care routine.
Should You Start Using Retinol in Your 20s? “Absolutely!” says Dr. Nichols. “Retinol is safe to use for men or women in their 20s to help boost collagen and reduce signs of premature aging, such as creepiness, age spots, and fine lines.” Shani agrees.
Retinol 0.04%–0.1% is considered moderate strength. Start using this two to three nights a week or every night if your skin can tolerate it. When retinol is formulated with antioxidants, skin-repairing ingredients, and cell-communicating ingredients, your skin will benefit from these additions.
It's Never Too Late to Start Using Retinol as an Addition to Your Skincare Routine. At any point in life, retinol is a positive ingredient for your skin, ultimately achieving outstanding results.
"If you're overusing your retinol, or if you're using a retinol that's too strong for you, it can lead to peeling, irritation, and excessive dryness, which may have led to retinol's association with skin thinning," says Dr. Icecreamwala. "This will make your skin look older and accentuate wrinkles."
“Retinol should be in the routine of anyone in their 40s,” says Dr. Yadav. “Retinol works by triggering new collagen production within the skin,” she adds. “This is important because collagen deteriorates as we age, resulting in fine lines and wrinkles.
Yes. In fact, retinoids work best if you use them daily. Specifically, try to use them at night because light and air deactivate some types. If you experience any side effects — like skin redness or dryness — then it's a good idea to back down to once every 2 or 3 nights.
It's perfectly safe and very effective to incorporate both retinol and vitamin C into your skincare routine, as long as you use them at different times of the day.
Don't Mix: Retinol with vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and AHA/BHA acids. AHA and BHA acids are exfoliating, which can dry out the skin and cause further irritation if your skincare routine already includes retinol.
Because retinoids help your skin make more collagen, they soften wrinkles and fine lines. They also stimulate new blood vessels, which can give your skin a rosy color. Retinoids also help fade age spots and smooth rough patches.
PAUL JARROD FRANK, DERMATOLOGIST
“Need is subjective,” he tells BAZAAR.com. “I don't think anyone needs it, but there are people that can benefit from it”—like those with acne-prone skin or those concerned with signs of aging. If you have rosacea, psoriasis, or are eczema prone, then retinols are not really for you.
The reason the skin is darkened when using Retinol is because this substance can make your skin more sensitive to light, if you are regularly exposed to the sun without effective skin protection, it will cause tanning.
Dr. Shainhouse lengthens the list by pointing out how retinol can cause “scalp redness, irritation, itch, burning, stinging, peeling, sensitivity.” She notes it can even lead to scalp sunburns and may dry “out hair strands or fade the hair color.”
“The way retinol works is by accelerating the formation of new skin cells to replace the old, damaged skin. This new skin can be more sensitive and is more prone to sunburn, so it's extremely important to add facial sunscreen to your morning routine if it's not already part of it,” says Astarita.
Retinol is also one of the best ways to “reduce the appearance of fine lines, crow's feet, and wrinkles,” says Henry. It's a must in your 50s if you haven't already been using it. Engelman says prescription-strength retinols are “vital” at this stage.
Because your skin's natural collagen and elastin production start slowing down at 25, the best age to start using retinol is 25-30.
If you're new to retinol, start off with a low dose of around 0.025%. If your skin has no adverse reactions, you can slowly move up to a higher percentage.
You should always apply retinol at night, after cleansing, and before your nighttime moisturizer. Five minutes is enough to wait for your retinol to sink in before applying moisturizer; you want to layer them, not mix them.
A 0.5-percent concentration is a good baseline.
For beginners, most dermatologists recommend a retinol with a concentration of 0.25 percent to one percent to see results. If your skin is not sensitive, you can usually tolerate something right in the middle; Dr.