Retinal VS Retinol Which is for me? How to introduce them into the routine?

You will have already started to hear the word Retinalheido, better known as Retinal, and you are invaded by the first questions about which will be the best for your skin: products with Retinol or with Retinal?

Well then! Today we are going to clear your doubts. We tell you which one to choose based on your skin type and the importance of how to gradually introduce it into your routine. But before…

What are Retinal and Retinol?

Both come from the same family called Retinoids and are forms of Vitamin A. They are one of the cosmetic active ingredients best known for their great anti-aging action, and they stand out for their great ability to slow down aging thanks to activating cell renewal in our skin. skin, a natural mechanism, which over time slows down, giving rise to signs of aging, such as wrinkles, lack of firmness, irregularities in texture, therefore, Retinoids will improve lines fine lines and wrinkles, the elasticity and texture of the skin, they prevent transepidermal water loss, improving hydration, they also promote collagen production, have an antioxidant action and help treat hyperpigmentation by improving tone.

However, there are differences between them, each one behaves differently when in contact with our skin, so they have different nuances and with it, the type of skin for which it is recommended and needs.

So how do they interact on our skin?

When we apply any Retinoid topically, whether Retinol or Retinal (Retinalheido) in this case, a chemical process begins upon contact with our skin that leads them to become a conformation called Retinoic Acid, this acid is the only one responsible for triggering all the direct anti-aging actions on our skin.

If we apply Retinol, it has to make two conversions in our skin until it becomes Retinoic Acid to carry out the anti-aging action, let's say that, it has to first convert into Retinal (Retinalheido) to finally become Retinoic Acid, needing to go through these two conversions to carry out said action.

However, if we apply Retinal (Retinalheido) already in the first conversion it becomes directly converted into Retinoic Acid to fulfill the anti-aging action. Therefore, Retinal takes fewer steps, being faster in conversion action. That is why products with Retinal usually have lower levels of concentrations compared to those of Retinol.

There is still nothing to indicate that Retinal is more powerful than Retinol.

Retinol is the one with the largest number of studies with the most scientific evidence regarding its ability to transform the skin, and the most proven studies compared to Retinal are that it does not irritate and has antibacterial properties, this being what differentiates them.

When do we choose one or the other according to skin type?

THE RETINAL

It is ideal for skin that wants to work on signs of aging, and that is:

1. Sensitive skin, Retinal is better tolerated in this type of skin, as it has been shown to be less irritating and does not cause peeling.
2. Skin with imperfections, combination, oily and even acne, since Retinal has been shown to have direct antibacterial properties that help fight acne bacteria that cause breakouts and balance the overproduction of sebum, to achieve skin free of imperfections, luminous and radiant.
3. For any skin type that is not directly tolerant to Retinol.
4. It can be an option to advise beginner skin types, we are referring to those who have not used any Retinoid before and want to start.

RETINOL

It is ideal for all types of skin that is resistant and tolerant to this active ingredient and that wants to work on signs of aging, such as expression lines or wrinkles, lack of firmness, spots and irregular texture.

Retinol is capable of penetrating the inner layers, making it more irritating for some skin, which is why it is very important to retinize the skin.

The retinization process is the period that our skin needs to get used to this active ingredient, which is why we will start with products from the lowest concentrations and progressively move up to higher concentrations.

How to introduce them into our routine?

In general, retinoids can cause some slight irritation if they are applied to the skin for the first time, which is why we must progressively introduce them into our routine, using them at night, avoiding the eye area, starting two or three nights a week. week, for the first fifteen days and then gradually increasing to alternate nights, until finally every night.

Another thing that we must take into account when choosing a Retinol or Retinal product is not only to look at the amount of concentration, but also with what active ingredients are formulated in its composition, since these extra ingredients will always help to enhance and complete the action.

We help you choose the right product

Products with Retinal in concentrations from 0.05 are effective enough to act as anti-aging, it is the best ally for sensitive skin, since it is less irritating, and for oily, acneic and even seborrheic skin due to its antibacterial and regulatory sebum.

Retinal, however, is a more difficult asset to formulate, requiring advanced technologies to guarantee its stability and effectiveness.

We highlight three products with Retinal designed with advanced technologies:

Allies of Skin 's Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream is a patented encapsulated formulation of Retinaldehyde with extended release technology.

A-Game 5 by Geek & Gorgeous is ideal for getting started with this active ingredient, with medium power, which corrects all signs of aging, being very gentle and gentle on the skin, ideal for oily and acne-prone skin. And for accustomed skin that needs more power, we recommend A-Game 10 .

Moonbeam serum from HoliFrog a combination of encapsulated and patented Retinal that provides the most bioavailable form of Vitamin A for effective stability, helping to prevent irritation.

Retinol is the anti-aging star if you have resistant and tolerant skin. If you want a super complete anti-aging treatment, you can incorporate products with Retinol to care for your skin. We highlight:

Activ Retinol 0.5 from Dermaceutic is a medium-grade concentration that helps generate cell renewal, improving the appearance of skin texture, eliminating marks and reducing all signs of aging, lack of firmness, deep wrinkles, expression lines, past acne marks, blackheads and dull skin with spots. If your skin is already used to it and needs more power, we recommend Activ Retinol 1.0

Retinol + Marula from Current State of Skin a powerful in impressive results on the skin with an encapsulated Retinol along with Kojic Acid, a depigmenting agent, helps to powerfully smooth expression lines, brighten visibly uneven skin tone and help blur the appearance of the stains.

If you are looking for a specific treatment to treat hyper-pigmentation spots, melasma or sun spots, Mela Cream from Dermaceutic contains Retinol + 40% depigmentation active ingredients which visibly blur hyperpigmentation spots and even out skin tone, in addition to remove red marks from past acne.

Also, don't forget the importance of protecting your skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every day before leaving the house.

We hope we have helped you