RETINOL, RETINYL, RETINOID....WHAT'S THE DEAL?

I'm glad you asked. Both Retinol and Retinyl are forms of Vitamin A - which is critical in maintaining healthy vision, brain function and healthy skin among other things. Vitamin A is found in two main forms: active Vitamin A and beta carotene. Active Vitamin A comes from animal-derived foods and is called retinol. This “pre-formed” Vitamin A can be used directly by the body; it does not need to first convert the Vitamin. The other type of Vitamin A, which is obtained from colorful fruits and vegetables, is in the form of “pro Vitamin A” carotenoids, which are converted to retinol by the body after the food is ingested.

In a similar way, prescription skincare products containing Retinol are absorbed by the skin and then converted into Retinoic Acid which gets to work on boosting collagen and stimulating cell turnover. Retinyl Palmitate is a compound formed from Retinol and Palmitic Acid. When this is absorbed into the skin it is broken down into Retinol, then Retinaldehyde and finally Retinoic Acid. So as you can see - there is more of a process involved in converting Retinyl Palmitate into Retinoic Acid which means that it is a gentler form of treatment. 

Retinyl Palmitate is about 20 percent less potent than prescription Retinol, which also makes it perfect for sensitive skin. Our DREAMY SKIN night oil contains 0.4% Retinyl. 

Because Retinoids speed up collagen and cell turnover it is crucial to use an SPF Sunscreen to protect the shiny new skin cells from the damaging effects of UV rays.