The benefits and dangers of retinol for the skin
Retinol (or vitamin A) has been a super -populary ingredient in many skin care products for a while. But what exactly is retinol? And what does it do for your skin? In this blog, chicory skincare skin expert Caroline van Eeuwijk tells you everything you need to know about retinol.
What is retinol?
There are different forms of vitamin A and together they are called retinoids. Retinol is one of them and is an antioxidant, among other things. It is certain that vitamin A has advantages for the skin, it works against wrinkles, stimulates collagen production and also works well against acne and reduces pigmentation. The cause? Vitamin A ensures strong skin renewal.
But why doesn't everyone grab vitamin A products en masse? Because these benefits only occur when using high concentrations of retinol and you can only get them on prescription. And that is necessary, because retinol is very irritating in such concentrations and can cause side effects that you can avoid better.
When start with retinol and how it applies?
Retinol can be dangerous for young children because too many vitamin A can cause problems with bone development. However, it is completely safe for teenagers to use retinol products. Many believe that the perfect time is to use retinol when you are in 20, because the elastin production of the skin starts to decrease.
How do you implement retinol in your routine?
Use products that contain pro-vitamin A, which is less aggressive and harmful. As said above, pro-vitamin A is different from retinol in approach. You can use as much as you want, because it is not harmful to the skin. The skin converts it into vitamin A and puts the process of conversion into vitamin A when your body has had enough before it reaches toxic levels.
You can start retinol at any time and apply the product according to the instructions, whether it is a cream or serum. During the day or at night.
Natural vs. SYNTHETIC
There is one big difference between natural vitamin A and synthetic retinol. Plants, fruit and vegetables, beans and other natural sources are the most important good vitamin A sources. For example, we use pro-vitamin A, or beta-carotene, in our chicory skin care products. This is extracted from orange fruit and vegetables, such as sweet potato and carrots, giving them their orange color, but also contains kale and spinach beta -carotene.
The great thing about this natural pro-vitamin A is that it is converted by the body itself into vitamin A. As soon as toxic concentrations are achieved, the body itself stops the conversion process.
Synthetic retinol is made through a chemical process and can also contain chemicals that you would rather not have on your skin. In addition, synthetically produced retinol is actually too powerful for the skin. It can therefore be harmful to you in large quantities.
Is taking vitamin A supplements good for the skin?
Naturally! The most common provitamin a carotenoid in foods and nutritional supplements is beta -carotene. Taking beta -carotene can help you get so much vitamin A as you need.
It is a general rule that what is good for the skin on the outside comes from the inside, but that does not mean that topic creams are useless. The use of retinol or products with vitamin A still has many advantages.
Can retinol cause acne?
Retinol cannot cause acne, in fact, it helps against it. But a cream with the wrong basic material, such as mineral oil, the pores can clog and aggravate acne or inflammation of the skin.
The chicory way
Chicory Skincare uses the natural pro-vitamin A, beta-carotene. Our 100% natural skin -innovative products, such as the Smoothing Peel, Refreshing Eye Cream, Nourishing Facial Cream and Balancing Toner all contain pro-vitamin A, extracted from ginger. Ginger contains antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation and calm down the skin.
Do you want to know more about the properties of retinol or vitamin A? Or are you curious which products are suitable for you? Plan a free online skin consultation with our skin expert Caroline.
