What is retinol?Updated a year ago
Retinol is a form of vitamin A that has become very popular in skincare, and for some very good reasons. On the skin, retinol converts into retinoic acid through a two-step process. Retinoic acid regulates and increases the reproduction of skin cells.
This makes skincare ingredients in the retinol family incredibly useful for addressing a massive range of skin concerns, from overall skin tone and texture to specific concerns like hyperpigmentation, breakouts, and, indeed, wrinkles.
Retinol is the fat-soluble form of vitamin A, but the term is often also used to refer to retinoids broadly, including retinoic acid, retinaldehyde, and synthetic retinoids. Further below, we explain the differences between the different retinoids.