Below, you’ll find products with 0.15% retinoid for beginners, through to 1% blends for more experienced users. Is it okay to use retinol every night? One of the biological activities of thecentellosides isto be able to stimulate GAGs(glycosaminoglycans - polysaccharides that are part of the liquidy stuff between our skin cells), and especially hyaluronic acid synthesis in our skin. This is probably one of the reasons why Centella Asiatica Extract has nice skin moisturizingproperties that was confirmed by a 25 people, four weeks study along with Centella's anti-inflammatory effects. Whichever retinoid serum you choose, start with a low dose of around 0.2% and increase the strength slowly, as side effects like tingling and flakiness are common. Vitamin E helps stabilize and provide a boost in the benefits of ascorbic acid. It helps aid in UV protection but becomes unstable when exposed to UV and air.

Once only found in dermatology clinics but now available over-the-counter, retinol can speed up skin cell regeneration and boost collagen production to smooth, firm and take years off your complexion. Ever the multi-taster, it can also help to unclog pores and prevent acne. Vitamin C is also a key component in helping your skin regulate collagen, thus making it effective in improving wrinkles and fine lines. As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. These antioxidants also protect skin against UV damage.Centella Asiatica also often shows up in products that try to treat cellulite or striae. Of course, it cannot make a miracle but it might have some effect via regulating microcirculation and normalizing the metabolism in the cells of connective tissues. However, for a Vitamin C derivative to workit's not enough just to be stable, they also have to be absorbed into the skin and be converted there to pure Vitamin C. We have good news regarding the absorption: on top of manufacturer claims, there is somedata (animal study) demonstrating in can get into the skin, and it seems to be better at it than Ascorbyl Glucoside, another vitamin C derivative. As we wrote in our lengthy retinol description the problem is that the conversion is not terriblyeffective. The evidence that RP is still an effective anti-aging ingredient is not very strong, in fact, it's weak. Dr. Leslie Baumann in her fantastic Cosmetic Dermatologybook writes that RP is topically ineffective.

With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work. Madecassoside can also help in burn wound healing through increasing antioxidant activity and enhancing collagen synthesis. Asiaticoside was shown to increase antioxidant levels on rats skin when applied at 0.2%. Mother Nature also created wax esters but for a totally different purpose. Chemically, a wax ester is a fatty acid + a fatty alcohol, one long molecule. Wax esters are on the outer surface of several plant leaves to give them environmental protection. 25-30% of human sebum is also wax esters to give uspeople environmental protection. Whatever your chosen dose, retinoids can make your skin more sensitive to harmful UV rays, so always use a suncream with SPF 30 or higher during the day. Should you moisturise after retinol? Butylene Glycol– Used to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin. Its main job is usually to be a solvent for the other ingredients. Other tasks include helping the product to absorb faster and deeper into the skin, making the product spread nicely over the skin, and attracting water (humectant) into the skin.Moisturising hyaluronic acid and ceramides can help to lessen the severity of retinol side effects. However, Dr Mahto recommends waiting 15 to 20 minutes after applying your retinol serum before applying your chosen moisturiser, so as not to minimise the retinoid's efficacy. What can you not mix with retinol?