It’s crazy how many retinol or retinol-adjacent products exist—hundreds of the things, in yet another manifestation of the eternal and eternally confusing problem of Too Much Choice. It’s like trying to buy biscuits in a world where you’ve heard of the concept of biscuits, you’re surrounded by people who rave about biscuits, you’d really like to try biscuits for the first time, but you don’t know which biscuits are good.
You could probably get through thousands of packets before emerging triumphantly clutching M&S All Butter Sultana Cookies (my biscuit of choice, though I’m more of a crisps person) and saying: “This is the biscuit for me.”
The thing about retinol (a form of vitamin A) and its various incarnations is that it absolutely 100 per cent works, so unless you are very young and have skin like a nectarine, it’s a good idea to use it. It really helps with fine and medium lines, it is good on pigmentation marks and it generally firms things up to an impressive extent. It makes a proper and visible difference to skin, and it does this quickly.
But because it’s so effective, your face can feel (and look) uncomfortable if you go in too hard.
When I want to keep things simple, which is always, the retinol I recommend to anyone who asks is Crystal Retinal (with an “a”) by Medik8, an excellent mid-priced skincare brand. Here are my reasons. One, it’s gentle and, at its lowest concentrations, suitable for even sensitive skins. Your face will not peel off. Two, it comes in increasing strengths, so you can cycle your way through ever more potent formulations if you want to.
Once you’re up to speed and using it every night, give it two or three weeks and you will only have to look in the mirror to see the effects. Who is this smooth-skinned beauty with receding dark spots and fainter lines? Why, it is you.
Retinal with an “a” (retinaldehyde, if we’re being formal) is a vitamin A that works much faster than retinol (with an “o”)—the brand says 11 times faster. It is a serum that you use at night, religiously, on a clean face. If you’re a novice and have sensitive skin, start with strength 1 to acclimatize. This contains 0.01 per cent retinal, which doesn’t sound like much, I know, but still works. If you’re a novice and have normal skin, start with strength 3.
In either case, gradually work your way up once each tube is finished. If you already use retinols, you can leap in further along the chain—Medik8 offers strengths up to 24 (0.24 retinal) for “expert” users, i.e. retinol junkies. I slightly worry about retinol junkies and tend to hover around strength 10, but do whatever feels comfortable.
If you’re new to all this, ease yourself in gently by using the product twice a week to begin with. Do this for a fortnight and then up it to every other night for another fortnight, and then every night. The usual warning applies: for heaven’s sake wear a decent sunscreen in the daytime (if in doubt, go for La Roche-Posay Anthelios).
India Knight is a U.K.-based journalist and the author of India Knight’s Beauty Edit
