This post is a follow up to our retinol piece that we posted recently and you can see that here. We have a lot more details information about the ingredient here if you’re interested… so we’re not going to go in too much depth about exactly how retinol works in this piece!

Below, we’ve chosen a selection of retinol products for all of you out there, depending on what stage you are in the process of using this fab powerhouse ingredient.

One final note, so we’re not going to be repeating ourselves… make sure to use retinol at night and follow up the next morning with a good SPF. Okay, lets go!

For the beginner

Merumaya – Retinol Resurfacing Treatment

This one is perhaps the best for those of you that are starting out using this ingredient.

This serum is described as one where ‘even the more delicate skins can benefit’. This one is a more gentler form. It applies to the skin like a thick white cream and I appreciate the pump applicator as it means that the product isn’t being exposed to air and losing some of its effectiveness.

It won’t make your skin peel as some of the harsher forms can do, and with prolonged use you will see results. It has quite a strong scent, which if you’ve used other Merumaya products before you will recognise and I quite like it myself.

This product also include squalane to rehydrate and soothe the skin – it is a hydrating and healing oil, which is naturally found in our bodies and can also be found in plants, which is usually where beauty companies source the oil from. It’s clinically proven to be non-irritating which makes it a great addition to a Retinoid treatment! This one uses 0.3% retinol.

 For the busy babe

Image Skincare – Total Overnight Retinol Masque

This one is specifically described as an overnight masque to give you the ‘ultimate beauty sleep’.

It comes in a pot but has a fab press pump to make sure the product isn’t exposed to air too much and lose its effectiveness. It is a thick and lush cream. It also contains hydrating microspheres of marine collagen of lock in moisture so you wake up with plump, smooth skin and is very easy and quick to use! It can be the last step in your routine, put this one before you go to bed and let it do the work for you.

For the experimenter

Dermalogica – Overnight Retinol Repair

What’s cool about this one is that you can customise it yourself depending on how strong you’d like the treatment. As you become more accustomed to retinol, you can increase the strength. How this works is that it includes a moisturising Buffer Cream to help the skin acclimatise to this treatment, you mix the two ingredients together by mixing one-part of the Overnight Retinol Repair with up to three parts of the Buffer Cream.

It contains 0.5% encapsulated pure Retinol which helps increase collagen production and cell turnover. It also contains squalane, which will help soothe the skin and repair damage.

For the pro

The Ordinary – Granactive Retiniod 2% in Squalane

This is the highest percentage of retinol that can be given without getting a prescription, so this one kicks a punch. If you’re a little more experienced with this ingredient I’d give this one a try but if you’re a newbie, this one isn’t quite as user-friendly and I’d be wary about over-doing it with this one.

It has more of an oil-like texture, very light yellow in colour. It is water free to keep it stable. You should use this after water-based serums but before heavier treatments.

Once again, this product also includes squalane, which is the first ingredient! It seems to be a pattern doesn’t it? We actually have the squalane oil from The Ordinary and we love it… a review of this will be appearing shortly.

As you can see from the full name of the product – this product contains a huge 2% retinol, so tread lightly!

Jessica

Image Skincare Ageless Total Overnight Retinol Masque is a cosmecutical it is only currently available from stockists, call  0345 504 0461 to find your nearest one. 

Buy The Ordinary Retinoid for £7.80 from The Ordinary
Buy the Merumaya Retinol Resurfacing Treatment for £35.50 from Merumaya
Buy the Overnight Retinol Repair for £79 from Dermalogica

*PR gift/sample