Retinols in Focus

Retinoids are the group of vitamin A derivatives that have been proven, study after study, to unclog pores, stimulate collagen production and improve collagen density. The active ingredient that repairs photoaging and alleviates acne is retinoic acid.

When retinol is applied to the skin, it undergoes two conversions. First, it is converted to retinaldehyde and then to retinoic acid. Your skin is only able to use retinoids that are—or can be converted to—retinoic acid, because retinoic acid works by binding to retinoic acid receptors found on the outer membrane of cells.

On the acne-fighting front, it penetrates the sebaceous glands and reduces sebum (read: natural skin oils that can be in overdrive in acne prone skin) production by binding to sebocyte receptors. Its anti-inflammatory effects keep acne in check.

Vitamin A is a naturally occurring phytochemical / nutrient and can be found in the foods we eat, most notably animal livers and eggs but for the vegetarians and squeamish among us you can simply select any red, orange, yellow fruits or vegetables and be assured it contains a healthy dose of Vitamin A - the compound beta carotene gives these foods their colour and is a precursor of Vitamin A.

Vitamin A in skincare can be naturally derived or it can be a synthetic form procured in a lab, and depending on your skin type and skincare philosophy, both have their benefits.

Naturally occurring Vitamin A often shows up in oil based serums, such as Maryse’s Intense Omega Treatment Oil. Rich in nourishing plant oils, including carrot seed oil which contains Vitamin A. Carrot seed oil promotes cellular turnover and is rich in antioxidants. This beautiful treatment oil, helps to rebalance your skin’s lipid content improving the barrier function, whilst hydrating and providing a rich load of antioxidants to reduce signs of premature aging - aka wrinkles, sun spots, papery textures.

Another ingredient that’s getting a bit of attention recently is Bakuchiol. A botanical extract derived from the psoralea corylifolia (babchi) plant, bakuchiol is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. “It is structurally different from retinol and works through different sets of receptors in the skin, but it does have a collagen-stimulating and cell-turnover benefit without causing skin irritation”. When compared to the results of traditional retinol, bakuchiol came pretty close to identical in its way of addressing aging, according to a British Journal of Dermatology study.

For some people, Vitamin A can increase your sensitivity to sunlight and make you more prone to sunburn and/or hyperpigmentation. Which is why Bakuchiol has gained popularity, as it does not have a sun-sensitizing effect like some retinoids do. Being a botanical extract, bakuchiol is appealing to many consumers looking for natural skincare ingredients.

Emma Lewisham’s Supernatural Triple Vitamin A Face Oil delivers a beautiful and potent combination of both natural Vitamin A oils and bakuchiol peptides. A gentle way to introduce your skin to the benefits of Vitamin A, whilst deeply moisturising.

Neither form is necessarily better than the other. The determining factor around which form you should use is your skin type and how it responds to the different forms of Vitamin A. So it can be a bit of a trial-and-error process, but we are here to help.

In some circles, lab derived synthetic skin care ingredients get a bad rap and many people have come to believe that 'all natural' is the healthiest option. However, new advances in technology are creating a movement of “green science” utilised by FENN favourites such as Emma Lewisham, Josh Rosebrook and Medik8. This approach is helping to shift negative perceptions and to create better quality synthetic ingredients. Advantages include less skin irritation, greater purity and manufacturing control to ensure efficacy, as well as a lighter 'environmental load' to produce. It is worth noting that extracting ingredients from nature can be incredibly environmentally intensive (think harvesting crops to extract oil) and highly variable quality based on seasons, conditions and the sheer number of hands which the product must pass through. They tend also to be delicate with short expiry periods putting upward pressure on price.

A really important thing to note is that a synthetic ingredient can be created and measured more accurately so brands can vouch for their concentration as well as their useability; bottling compounds that simply require your body to convert to retinoic acid in one or two steps unlike more crude forms of Vitamin A which contain compounds that require more work from your skin cells to get to the most useable form.

At Fenn we are also loving the innovative range of Retinal from Medik8. The range offers a variety of strengths from 0.1 up to 10 which allows for all skin types to experience the benefits of retinal and allows you to build up your skin’s tolerance gently. There is no need to persevere with a retinol product that makes your skin red, flaky, irritated and uncomfortable.

Medik8’s Crystal Retinal Range offers a next generation Vitamin A molecule which is one step closer to retinoic acid than retinol. Delivering results up to 11 times faster than classic forms of retinol. Retinaldehyde rapidly resurfaces the skin while helping to smooth skin texture. Delivered in a crystal encapsulation system, hence its name, the active ingredient is time released throughout the night. This makes retinaldehyde just as gentle on the skin as retinol, but has effects similar to retinoic acid. Unlike the other forms of vitamin A, retinaldehyde boasts direct antibacterial action, making it the ideal anti-ageing ingredient for blemish-prone skin.