To get back to basics, retinol, along with other retinoids like retinoic acid and retinyl palmitate, is essentially a derivative of vitamin A, which is one of the body's most important nutrients for increasing cell turnover. It is added to topical skin care products to promote skin renewal, lighten skin tone, reduce acne, and increase collagen production. It also works as an antioxidant to fight free radical damage that leads to visible signs of aging. It is the ingredient that does it all. Considered the gold standard in skin care and removes dead skin cells, helps with clogged pores and dull skin.

Balance is key, retinol can be very irritating if used too often or if the formulation is too harsh on the skin. Start with a pea-sized amount of a low-percentage formulation (0.01% to 0.03%) over the counter and use twice a week, gradually increasing usage to give skin a chance to acclimate. Also, you should skip your retinol product the day before your exfoliation. Exfoliation is abrasive and irritating, and you don't want to increase irritation by making your skin more sensitive to retinol. Same will apply before cosmetic treatements (lasers, microneedling, microdermabrasion). Often introducing a specifically enriched Moisturizer will help alleviate the discomforts.