Fact: retinol slows down your skin’s aging process. Applying retinol equates to constantly exfoliating your skin, which increases cell turnover. Retinol reduces fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen and increasing blood flow to the skin, improving skin color.

What does retinol do:

1. Prevents wrinkles by not only smoothing current wrinkles, but also minimizing new ones.
2. Brightens dull skin by exfoliating on a cellular level, leading to brighter, smoother, and, quite literally, newer skin.
3. Treats acne by not only regulating oily skin, but also keeping pores from clogging, resulting in fewer blackheads, cysts, and pimples.
4. Fades dark spots, acne scars, hyper-pigmentation, and dark spots.

However, not all retinol products are the same. Please:

• DO choose the right strength: Try retinyl palmitate for sensitive skin, retinol or retinaldehyde for “normal” skin, or adapalene for oily, acne-prone skin.
• DON’T use too much at once: Try a pea-size drop of serum, or thin layer of moisturizer, once a week for one week, twice a week for two weeks, three times a week for three weeks, then every other night indefinitely.
• DO alternate harsh products: Don’t use acne products, acids, or peels on your face on the nights that you use a retinoid, which risks irritating or burning your skin.
• DON’T skip on the sunscreen: Retinoids can make skin extra sensitive to the sun, causing sunburns or even discoloration, so remember to wear SPF 30 or higher every morning.