3 Important Steps When Starting Retinol

by Francesca Hopfner July 8, 2021

Welcome to Winter - the time to be putting in the work when it comes to your skin and by work, we mean **retinol**

Retinol, to put it mildly, is a wonder product. From reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, to fighting acne, boosting collagen production, smoothing pigmentation and leaving your skin bright and glowy. What else could you ask for? If you ask nicely, it might even fold your washing.

All the same, retinol hesitancy is a real thing. Irritation, redness and peeling, flaky skin are not fun and can be an undesired side effect if care is not taken. In order to not let this deter you from the phenomenal results you could be getting, LA CLINICA has come up with an easy 3 step programme:

Part 1: Ready, Set, Prep.

Our bestselling Deep Hydration Moisture Cream is your ultimate retinol partner for before, during and after any active skincare. Containing ceramides and niacinamide, this really is the ultimate BFF for actives. Start using this morning and night at least two weeks before you introduce retinol to help build up your skin barrier.

Keep reading: How to Fix a Skin Barrier Freakout

Well-tolerated chemical exfoliants like our Resurfacing Moisture Creams are great to use in the weeks leading up to prep the skin, maximise results and reduce shedding. First timers should leave a few extra days prior to introducing retinol.

Part 2: ‘Low and Slow’

A common mistake is using too much, too soon, causing something the internet has dubbed the ‘retinol uglies’ A.K.A Retinol Dermatitis. Low and slow is the way to go. Choose a low percentage to start off with. LA CLINICA’s range starts at 0.2% and offers up to 1%. Go slow, only apply retinol twice a week to begin with, after a couple of weeks you can bump it up if there are no signs of irritation. The Essentials Pure Retinol is perfect for first-timers or those who are worried about skin flare-ups due to its oil format. Chamomile and calendula soothe and calm like a bed-time tea for your skin.

Retinol is a night-time product only. And if you’re a fan of other actives (or worried about sensitivity) don’t mix and match, apply those on a non-retinol day. Keeping it simple to begin with will reduce any potential skin freakouts and keep irritation to a minimum. Once your skin is acclimatised to retinol you can introduce more heavy lifting products.

Finish with Deep Hydration Moisturiser, the Oat Beta Glucan will further soothe any potential flare ups and unique ‘hyaluronic acids’ of Zinc Hyaluronate and Hyalorepair will target, fortify and retain hydration in the skin barrier.

Part 3: Retinol BFFs

You must, and we cannot stress this enough, wear SPF50+ sunscreen when using retinol. Retinol works by increasing skin cell turnover, removing old and damaged skin with newer skin being exposed to the UV if unprotected. If you’re putting in the effort towards improving your skin, you’ll want to protect that investment.

Keep reading: All about La Clinica's Sunscreen Lotion SPF50+

Keep up the hydration with Hydrating and Healing Serum which contains 7 Hyaluronic Acids to restore hydration, assist in skin recovery and promote wound healing.

Once your skin has welcomed this new retinol routine, you can begin to partner up with an easily tolerated Vitamin C for added antioxidant protection. Clinical research has shown they complement each other well and provide a double-whammy of skin benefits. Tune in next week for more on Vit C.