The best way to effectively and successfully use a retinol is to ease into it, allowing your skin to adjust and build tolerance to the retinol. If you've never used a retinol, maybe that means starting EVERY OTHER NIGHT application and building up to nightly use. Please read my notes here in their entirety to ensure you will be using this product properly. I also have a blog all about retinol if you want to read more about this skin-changing ingredient. 

It is completely normal for retinol to make your skin feel dry, flaky, and look red during the introductory phase. This is part of the process of building tolerance to a product that causes increased cell turnover, and can last 2-6 weeks. It does not mean that you are not tolerating the ingredients. Many people will stop using the product when they experience these things, or use it only once or twice a week thinking they are doing the right thing by giving their skin a break. However, in most instances, this is not the right thing to do. Here’s why. If your skin is not ‘seeing’ the retinol consistently, then each time you apply it will be like the first time, and you’ll never get through the flaky stage. Instead, you want to push through any sensitivity that feels MILD. As long as it feels mild, it is part of the process. You should feel confident in knowing that the magic starts to happen soon after this phase. If it is more than mild, take a night off of the retinol, moisturize, reassess, and then back to it as soon as you can.

Purging is another normal part of the introductory period of retinol. With increased cell turnover, oil and dead skin cells trapped within pores will be cleared out much quicker than it would have otherwise. Purging manifests as new blemishes that may last a week or so. The treatment for the breakout is the exact ingredients that are causing the breakout. So, stick with it.

How to use: 

In the evening after thoroughly cleansing and drying your skin, use 1-2 drops of your Retinol Serum and apply it evenly over your entire face. Avoid the eyelids and the skin directly under the eyes. Allow the serum to dry for 10 minutes and then apply moisturizer if desired. 

For more sensitive skin types or if it's your first time using retinol, you can consider any or all of the following options to help your skin more easily tolerate this incredible skin-changing product:

1. Start with the 0.5% Retinol Serum concentration and bump up to the 1% Retinol Serum after completing 1-2 bottles of the lower concentration.

2. Start with application every other night for 1-2 weeks and then slowly increase to  nightly use.

3. Layer The One Serum underneath the Retinol Serum at night which helps to lock in deep hydrating nourishment and support the skin during the adjustment phase (and beyond). You can also use The One Serum in the AM underneath your moisturizer.

Remember, the active ingredients in retinol reveal fresh, new skin that is more vulnerable to harmful UV rays. So, be sure to use SPF each morning and wear a wide-brim hat during prolonged sun exposure.

This product is NOT ok to use if pregnant or breastfeeding. Take a look at the safe mama lineups for ways to keep your skin looking great while keeping your baby safe.