When it comes to warding off wrinkles and maintaining a youthful glow, retinol is practically undefeated. A derivative of Vitamin A, retinol is proven to turn back the clock on your skin by effectively exfoliating the dermis on a cellular level to reveal smoother, brighter, and younger-looking skin. Because of this, the powerhouse ingredient has recently found itself in the formulas of a myriad of beauty products and over-the-counter skincare lines for its unmatched ability to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, even out hyperpigmentation, and even combat acne.
How the youth-enhancing active works is that it accelerates the cell turnover rate in the skin (the process of producing new skin cells to replace existing ones), which is typically between 40 to 56 days for the epidermis. And as we age, the cell turnover rate lengthens, meaning that newer, younger skin isn’t showing up as fast. In short, the slowdown of the body’s cell turnover cycle is what’s responsible for visible signs of aging such as fine lines, sagging skin, and age spots.
The good news is that there is a slew of retinol-infused skincare products on the market that are designed to speed up the skin’s cell turnover rate, fighting premature signs of aging and pressing the reset button on your skin.
Now, a question that a lot of people have is when is the best time to start using retinol? Dermatologists recommend most people to start using retinol in their mid to late-20s, as this is when collagen and elastin production begins to slow down. But if you’re still unsure, we’ve come up with a foolproof guide to help you determine whether it’s time to introduce the powerhouse ingredient into your daily skincare routine. Read on for ten signs it’s definitely time to start using retinol.
If your TV crush was Leonardo DiCaprio or Chad Michael Murray
Or any boy that had a sweeping mushroom cut, really.
If you enjoyed the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime show
Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem — It’s 2001 all over again.
Growing up, you couldn’t use the internet and make a phone call at the same time
Remember when dial-up internet was considered groundbreaking technology?
If you had a Myspace account
Bonus points if you spent time meticulously updating your top eight.
If you remember the crushing feeling you got when your Tamagotchi died
Why was it so hard to keep them alive?
You had a favorite Spice Girl
Mine was Baby Spice, BTW.
If you’ve ever blown on a CD
Or wiped it with your shirt…
If you got up to use the washroom during commercial breaks
Thank God for streaming services.
If a Saturday night wasn’t complete without taking 300 photos and uploading them all onto a Facebook album
The Instagram photo dump is just the modern day version of uploading 500 photos from one night on Facebook.
If you know what T9 texting is
You want the letter “S”? You better click the seven button four times.
