Whilst having my make up done for a photo shoot, I began chatting to the make up artist about skincare and skincare routines. If I manage to brush my teeth before face planting into my bed at 7:30pm, I am happy – so my night time skincare routine is equally unorthodox. Simply put, I don’t have one. A slather of my Nivea Night Cream is about as thorough as it gets. When I explained this to the make up artist at the shoot, she suggested that I all I needed to do was to add a little something more to my skincare routine, and that this little something will reduce wrinkles, increase collagen, improve skin tone, texture and dark spots. Now this is something, I am sure we can all do with.
This little something is called Retinol. For some reason, the word Retinol scares me, as it sounds like an artificially strong chemical. But in reality, Retinol is simply the technical word for Vitamin A. And, it is scientifically proven that consistent use of Retinol increases skin cell turnover, increases firmness of skin, improves and prevents wrinkles, dark spots, texture and tone of the skin. All these positives are things I need in my life!
We all know that as we hit our mid thirties we should be more diligent about our skincare routines, but with such a huge smorgasbord of choice out there, the skincare world can be quite confusing. With so many ingredients and opinions, I find it very confusing, and I, quite frankly, don’t have the time to investigate or invest time and money in the latest super food skin product.
Then, I found out about a brand that has been one of the fashion world’s best kept secrets. The little known skincare brand, Paula’s Choice has been from where many models, make up artists and fashion insiders buy their skincare products. Not only are the products great and very good value, Paula’s Choice has high ethical standards and has never tested on animals. The make up artist recommended that I use the low concentration retinol product, Paula’s Choice Intensive Wrinkle Repair Retinol Serum, as part of my night time routine, and that I would, over time, notice a difference in my skin. Over the counter retinol (under two per cent concentration) products such as this serum aren’t as effective or fast as presription retinol, but are much easier to use, less likely to cause irritation, and still give the same results, just in a gentler way.
If you are new to retinol, begin using it gradually- apply the serum every other evening to see how your skin responds and build up usage gradually. The Serum appears greasy upon application, but is immediately absorbed by the skin. If you want to use retinol as part of your daily skin care routine, always apply an SPF over it, as the retinol makes the skin more reactive to the sun.
The great thing about this retinol product is that I haven’t changed anything else about my night-time skincare routine yet. I still cleanse in the evening, then apply the Serum all over my face including under my eyes and my neck, and then slather on my usual Nivea Night Cream, my old favourite and firm friend. Then I face plant into bed at 7:30pm prompt.
Before using Retinol, please read here for more information.
