Retinoid vs. Retinol vs. Retinal: Understanding the difference
Ahhhhhhhhh!!! Retin-WHAT?
Skincare can be confusing. DON’T WE KNOW IT. From understanding the difference between retinol and bakuchiol, and telling your squalane from your salycilic acid - it can sometimes feel like skincare labels might as well be written in a foreign language.
We believe that understanding your beauty ingredients is empowering. Knowing the benefits and what works for you, can help when you’re browsing for your next skincare remedy.
So if you’re asking what’s the difference between retinoid, retinol and retinal, then you’ve come to the right place.
What are Retinoids?
Given their incredibly similar names, you’re certainly not the only one to get confused by them. So, let’s get this straight.
Retinoids are the umbrella term for the different compounds that sit within them.
There are four main categories that are classified as retinol, retinoic acid, retinyl esters, and retinaldehyde.
All retinoids are vitamin-A based compounds that offer a wealth of benefits for our skin. They’re incredibly useful for cell regeneration, meaning they work wonders for smoothing fine lines and helping you achieve a youthful look. However, this skin regeneration also means they can help with skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and even some types of cancer.
Within the retinoid subcategories, some compounds more potent than others. As a result, some of the strongest types of retinoid are prescription-only and considered as very strong treatments for skin conditions.
So… what is Retinol?
Retinol is a type of retinoid that is commonly used in skincare products that usually aren’t prescription-based.
By definition, retinol is a derivative of vitamin A. This substance is hugely important for our skin because vitamin A is actually one of the main ingredients that the body needs to encourage cell turnover.
Essentially, retinol is less potent than most prescription-based retinoids and have a more gradual affect on our skin. At the same time, retinol is powerful enough to supercharge our skincare. And thanks to retinol’s powerful properties, it’s become a very popular beauty ingredient throughout the last few years.
Retinol works by absorbing into our skin and encouraging skin cell turnover. This is a key factor in reducing signs of ageing, as it helps our bodies produce healthy new cells. Without cell renegation, our skin would frequently look dull and dry.
There’s plenty of studies that have since backed this up. For example, research from the Clinical Interventions of Ageing published a study that said: “it can be concluded that retinol should be effective in the treatment of aging and photoaging.”
There is an abundance of products on the market that include varying strengths of retinol. Some of our favourite brands include The Ordinary, Inkey List, Beauty Pie and Paula’s Choice.
Good to know… Using any type of retinoid may also have negative effects on your skin. This can include increased sensitivity and irritation (read on to find out more). What’s more, some products should not be combined with retinol or retinal. Always check the labels for instructions about usage.
What is Retinal?
Retinal (short for retinaldehyde) is also a type of retinoid. Similar to retinol, retinaldehyde encourages skin cell turnover which can boost your skin tone, help create more collagen and promote skin suppleness. Once again, it’s a very effective elixir when trying to reduce the signs of ageing such as fine lines and wrinkles.
However, retinal is a lot stronger as an ingredient. In fact, retinal is actually claimed to be 11 times more effective than retinol and so yields faster results. As a result, users should also be cautious when applying retinal and know the risks.
Retinal is considered an effective product for people who’ve tried retinol before and know that their skin can tolerate the strength of the ingredient. If you’re looking to increase the effects of retinol, this is the strongest type of retinoid you can access without a prescription.
What’s more, thanks to the huge popularity of retinol, there’s also a growing interest in retinaldehyde. Brands like Youth To The People and Medik8 now offer products that include this dose of youthful goodness.
Here’s a quick take away to remember:
Retinoids is the umbrella term for vitamin A derivatives which include retinol and retinal.
Your skin needs vitamin A to help protect against infections and encouraging skin cell regeneration. This can be obtained through a healthy diet as well as OTC products.
Retinol is a type of retinoid and the most commonly used derivate in skincare ingredients.
Retinal(dehyde) is also part of the retinoid family but is a stronger type of retinoid compared to retinol.
Using Retinol and Retinal in skincare
While retinol and retinal can be an effective addition to a skincare routine, there are some guidelines about how to use them.
Retinol and retinal can be used on your face and neck, avoiding your eyes.
Apply a pea-sized amount of retinol twice a week onto clean skin as part of your evening skincare routine. Most skincare specialists suggest starting with once a week application for retinal, because it's so much more potent.
You can build up tolerance to these products and gradually increase the number of times you use it within the week. However, you run the risk of causing skin irritation if you don’t ease into it.
Always finish your routine with a moisturizer, and make sure that you’re also wearing SPF as part of your daily routine because retinoids can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight.
Understanding the side effects
Using any type of retinoid also carries the risk of side effects. Such a powerful ingredients can lead to redness, flakiness and peeling of your skin. Thats why it’s very important that you start using these types of products sporadically.
‘Retinol burn’ is the phrase used to describe skin that has been negatively impacted by the overuse of retinol. This happens when retinol encourages too much cell regeneration, meaning that your body produced too many new cells - that leaves your skin feeling tender.
A lot of scientific studies have pointed out that retinoids should not be used during pregnancy.
Not sure that retinol or retinal are for you? Not to worry, there’s an awesome natural alternative called Bakuchiol and we’ve got the low down for you. Head over to our beauty page to read all about it.
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