Vitamin A can form an essential part of your skincare routine in its active form - retinol. A derivative of Vitamin A, retinol, and retinal, are known for their numerous benefits, including reducing the depth of fine lines and minimizing the appearance of dark circles, whilst exfoliating the skin and promoting a youthful glow.
Vitamin A for Skin
Derivatives of Vitamin A, retinol and retinal (retinaldehyde), are powerful skincare ingredients known for their restorative benefits for skin. Discover our best Vitamin A skincare products and learn how to incorporate them into your routine.
What is Retinol?
Retinol is a precursor of Vitamin A, a nutrient that promotes and increases the turnover of skin cells. When applied to the skin, retinol converts to retinoic acid. Retinoic acid is a metabolite that can be processed by skin cells, using Vitamin A to encourage skin cell growth and development – mimicking how skin cells act during youth. It is this promotion of skin cell turnover that makes retinol a powerful anti-aging skincare ingredient, as it plumps skin, minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
What is Retinal?
Converting into retinoic acid in just one step, retinal, also known as retinaldehyde, is effective at a much lower concentration than retinol, which needs to undergo two conversion steps to become retinoic acid. As a result, this form of Vitamin A has been shown to work up to 11 times faster than retinol. This lower concentration also means that retinal is a non-irritating alternative to retinol, making it suitable for sensitive skin.
Retinal in its pure form is highly unstable. Our Vitamin A serums and creams, Midnight Renewal and Illumineye C, include a patented, innovative form of retinal protected within a cyclodextrin delivery system which ensures stability and optimal delivery of Vitamin A into skin without irritation. Once converted, retinoic acid facilitates the communication between cells, encouraging aging cells to continue their renewal process, regenerating collagen and elastin.
