Vitamin C and Retinol: Skincares Power Couple
If working from home or spending countless hours on Zoom has taught us anything, it’s that maintaining a best anti aging skin care regimen is more important than ever. Video conferencing and in-home lighting often magnify imperfections, making little lines look more like ravines while causing us to question if there’s anything short of surgery that could make a difference. Luckily, there are two products that can whip your skin back into gear after a year in lockdown: vitamin C and retinol.
Use Vitamin C for Brighter, Firmer Skin
Stroll the aisles of your favorite store and you’ll find vitamin C in all kinds of products. From cleansers to serums to facial creams, the ingredient we embrace for its ability to knock out the common cold has a well-earned place in skincare – and for good reason! Properly formulated products that utilize L-ascorbic acid (L-AA) or tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THDA) have been proven to:
- Reduce hyperpigmentation associated with healed acne or previous sun damage;
- Improve the appearance of uneven skin; and
- Fight off free radical damage caused by ultraviolet light.
Unfortunately, some formulas are hard to tolerate and can sting or burn, and others simply aren’t potent enough for the short time they’re on the skin. Facial face cleanser, for example, spend just a few seconds on the skin before being rinsed away, and vitamin C creams don’t always allow the necessary skin penetration to provoke real and appreciable change. For the best results, stick with serums or oils because the molecules will be more readily absorbed by the skin and won’t be competing with other ingredients simultaneously.
Speed Up Your Skin’s Cellular Turnover with Retinol
If turning back the clock is your primary goal, then you need a solid retinol product in your arsenal. Retinol is the drill sergeant of skincare and reboots the skin’s collagen production by speeding up the pace of skin cell turnover. When old cells are sloughed off, new, smoother cells take their place, which is why retinol works so great for reducing the appearance of fine lines. It also makes the perfect companion product when teamed with vitamin C because previously discolored cells are sloughed off quicker, so even fresh marks from healed acne fade more quickly.
You’ll find retinol in a multitude of products, too, but since it can make your skin more photosensitive, it’s best utilized in the evening when your skin rejuvenation efforts are at their peak. If you’ve never used retinol before, try applying a small amount to your skin and then rinsing it off after five minutes. The short contact time will help you acclimate to the product. Once you’re able to leave it on for 30 minutes, you’ll be good to go for overnight use.
Pick One Perfector Or Pair Them Up
Using both products together will give you faster results, but some precautions are necessary. First, invest in a sun care products that you can commit to wearing every day. The last thing you want to do is damage your newly improved skin. To avoid irritation, try using a vitamin C serum in the morning and a retinol product in the evening. And be prepared to work these products into your routine slowly, so that your skin has time to adapt instead of rebel, and so you can gauge whether or not everyday use is actually something your skin will tolerate