Your Guide to Retinol

Retinol is often hailed as the gold standard in skincare for good reason. It's one of the most well-researched and proven ingredients for addressing a wide range of skin concerns, from fine lines and wrinkles to acne and uneven texture. But first, we need to understand where it fits into the broader family of retinoids.

Facts about retinol

What are retinoids?

The term "retinoid" is an umbrella term for all vitamin A derivatives. The members include:

• Retinyl esters: these are the most stable and gentle form of retinoid, (e.g., Retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, retinyl propionate, retinyl retinoate). They require three conversion steps to become active. While they take longer to show results, they are excellent for building skin tolerance
• Retinol: a classic in cosmetic formulation. It sits two steps away from the active form. It strikes a perfect balance between high efficacy and manageable side effects for most skin types
• Retinaldehyde or retinal: only one step away from the active form. Studies suggest retinal is up to 10 times more active than retinol, making it a favorite for those seeking faster results without a prescription
• Retinoic acid: the most potent retionid, i.e., Adapalene, tretinoin, tazarotene, trifarotene, alitretinoin, and bexarotene. These require zero conversion and bind instantly to skin receptors. They are powerful "active" drugs, which is why they often come with significant peeling and redness

What do retinoids do to the skin

Retinoids work on a cellular level to dramatically improve skin function. They are able to penetrate into the deeper layers of skin to communicate with the cells. For example, they can accelerate the rate at which skin cells turn over and push older cells to the surface faster. This process helps to reveal a brighter complexion.

Retinoids stimulate the production of collagen, which is protein that provides structure and elasticity to the skin. By doing so, retinoids help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

For those with acne, retinoids are a game-changer. They help to regulate sebum production and prevent clogged pores, which are the main culprits behind breakouts. So, yes, retinoids are not only ideal for anti-ageing 😉.

How do they do it?

The mode of action of retinoic acid is through its interaction with specific nuclear receptors inside skin cells. These receptors are known as retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and retinoid X receptors (RXRs). Once retinoic acid enters the cell, it binds to and activates these receptors. This activated receptor-ligand complex then translocates to the cell's nucleus, where it binds to specific DNA sequences called retinoic acid response elements (RAREs) on target genes. This binding event acts as a molecular switch, modulating the transcription of these genes.

Formulating retinol

You might wonder why we chose retinol specifically, rather than its gentler cousins (retinyl esters) or its more aggressive sibling (retinal). In the lab, the goal is to find the sweet spot of efficacy. While retinyl esters are very stable, they require too many conversion steps to deliver visible results in a reasonable timeframe. Conversely, while retinal is highly potent, it can be notoriously unstable in a liquid emulsion and carries a higher risk of immediate irritation for those with reactive skin. Retinol seems like the most clinically proven "bridge". It offers a reliable, predictable conversion into Retinoic Acid that delivers transformative results on wrinkles and acne, but remains manageable for daily use.

As a cosmetic chemist, my focus is always on creating a robust formulation that ticks the functionality and efficacy boxes, and this philosophy becomes the foundation of all MOIN products.

For our Retinol Lamellar Milk, we created a unique liquid emulsion to form a lamellar network. By incorporating phospholipids, the emulsion creates a structure similar to the natural lipid layers of your skin barrier. I am a big fan of this delivery system, because it supposedly offers a dual benefits: it optimizes retinol penetration for better results while simultaneously helping to reinforce your skin's barrier, mitigating the common dryness and irritation issue associated with retinol use.

How to use retinol safely

Retinoids, retinol included, are powerful, so it's important to introduce them into your skincare routine carefully to avoid irritation and flaking by following these guidelines:

• Start slow by applying retinol once or twice a week at night
• Gradually increases the frequency as your skin adjusts
• Use only a pea-sized amount of product for the entire face
• Applying a moisturizer before retinol can help to buffer its effects and reduce irritation
• Use sunscreen before going out of the sun

Source

• Cunningham TJ, Duester G. Mechanisms of retinoic acid signalling and its roles in organ and limb development. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2015 Feb;16(2):110-23.
• Huang Z, Liu Y, Qi G, Brand D, Zheng S, Role of vitamin A in the immune system. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2018 Sep;7:258.
• Ferreira R, Napoli J, Enver T, Bernardino L, Ferreira L. Advances and challenges in retinoid delivery systems in regenerative and therapeutic medicine. Nat Commun. 2020 Aug 26;11(1):4265.