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What is Retinol?

Are you wondering What is Retinol? Retinol is vitamin A, it is the entire vitamin A molecule. Vitamin A is an anti-oxidant that is essential for healthy skin, bones and vision. Retinol is one of the few items that has been shown (through extensive research) to have a positive impact on the condition of the skin.

The reason that it does effect the skin is because the skin has vitamin A receptors, so it is able to absorb and use it when applied to the skin. When it is taken into the skin, retinol stimulates the production of collagen which improves the structure of the skin. It will improve the appearance of the skin by making it softer and smoother. By improving the skin structure, it will also diminish fine lines and wrinkles and lessen any sun damage as well as making the pores less visible.

Some skin care products use the entire vitamin A molecule (retinol), other use only part of it. The active ingredient in Retin-A (prescription strength retinol) is retinoic acid, which is just one of the many components of retinol, or a vitamin A molecule. Other forms of retinol are retinyl palmitate, retinal and retinoic acid.

Cosmetic (over-the-counter) retinol products can be beneficial for people who don’t need or can’t tolerate the prescription strength versions of Retin-A or Renova.

What is Retinol? - How Retinol Works:

The molecular structure of vitamin A is small enough to get into the collagen and elastin in the lower layers of the skin. Retinol is broken down into retinoic acid and it “tells” the cells to behave normally (not like damaged or wrinkled cells). This increases the production of new cells and collagen. The results are decreases in mottled pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles and improvements in skin texture, skin tone and color, and moisture levels. The exfoliation effects are also beneficial for treating acne.

I have researched dozens (feels like hundreds) of the top rated retinol products - the ingredients, user and industry expert reviews. I have personally tried most of them for extended periods of time. Here are my top 3 recommendations:

	Alpha Hydrox Retinol ResQ $15	Beauticontrol Regeneration Overnight Retinol Recovery Serum $45	Prescriptives Skin Renewal Cream $60
	0.15% Retinol, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and an anti-irritant	0.4% Retinol, Vitamin E, Watermelon Fruit Extract, Algae Extract, Green Tea Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Allantoin, Squalane	Retinol, Peptides, Soy Protein, St. Paul's Wort, Mulberry & Grape Extracts, Vitamin E, Squalane
	Alpha Hydrox Retinol ResQ is a great inexpensive retinol, arguably the best of the inexpensive retinol products. Because it is a thick cream, it is best for normal to dry skin that is not prone to acne or blemishes. This is almost identical to as philosophy's help me & Natural Advantage by Jane Seymour except this one has added Vitamin A & C & is one-third of the price!	This is the product I am currently using. I have oiler acne prone skin with congested pores - this is a silky lightweight serum that I prefer to the heavier creams. The retinol is also "encapsulated" - which means i is time-released and hopefully stays active on the skin for a longer period of time. I really prefer this to all the other creams and serums that I have tried.	This is a thicker cream that is best for normal to dry skin - it can also replace a moisturizer unless you have extremely dry skin. This is also micro-encapsulated - I do not know the retinol percentage, but it is very highly rated by users and industry experts.
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	Buy at Drugstore.com	Buy Direct from Beauticontrol	Buy Direct from Prescriptives

What is Retinol? Related Pages

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