How to get started with retinol - 7 mistakes to avoid according to a doctor and analyses by BeautyDecoders.

Using it like a pro

We hear everywhere that retinol is one of the best active ingredients for many problems. Yet in some cases, it can seem to aggravate wrinkles, spots, acne, or appear ineffective. Here are the 7 classic mistakes that prevent you from using it like a pro, plus a bonus mistake at the end of the article.

A common mistake is to use the wrong product for your skin type. For example, if your skin becomes more oily and prone to imperfections since the introduction of retinol, the cause may not be the retinol itself, but the rest of the formula. A very rich retinol cream will be suitable for dry skin, but may create imperfections on oily skin. When choosing an active ingredient, it's important to look at the product's other ingredients. For a versatile formula, treatments with the indicated concentration (0.3 % or 1 %) are suitable for most people; for a gentle start, an emulsion with granactive retinoid 2 % is a good option. To choose, see the best retinol serums.

Certain combinations destabilize retinol and render it inactive. Can I apply pure vitamin C and then retinol immediately afterwards? No. Pure vitamin C needs a very low pH (below 3.5), while retinol needs a higher pH (5.5 to 6). By mixing them, the two pH levels come together, and the effectiveness of both active ingredients drops. To use both: vitamin C in the morning and retinol in the evening; alternate every other evening; wait 30 minutes between the two; or use a vitamin C derivative (ascorbyl glucoside, pH 5-7, or ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, pH 4-6, recommended in cases of pigmentation) instead of pure vitamin C.

Exfoliating acids (glycolic, lactic, salicylic) also require a low pH. To integrate them: either in the morning after vitamin C (more effective but more irritating), or once a week in the evening without retinol, or by waiting half an hour between the acid and retinol.

The first effect of retinol, before any action on wrinkles and collagen, is to dry out the skin. On oily skin, this is not a problem, but on normal to dry skin, it can temporarily accentuate wrinkles, particularly around the eyes. The solution: introduce retinol gradually (every third evening to begin with), start with a low concentration (0.2 or 0.3 %), and moisturize well. After cleansing, apply a soothing, moisturizing lotion, then a cream suited to your skin type, and finally retinol. Later, retinol can be applied before the cream to increase its effectiveness. For detailed textures to suit your skin type, see the guide how to moisturize your skin.

This is paradoxical, since retinol combats hyperpigmentation. There are three possible causes. Firstly, accelerated cell renewal brings deep pigments to the surface, where they can become temporarily more visible. Secondly, retinol makes the epidermis more sensitive to the sun: without protection, melanocytes produce more melanin, and retinol worsens pigmentation (the same phenomenon occurs with exfoliating acids). Finally, if the dosage or frequency of use causes irritation, this can turn into inflammatory spots and then brown spots. Our advice: don't start in summer or before a vacation in the sun, wait for a period when you can protect yourself, and never continue using an irritating product (lower the concentration or space out applications).

When you start retinol with acne, it can get worse at first: this is the purging phenomenon, which can last up to a month. By accelerating cell renewal, retinol causes lesions to appear all at once, before they diminish. The other possibility is that retinol irritates the skin, making imperfections worse. In both cases, the answer is the same: moisturize well and start gradually.

In contrast to mistake #2, don't hesitate to combine retinol with other active ingredients depending on the problem, once it has been well tolerated. For wrinkles: peptides, vitamin C, exfoliating acids and niacinamide. For blemishes : vitamin C or its derivatives, alpha-arbutin, glycolic acid, azelaic acid and niacinamide. For acne: salicylic acid, azelaic acid and niacinamide.

With all cosmetics, there's a minimum time before you see results. We're impatient, but whether it's hyperpigmentation, acne or wrinkles, it usually takes between 2 and 6 months. The mistake is to give up too soon. Some active ingredients work quickly (hyaluronic acid and moisturizers give almost immediate results, while exfoliants work fairly quickly), but retinol, whether for anti-aging or blemishes, takes at least 2 to 3 months. Patience and regularity are the key.

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