Vitamin A is naturally produced in the body, but levels deplete as we age, leading to issues like reduced skin elasticity, and increased fine lines and wrinkles.
When you apply over-the-counter retinol products to your skin, it is converted by the skin to retinoic acid. Retinoic acid is the active form that the skin can use. The more steps it takes to get the retinoid converted to retinoic acid, the weaker the result. On the other hand, pure retinoic acid (found in prescription retinol products), will start working straight away, but with the risk of side effects like irritation and sensitisation.
So you can see the conundrum:
We want high-strength retinol benefits but without the risk of irritation.
which leads us to the best type of OTC retinol for beginners.