Your step by step guide to retinol on sensitive skin

Retinol is the magic potion that is quite a game-changer for your skincare. It can fight signs of aging while boosting the overall skin complexion. The presence of vitamin A in retinol improves the elasticity of the skin and smoothens the texture by minimizing the pores. While this ingredient might seem nothing less than a genie in a bottle, it is a hit or miss for people with sensitive skin.

Retinol can cause irritation to the skin leading to sensitivity. One might experience redness and break outs when skin doesn’t agree to its application. But, that doesn’t mean you have to give up. There are ways to incorporate the goodness of retinol in your skincare without irritating it.

Start by cleansing your skin thoroughly with a mild or gentle cleanser. Any harsh cleanser can cause dryness on your skin which can further aggravate your skin when you put retinol.

Prep your skin with niacinamide based moisturiser before going in with the retinol. This will help to calm and hydrate the skin to prevent irritation. You can also dilute retinol by mixing it with your favourite moisturiser to skip this step or seal the nutrients of retinol by following up with another layer of a hydrating cream.

It is important to give time to your skin to adapt to a new ingredient, such as retinol. Introduce retinol to your skin starting with a gap of a few days and increase the frequency of its application gradually. Remember all you need is a pea-sized amount of the product for your face. Wash it off after a few hours and once your skin gets comfortable with it, you can leave it till overnight. One must use sunscreen when using retinol.

Despite all of these, if you still see signs of irritation it is best to discontinue application and consult a dermatologist for best.

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