Vitamin A is an essential antioxidant recognized as one of the most effective vitamins for anti-aging treatment as it improves the appearance of skin elasticity, smoothness, softness, resulting in younger, clearer and healthier looking skin. It comes as several forms which include:
Retinol is considered the gold standard in Cosmeceuticals and one of the top performing skin actives currently available. When applied to human skin it penetrates and is sequentially oxidised into retinoic acid which provides all the benefits. Retinol can improve visible signs of photo ageing (meaning sun damage), enlarged pores, and uneven skin tone. Its ability to support collagen production maintains the skin matrix and thus prevents the appearance of wrinkles.
Retinaldehyde is another great Retinoid and considered even more effective than Retinol as it has less steps to convert into Retinoic Acid. The down side however is that it too like Retinol is also very unstable and also causes skin irritation.
A new generation retinoid has been developed which we believe is the Best Retinoid currently available. It is called Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate. It is more effective, more stable and far less irritating than both retinol and retinaldehyde. It binds directly to the retinoid receptor without the need for any conversion into retinoic acid, unlike the previous two, and for these reasons is considered superior.
Retinyl Palmitate is another option and is often inaccurately referred to as retinol. It is ineffective and requires more steps to convert into the active retinoic acid form. It is a cheap option and not recommended but still found in many products on the market claiming to contain Retinol – so read the ingredient list!
The products below now contain the new and improved form of retinol – Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate – making them even more effective!.
