One letter, one step apart
People mix these two up all the time, and I understand why. Retinol and retinal look like a typo of each other. Both are forms of vitamin A, and both belong to the family of ingredients called retinoids.
The difference is how close each one is to the form your skin can actually use. Your skin has to convert retinol in two steps before it can put it to work. Retinal, short for retinaldehyde, is already one step along, so it needs just one more.
In plain terms, retinal tends to work a little faster than retinol and can feel a little stronger. Retinol is slower and steadier. Neither is right for everyone. It depends on your skin, how used it is to vitamin A, and how the product is made.
What both can do
Used regularly, vitamin A helps skin look smoother, softens the look of fine lines and helps tone look more even. It can also help keep pores clear.
It isn't quick. I ask everyone to give it about three months before deciding whether it suits them. Your skin renews itself gradually, and vitamin A works with that rhythm.
Both can cause dryness, flaking or a little redness in the first few weeks while your skin gets used to them. That's common, and it's why how you start matters more than which one you pick.
Which one should you choose?
If you have never used vitamin A, or your skin is on the sensitive side, I usually suggest a gentle retinol first. AlumierMD Retinol Resurfacing Serum 0.25 is a lovely first step: the retinol is encapsulated, so it releases slowly, and niacinamide helps limit irritation. If your skin is easily upset or prone to redness, AlumierMD IntelliRET 0.3+ is made to give you retinol with less of the dryness and irritation it's known for.
If you have used retinol happily for a while and want a little more, retinal is worth a look. Hydrinity RetaXome Daily Retinal Hydrator pairs retinal with hyaluronic acid, ceramides and centella, so it feels comfortable enough for nightly use. If you would rather stay with retinol but go stronger, ZO Wrinkle + Texture Repair is a 0.5% retinol in a hydrating base.
Hydrinity and ZO are ordered after a free consultation here, so one of my skin experts can check the strength is right for you first.
Tanisha's tipDon't judge a retinoid by its percentage alone. How it's delivered and what it's paired with make a big difference to how your skin feels.
How to start without the flaking
Patch-test first: a little along your jawline for a few evenings. Then start slowly, two evenings a week, on clean, dry skin. If your skin stays comfortable after a couple of weeks, move to every other night, then nightly. A pea-sized amount covers the whole face. Keep it away from the corners of your eyes, nose and mouth.
Follow with moisturiser. If your skin is on the dry side, AlumierMD HydraDew helps keep it comfortable. Every morning, wear SPF, whatever the weather, because vitamin A can make skin more sensitive to the sun. Heliocare 360° Water Gel is light enough that you'll actually want to wear it.
If you are pregnant, trying for a baby or breastfeeding, put retinoids aside. And if your skin becomes sore, swollen or very red, stop and speak to us.
Tanisha's tipOn vitamin A nights, keep everything else simple. Skip scrubs and exfoliating acids on the same evening until you know how your skin responds.
