What is retinol? benefits, types, and how to use it.

Retinol is one of the buzziest skin care ingredients ever. But for all the attention retinol has gotten, many people still don’t know what it is, how it works, or even how to use it. 

Understanding retinol is key to using it effectively and minimizing irritation, especially if you’re new to Vitamin A-based ingredients. Let’s explore the basics you need to know about the effects of retinol and how it can transform your nighttime skincare routine for healthy skin. 

What is retinol?

Pure retinol is a retinoid – a form of Vitamin A – its hands down the industry’s gold standard ingredient for reversing the signs of skin aging. As an over-the-counter retinoid, retinol helps accelerate skin cell turnover, which can visibly improve uneven texture, fine lines, and discoloration over time. Retinol can benefit a multitude of skin conditions, but is most recommended for aging skins to reduce the appearance of fine lines and dark spots for firmer, smoother and more even-toned skin. Treating acne is another benefit of retinol, it can help prevent dead skin cells from clogging pores. 

Types of retinol and retinoids

Retinoids come in many forms; retinol, retinaldehyde, and retinoic acid, to name a few.

Regardless of which one you use, it’s important to note that enzymes in the skin convert all retinoids into retinoic acid. 

This conversion process determines both the strength of the retinoid and how quickly results may appear. The more closely related a retinoid is to retinoic acid, the more quickly your skin will utilize it.  At Dermalogica, we formulate our retinol creams and serums with active ingredients including either retinol esters or retinol to balance efficacy with skin tolerance and help irritation while maintaining skin health. 

• Retinoic Acid 

  • This type of retinoid is the strongest and is available through a prescription. It can come in a topical form also known as “Tretinoin” which typically addresses signs of skin aging, or a pill form taken orally also known as the brand name Accutane or “Isotretinoin” which is typically prescribed for acne. These prescriptions have a high potential for skin irritation due to its direct activity in the skin without requiring conversion.  

• Retinol

  • Retinol is the strongest retinoid available without a prescription. While still highly effective, retinol is about 20% weaker than retinoic acid and is slowly converted into retinoic acid by the skin. This slower conversion is why retinol is often better tolerated, especially when introduced gradually. This also means there is less skin irritation. 

• Retinyl Esters 

  • Retinyl esters like retinyl palmitate and retinyl propionate are the mildest retinoids. They take longer to convert to retinoic acid and carry a minimal risk of skin irritation. These forms are often recommended for beginners or sensitive skin types looking to ease into retinoid use. Learn more about our Retinoid Clearing Oil  - our comprehensive breakout treatment for an aging skin with retinoids and salicylic acid in one soothing oil for clearer, more vibrant skin overnight.    

• Microencapsulated Retinol 

  • Retinol can be very sensitive to light (UV), air (oxygen), and heat causing the molecule to break down, losing potency and become ineffective. Dermalogica formulates with microencapsulated retinol and time-released encapsulated retinol to stabilize the retinol for maximum potency. Encapsulation also allows the retinol to be released gradually, reducing the likelihood of irritation while delivering consistent results. Microencapsulated retinol also creates an invisible shield on the skin’s surface to help reduce moisture loss, which is critical for reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Try Age Reversal Eye Complex to target the eye area.

Why is retinol used?  

Skin aging occurs for several reasons – research suggests up to 50% of visible signs of skin aging come from our exposome. Your exposome includes factors such as climate, UV exposure, pollution, sleep, diet and stress. These factors can be healthy or unhealthy but a chronically unhealthy exposome can accelerate skin aging beyond what our DNA alone would dictate. 

In addition to this, as skin ages, cell turnover and collagen production slow down. Visible signs of skin aging (dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles, etc.) appear because our skin’s natural defense mechanisms weaken due to slower cell renewal and skin recovery. Retinol is widely used in skincare because it helps accelerate skin renewal, making it an effective option for addressing both intrinsic and environmentally driven aging.  

How does retinol work on skin?   

Retinol encourages skin cell turnover and renewal. This gives skin a smoother, more even-toned appearance. To tolerate retinol, skin often has to build up what are called ‘retinoid receptors’ first.

These receptors are proteins that are naturally found in skin, and they help retinol do its work. With repeated, controlled use, skin becomes more efficient at responding to retinoids. Skin can build retinoid receptors through controlled exposure, which is why it’s often recommended to start slowly with retinol products and build up to higher concentrations.    

How to use retinol   

Why retinol works best at night 

With great power comes a great chance of side effects. Retinol is known for being effective, but it’s also known to cause some irritation, especially on sensitive skin types. One of the most gentle yet effective ways to use retinol is in your nighttime routine. Applying retinol nightly has two important benefits: minimal sun exposure after retinol use greatly decreases the chance of irritation and sun damage.  Retinol can be more effective when paired with your skin’s nightly renewal process to prevent fine lines and wrinkles. Nighttime use also aligns with skin’s natural repair cycle, helping maximize visible results. 

Retinol and sensitive skin

Retinol can be irritating, especially for sensitive or reactive skin. Choosing formulas that include soothing, skin-strengthening ingredients can help minimize common side effects like dryness or redness. Ingredients such as squalane and beta-glucan help support the skin barrier while retinoids work to improve texture and tone. Introducing retinol slowly and maintaining hydration are key strategies for long-term tolerance. 

Retinol + daily SPF Protection

Treat it with Retinol. Protect with SPF. When using retinol in your routine, always remember to apply and reapply SPF in the daytime. We recommend Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50. Never leave home without it! Daily sunscreen use is essential when using retinol, as freshly renewed skin can be more vulnerable to UV exposure. 

Benefits of retinoids  

• Increases cell turnover and accelerates skin renewal 
• Effectively evens out discoloration
• Smoothing damage that occurs during skin aging
• Help to decrease the amount of collagen breakdown from sun exposure
• Stimulates collagen production 

Dermalogica's Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum 

Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum is designed to effectively treat the 4 signs of skin aging: pore size, uneven skin tone, wrinkles, tone and texture. This advanced serum uses a multi-retinoid approach to deliver results while supporting skin comfort. It’s formulated with a 3.5% Retinoid Complex, consisting of multiple retinoids working at different speeds to deliver intentionally-paced treatment to the skin, while minimizing irritation. It’s also packed with skin-strengthening ingredients like Squalene and Beta-Glucan to support skin’s barrier strength and resilience.