📋 In This Article
Retinol is the gold standard of anti-aging, but it's not a quick fix. In fact, your skin often gets worse before it gets better. This process, known as "retinization," scares many people off just before the magic happens.
What to Expect
Retinol works by speeding up cell turnover. It forces your skin to shed old, dead cells and generate new, fresh ones. This speed takes getting used to.
Weeks 1-4: The Adjustment
The Feeling: Tingling, slight dryness, maybe some redness.
The Strategy: Start slow. Apply a pea-sized amount only 2 nights a week. Buffer it by applying moisturizer before the retinol if your skin is sensitive.
The "Ugly" Purge Phase (Weeks 4-8)
The Feeling: Breakouts. Flaking. Irritation.
Why: As cell turnover speeds up, all the micro-comedones (baby pimples) lurking deep in your pores are pushed to the surface at once. It looks like a breakout, but it's actually a clean-out.
DO NOT QUIT: This is the hardest part. If you stop now, you restart the clock. Keep moisturizing and stick with it.
Week 12+: The Glow Up
The Review: By month 3, the purge should be over. Your skin has adjusted.
- Texture: Smoother, glass-like.
- Tone: Dark spots have faded.
- Wrinkles: Fine lines are softened.
- Acne: Significantly reduced.
3 Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using too much: A pea size for the whole face. More = irritation, not better results.
- Applying on wet skin: Wet skin absorbs product deeper, increasing irritation. Always wait 20 mins after washing.
- Forgetting SPF: Retinol makes you sun-sensitive. You MUST wear sunscreen daily.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.