THE RETINOL EDIT

Free game for everyone, bb.

Retinoids are simply that bitch. It’s not my favorite skincare ingredient—that title belongs to niacinamide—but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t the most transformative addition to my routine. 

It’s fantastic for most people. Though if it’s not used correctly, it can have pretty intense side effects like dryness, redness, and itchiness. And, for the baddies of color, those side effects can worsen or cause hyperpigmentation. Retinoid beginners should read and meticulously follow the instructions featured in the r/tretinoin wiki, even if they aren’t jumping straight into a prescription retinoid. Failure to ease into this class of skincare royalty can damage your skin. (Trust me.) If you have eczema, very sensitive skin, severe acne, or any preexisting skin conditions, ask a dermatologist before starting any retinoid. You don’t wanna make anything that’s already going on worse, bb. And if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, do not use retinoids. 

Now, before we get into the meat of THE EDIT, let’s go over some terminology! 

Retinoid: A class of medications derived from Vitamin A that increases cell turnover. These products are also keratolytic (soften your skin's outer layers to help with exfoliation), comedolytic (stop comedones, like acne, from forming under the skin), noncomedogenic (won’t clog pores), and anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation). Over-the-counter (OTC) retinol, adapalene, and prescriptions like tretinoin and tazarotene belong to this group. 

To achieve the “after” picture, retinoids convert to retinoic acid on the skin. The extent of that process determines how effective—and irritating—a retinoid can be. I’m going to indicate how many steps it takes for each type of retinoid to convert using this shoe emoji 👡 that reminds me of the Gucci rubber slide sandal. The more Gucci sandals, the less effective the product is. 

Retinyl Esters: An OTC retinoid that is extremely gentle on the skin. (👡👡👡, minimum.) 

Retinol: An OTC retinoid that primarily wards off visible signs of aging. This term is also used generally to refer to both OTC and prescription retinoid products—kinda like saying “Chapstick” instead of “lip balm.” (👡👡)

Retinaldehyde (or Retinal): Another OTC retinoid that looks like a misspelling of retinol, but is a different, more potent formulation. It’s considered the strongest retinoid you can buy over the counter. (👡)

Adapalene: A synthetic retinoid that doesn’t need to be converted to retinoic acid, making it more gentle on the skin than tretinoin but more effective than the products we’ve already gone through. And it’s fantastic for treating acne and dark spots.

Tretinoin: My girl. It’s a synthetic version of retinoic acid that essentially accomplishes everything that OTC retinol and adapalene do more efficiently since it doesn’t need to undergo the conversion process—meaning there are no Gucci slides for this icon. The caveat is that it’s more irritating to the skin.

Last thing: If you’re not going to wear sunscreen, don’t even bother buying skincare products, especially a retinoid. It’s a waste of time and money.

Alright, let’s get into a few recommendations.