As a skin care specialist and aesthetician, I have seen my fair share of skin care products and I am sure I will see more in the future. The one thing that I will always vouch for is having a solid retinol serum in your skin care routine.
One of the things I have learned while learning about skin and skin care is how essential Retinol is to our skin care. The best way to use retinol is through a serum. One thing to note that though there are various percentages of retinol in products; it is so important that the type of retinol used is best suited for your skin type and to introduce it to your routine slowly.
FYI – One thing to remember about retinol is that it can only be applied at night. Anything that contains retinol that is meant for day time is not good, the amount of retinol would be too minimal or non-existent and not effective at all.
Now I am going to talk about the benefits of Retinol – I truly believe in it and I have personally seen how amazing it is for my skin and for my clients too.
Retinol is a well-rounded serum, it’s great for: Antiaging, Pigmentation, Skin Texture, Exfoliation and Acne just to name a few.
Retinol – Vitamin A is an extremely effective skin-transforming ingredient that seems to know just what your skin needs to help diminish visible signs of aging. Over 40 years of established research shows it can help visibly increase the appearance of firmness, diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles, significantly improve uneven skin tone, smooth and refine the surface of skin.
When skin’s appearance is affected by free radicals (and everyone’s skin is) or you have signs of aging, uneven skin tone, wrinkles, or an apparent loss of firmness, retinol steps in to minimize those concerns. Studies have clearly shown that retinol naturally turns around how skin appears—which makes it one of the most exciting skincare ingredients in use today!
AlumierMD’s Retinol Resurfacing Serum 0.25 is a pure microencapsulated retinol serum that helps you achieve a more radiant and even complexion. It reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improves texture and tone by stimulating collagen production and speeding cell turnover. This formula also targets acne-prone skin, minimizes pore size appearance and evens skin tone. Unlike many other retinols, AlumierMD’s retinol is microencapsulated using cutting-edge technology to allow for a gradual timed release into the skin overnight. By encapsulating the retinol and adding soothing and hydrating ingredients like niacinamide (vitamin B3), tea extracts, honey and sodium hyaluronate, maximal results can be achieved with minimal irritation.
So, what makes this product any different than other stuff in the market.
There are many reasons why this product is superior than others, first point is that AlumierMD is a medical grade skin care line. Second point, it is backed up by clean science and is free of sulfates, free of parabens, cruelty free and artificial fragrance free just to name a few high points. But the most important thing is the ingredients, it’s always crucial to understand what you are applying on your skin. If you can’t pronounce the first five ingredients, chances are that the ingredients are not best suited for your skin.
This is not the case with AlumierMD’s products, let me share with you some the three main ingredients in the Retinol Serum.
Microencapsulated Retinol (1.0%): A vitamin A derivative and antioxidant that reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improves texture and tone by strengthening skin, improving elasticity and increasing skin turnover. Retinol also targets blemish-prone skin by unclogging pores and enhances skin tone by reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Encapsulated retinol allows for a slow release into the skin overnight minimizing side effects, so you can enjoy all the benefits of retinol with little to no irritation!
This is the highest percentage of Retinol that can be safely used on the skin. Any product(s) that boasts a higher dosage is one of two things 1) not the true percentage 2) not Health Canada and FDA Approved for safe use.
Niacinamide (vitamin B3): Niacinamide increases ceramide and free fatty acids in the skin, which are key components of its protective lipid barrier. Along with keeping in moisture and boosting hydration, it also brightens skin, calms redness and increases tolerance to topical retinoids.
This is a key ingredient especially for skin that tends to be on the more sensitive/reactive side. It calms the skin while still allowing the retinol to do its thing and revealing new healthy-looking skin.
MATRIXYL® Synthe’6®: Derived from a peptide naturally found in collagen and laminins, MATRIXYL® Synthe’6® is a tripeptide that strengthens the skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
This ingredient is AlumierMD exclusive peptide, you will not find this peptide anywhere else but in AlumierMD’s products (and it’s in quite a few of them) This peptide in combination with Retinol is a powerhouse of a product. When you apply this serum, you can almost immediately feel the power of the peptides working on and in your skin.
Skin Tip – It is always best to start off with a low percentage of Retinol and build up gradually. Your skin will thank you for it. For example – I started with using Retinol 0.25%, then when that was done I went to Retinol 0.5% and now I am on Retinol 1.0%.
How to Use Retinol
Believe it or not there is a right way to use the Retinol serum. Remember: retinol is only to be used at night only. The best/right way to incorporate retinol in your skin care routine is very simple. At night, before bed here is your routine: Step One – Cleanse Step Two – Retinol Serum Step Three – Eye Cream Step Four – Moisturizer Step Five – Bedtime
See? Easy!
Helpful Tip – If you are new to Retinol it’s best to introduce it slowly, here is the timeline to use Retinol safely and effectively. First two weeks – use once every three nights Next Two Weeks – use every other night Next Two Weeks Moving Forward – use every night
Retinol is the holy grail of serums. It is a versatile product and can work with almost every single type of skin care routine. If you can only incorporate one serum – then Retinol is the easy and obvious choice.
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