What Age Should You Start Using Retinol?
And what's the best Retinol for beginners?
There’s a curious trend, and countertrend, in beauty today that I find fascinating.
It originated with teens and tweens and their desire for the best, most effective skincare products. Why settle for less?!
With cool, even sexy packaging, brands like Drunk Elephant and Glow Recipe are hot on TikTok and IG. And they’re driving a whole lot of traffic into retailers like Sephora.
Everyone should be happy, right? Except that Drunk Elephant and Glow Recipe sell aggressive, even clinical skincare products. They’re not made for younger skin.
Between them, they offer many of the most popular (and potent!) face serums – including an intense 15% Vitamin C serum, an advanced Retinol face serum and numerous exfoliating acid toners – the most aggressive product in any routine.
How popular are they? Well, Drunk Elephant’s C-Firma Fresh Day Serum is the best-selling Vitamin C serum on Sephora’s website – out of more than 100 products. Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner is ranked third among all toners. That’s even ahead of the Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant – the popular brand’s best-selling product! While highly effective, each of these products has a high potential to be sensitizing for any skin type, at any age – let alone teenage skin.
So what do brands do? They want the upside of a buzzy business: sales. But the downside is nothing short of a PR mess. Teenage skin can’t handle (and doesn’t need!) high concentrations of acids. Not Retinoic Acid. Not Ascorbic Acid. Not Glycolic Acid.
And now that countertrend.
Brands are beginning to offer lower-grade, weaker versions of products that younger customers can use without the risk of irritation. Notably, Glow Recipe has just introduced Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum – a Retinol face serum with a relatively low concentration of three retinoid molecules. It’s effective, but nowhere near the clinical-strength of the most popular Retinol serums.
You’ll find my detailed review of the Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum just below.
What age should you start using Retinol?
Dermatologists generally recommend starting out with Retinol in your late 20s or early 30s. This is especially the case for the treatment of fine lines, wrinkles and signs of photoaging as you age.
As a treatment for acne-prone skin, a gentle Retinol face cream or serum can be used earlier. Without the guidance of a dermatologist or other professional, using an OTC retinoid on your own can be tricky.
In particular, the concern for a teenager using Retinol is its potency and the likelihood of extreme irritation and even sensitization. If you’re younger, consider a milder formula like the Paula’s Choice Triple Active Total Repair Serum, the Cocokind Beginner Retinol Gel 0.1% or the new Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum – which I review just below.
And don’t forget sunscreen! It is essential to pair a nightly Retinol treatment with a facial sunscreen in the morning. Not only is your skin susceptible to UV damage generally, but Retinol can cause enhanced sun sensitivity. Using Retinol without a daily sunscreen can actually lead to more skin damage than the Retinol can even begin to repair.
Explore my top picks of the best Retinol creams and serums on the blog here. And my top picks of the best sunscreens for face here.
Sources: Vogue - 9 Essential Things to Know Before Using Retinol and Retinoids; Martha Stewart - At What Age Should You Start Using Retinol? Several Dermatologists Weigh In
Best Retinol for Beginners, Teens & Acne-Prone Skin: Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum
Clinical-strength retinoids have been prescribed for the treatment of acne for decades. Retinoids like tretinoin (Retin-A), isotretinoin (Accutane) and even high concentrations of Retinol remain among the most effective acne medicines.
They’re effective because they stimulate cell turnover to accelerate skin’s exfoliation process and refresh multiple skin layers. The accumulation of dead surface skin cells can quickly clog pores and trap acne-causing bacteria in embedded sebum – a particular problem for acne-prone skins.
Even so, it’s unusual for a skincare brand to position a Retinol face serum as a blemish treatment – especially in the premium skincare channel. Broadly, marketers position Retinol products as wrinkle treatments and leave OTC acne products for the mass market.
But Glow Recipe did something different with their new Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum. By positioning the product as an acne treatment, they’ve clearly placed their bet on their teenage and 20-something consumers who struggle with acne.
That said, Glow Recipe’s Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum is not technically an FDA-approved “acne treatment.” Because acne products are tightly regulated, the brand can’t make claims that the product clears up acne – whether it does or not.
But they can make adjacent claims like it can “help visibly clarify blemishes” or “soothe and nourish blemish-prone”. And even put the word “blemish” in the name! It doesn’t mean it’s ineffective; it means it’s not a serious OTC acne treatment proven to prevent acne or clear up existing acne.
And it’s certainly not an acne spot treatment like the increasingly popular Salicylic Acid solutions, including the Peace Out Acne Healing Dots and The INKEY List’s Hydrocolloid Invisible Pimple Patches.
So what does Glow Recipe’s Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum do then? Well, with a blend of three retinoids (Retinol, Retinal and Retinyl Ester), hydrators like Glycerin, and multiple plant oils, it’s a well-formulated Retinol face serum that can help to retexturize the skin surface and improve cell turnover to prevent pores from clogging.
While the brand quotes a mid-strength 0.16% concentration of a “Triple-Retinoid Blend,” the complex is predominantly made up of the Retinyl Ester, considered the weakest of the retinoids. This makes it well-tolerated by most skins, even young skin.
Who’s the product good for? I’d say it’s probably best for “advanced beginners.” It’s for those with some experience with Retinol treatments, occasional users, and the teens and tweens whose skin can’t handle more aggressive treatments but who don’t want to be left out of the Retinol craze.
After all, the bottle looks great on TikTok, including my TikTok!
Pros & Cons
What I like about it: The Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum is a solid Retinol face serum ideal for “advanced beginners” – those with some experience using Retinol. I love its moderate blend of retinoids, the inclusion of additional antioxidants, and even 8% Glycerin to hydrate skin and prevent dryness.
What I don’t like about it: The scent is pleasant, even pleasurable; but the addition of fragrance at any level is potentially sensitizing.
Who it’s for: All skin types except very oily. (It’s not oil-free.)
SHOP THE BLOG: Want to try it for yourself? Purchase the Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum for $48 here.
Product links:
Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum
The INKEY List Hydrocolloid Invisible Pimple Patches
Drunk Elephant’s C-Firma Fresh Day Serum
Cocokind Beginner Retinol Gel 0.1%
Cocokind Advanced Retinol Gel 0.5%