Retinol 101: Everything You Need to Know Before Adding It to Your Routine
Retinol is one of the most recommended skincare ingredients on the market, but it's also one of the easiest to get wrong. From how it works to when to use it, here's your complete guide, plus the formulas we keep coming back to.
Retinol has earned a reputation as skincare's overachiever. It's one of the most researched ingredients in beauty, recommended by dermatologists for everything from fine lines and pigmentation to acne and uneven texture. Yet despite its popularity, it's also one of the most misunderstood. If you've ever wondered whether you should be using retinol, what strength to start with or why your friend swears by it while your other friend says it ruined her skin, here's your guide.
So, What Is Retinol?
Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A that helps increase skin cell turnover and support collagen production.
As we age, our skin naturally slows down. Cell turnover decreases, collagen production drops and signs of sun damage become more visible. Retinol works by encouraging the skin to behave more efficiently, helping to improve texture, tone and overall skin quality over time.
What Can Retinol Help With?
Retinol is commonly used to address:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Uneven skin tone
- Sun damage
- Pigmentation
- Acne and congestion
- Rough texture
- Loss of firmness
While some ingredients promise instant gratification, retinol is a long-term investment. Most people start seeing noticeable improvements after eight to twelve weeks of consistent use.
Why Does Retinol Cause Irritation?
Retinol speeds up processes within the skin, which can sometimes lead to temporary dryness, flaking, redness or sensitivity.
This doesn't necessarily mean the product isn't working. More often, it means you've introduced it too quickly.
The biggest mistake beginners make is treating retinol like a challenge instead of a skincare ingredient.
Start slowly, give your skin time to adjust and focus on consistency over intensity.
How To Start Using Retinol
If you're new to retinol:
- Use it one to two nights per week for the first fortnight
- Increase gradually if your skin feels comfortable
- Apply a pea-sized amount to dry skin after cleansing
- Follow with a moisturiser
- Wear SPF every morning
Retinol and sunscreen are a package deal. One helps repair and support the skin, while the other helps prevent future damage, trust us, you can't use retinol without SPF.
Our Favourite Retinol Products
Beginner Friendly: La Roche-Posay Redermic Retinol B3 Serum
New to retinol? This is where we'd start. The formula combines retinol with soothing vitamin B3 (niacinamide), making it a gentler option for those who are concerned about irritation. It delivers the benefits of retinol without feeling like a bootcamp for your skin.
Everyday Hero: Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment
A favourite among skincare enthusiasts for good reason. This treatment balances a potent concentration of retinol with skin-supporting ingredients, making it an excellent option for those ready to step beyond beginner territory. It targets pigmentation, texture and signs of ageing while remaining surprisingly elegant to use.
Editor's Pick: Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum
If there was one retinol we'd recommend over and over again, it's this. Murad's multi-action approach combines different forms of retinoid technology to help improve firmness, smoothness and radiance while minimising irritation. It's one of those products that quietly earns a permanent place in your routine.
The Luxury Upgrade: Verso Night Cream
For those who enjoy a more elevated skincare experience, Verso's cult-favourite night cream brings the brand's signature retinol technology into a rich, nourishing formula. It feels indulgent, performs beautifully and earns its place on the bedside table of anyone serious about skin longevity.
The Bottom Line
Retinol isn't essential for everyone, but few ingredients have the research behind them that retinol does. Start slowly, wear your sunscreen, and remember that great skin is built through consistency rather than chasing overnight results. The best retinol isn't necessarily the strongest one. It's the one you'll actually use.
Keep Reading
Your Skin Has a Night Shift. Augustinus Bader Has Built a Cream Around It
Augustinus Bader’s latest launch, The Overnight Restorative Cream, is built around a simple premise: nighttime skincare should work with the skin’s natural biology, rather than simply giving us a richer moisturiser before bed. We spoke to Augustinus Bader’s Global Education Director Christiane Werron about the new launch.
Your Toothpaste Is Having a Skincare Moment
Vitamin C has been one of skincare’s most recognisable ingredients. We’ve watched it migrate from clinical treatments into serums, moisturisers, masks and even makeup. Now, it has arrived somewhere slightly less glamorous: the toothpaste aisle.
Sundae founder Lizzie Binks on Making Body Care Fun Again
There is a reason Sundae is difficult to miss. The colourful cans. The whipped textures. The playful favours. The fun approach to a category that has historically been much more interested in function than fantasy.