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Style & Beauty

Retinol use on sunny beach holiday

35 replies

ChangingStates · 05/07/2018 22:04

Hello,

Just looking for advice on whether I should drop the retinol from my routine while on a hot sunny beach holiday.

I use the ordinary granactive retinoid 5% nightly and factor 30 every day. When on holiday am I ok to keep as is, or should I stop altogether? Could also up to factor 50 or use a less intense retinoid (2%)?

I am middle aged, fairish skinned, usually tan easily with factor 15-30 depending on the sun.

OP posts:
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neveradullmoment99 · 05/07/2018 22:07

I have wondered this myself. If I have had a day out in the sun, I tend not to put it on at night. Not sure if it is the right thing to do though.

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XiCi · 05/07/2018 22:45

You're supposed to stop any actives - retinol/AHA/BHA/VitC etc approx 6 weeks before a holiday in order not to cause skin damage or worsen pigmentation. I'm going away Aug 14 and am stopping now.

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SamanthaBrique · 05/07/2018 23:17

You are? According to who? You just need to make absolutely sure you're on top of your factor 50 application.

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XiCi · 06/07/2018 05:12

I've been using actives for years and that has always been the standard advice. Do your own research OP, this is the first that comes up on a search (advice on Q&A at bottom of page). www.abigailjames.com/lets-talk-about-retinol/ but there is alot of the same advice out there.
I wouldn’t risk the skin damage. BTW you should be using factor 50 religiously even in winter if you are using Retinol, never mind a beach holiday!

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FurryDice · 06/07/2018 05:18

No no no! Stop with the retinol and anything abrasive at least 6 weeks prior to sun exposure.

Think about it. It’s quite logical. The point of these kind of products is to abrade and expose new skin. You don’t then want to be exposing that fresh skin to damaging sun when you’re using them to reverse skin ageing! It’s not exactly rocket science.

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BlueKittens · 06/07/2018 06:38

But my Vichy water sunscreen has AHA in it. It was recommended by Sali Hughes. Should I stop using it?

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XiCi · 06/07/2018 06:46

Are you sure bluekittens? I've looked at the vichy water sunscreen ingredients and can't see AHA. It contains a natural beta carotene but this isn't a chemical exfoliant.

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Biologifemini · 06/07/2018 07:10

Retinol basically strongly exfoliates your skin. It sensitises your skin to the sun.
Spf 50 only protects around 97 percent of UV.
Unless you are planning on being indoors with hats and spf 50 reapplied I wouldn’t use this on holiday.
You are likely to come back with hyperpigmentation and thread veins.
I’d keep it for the winter or just use a very low dose. It just seems to undo any good unless you are ultra vigilant.

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trigger2 · 06/07/2018 12:23

I live in Spain and use retirides cream .025 (Spanish name for tretinoin) twice a week at night - I always have spf50 on during the day & always reapplied. I’m thinking about trying an spf100 I’ve seen to be on the safe side. Touch wood so far no ill effects.

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Lottapianos · 06/07/2018 12:30

I'm not on holiday but it's 30 degrees in London and has been warm and sunny for a good week now. I'm outside for a total of about an hour a day. I wear Biore SPF50 and sunglasses every day but I don't wear a hat. I don't do retinol but I use Lactic Acid and 12% Vitamin C serum at night. Should I be stopping this too while the sun is so strong?

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Bugjune · 06/07/2018 12:30

I usually give my skin a month or two off in the summer, the sun is an even bigger enemy when you're using retinols.

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TeamEponine · 06/07/2018 12:39

Does this advice also count for hyaluronic and glycolic acids?

I started using them a few months ago, and my skin looks so much better, but I did get more hyper-pigmentation when on a beach holiday this year. I've heard about avoiding sun exposure if using retinol, but not hyaluronic or glycolic acids!

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XiCi · 06/07/2018 12:50

team yes glycolic acid is a chemical exfoliant so the same rules would apply and you should be wearing sunblock daily whilst you are using it. The hyaluronic acid will be fine.

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ChardonnaysPrettySister · 06/07/2018 12:54

I stopped all glycolic acid and retinonoids at the beginning of June.

I’ll restart in September.

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TeamEponine · 06/07/2018 13:08

Great, thanks! I only use glycolic twice a week, but I'll put that on pause until September. I do use SPF every day already.

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ChangingStates · 06/07/2018 20:20

Thank you everyone for all the knowledgeable resplies, my skin has been looking so much better with my new routine I've been reluctant to change anything but will drop the retinoids from now until autumn.

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BlueKittens · 07/07/2018 00:07

My Vichy 30 SPF with UVA has glycolic acid in it. I just checked. I’m very confused by this now Confused Basically I can’t really use this as sunscreen for my holidays so I’ve wasted £20! Thanks Sali

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ChardonnaysPrettySister · 07/07/2018 06:58

I thought the Vichy sun water had hyaluronic acid, which is absolutely fine to use.

Not a fan of Sali's but she didn't get it wrong with this.

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Gah81 · 07/07/2018 07:39

I see a (pretty prestigious) Harley St dermatologist for my skin. This includes a prescription retinoid. I was told to keep using it during my sunny holiday, as with all my skin routine, and to keep up the factor 50, invest in a good hat, cover up etc.

All stuff I would have done anyway - am very pale (despite being half-Italian), have never been sunburnt and never intend (hope!) to be.

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Gah81 · 07/07/2018 07:42

Ps in London I have recently (since starting the retinoids 18 months ago anyway) taken to wearing a visor or big hat when outside for longer than 10 minutes. In addition to the factor 50 etc.

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XiCi · 07/07/2018 07:47

bluekittens the. Vichy sunscreen contains hyaluronic acid only. This is not glycolic, it just hydrates and plumps the skin

Here's the ingredients list
Aqua/ Water, Homosalate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Gylcerin, Alcohol Denat, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Diisopropyl Sebcate, Propanediol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Terephthalyidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Tocopherol, Triethanolamine, Parfum/ Frangrance.

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XiCi · 07/07/2018 07:52

I bet the advice would be different gah if you intended to sunbathe on your beach holiday. I know that I will be spending a good few hours a day in the pool with dd so won't be able to be under an umbrella /inside/wearing a huge hat. I'll be stopping actives 6 weeks before to be safe

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Gah81 · 07/07/2018 08:23

Could be - as the retinoid is intended to be anti-ageing I certainly never sunbathe!

Though I did spend a few full days on the beach/in the water (still wearing my visor and sunglasses). My dermatologist knew this (she knows I am a pretty active walker/swimmer).

Anyway, was just offering up the advice of my dermatologist, in case was of use :)

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neveradullmoment99 · 07/07/2018 09:45

Well on internet searches it says its perfectly safe to use over the summer as long as good 50 plus sunscreen is used.

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neveradullmoment99 · 07/07/2018 09:46

I am going to continue but hault iver 2 week holiday i think.

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