Do I need to use retinol?

[bellac11]

Im looking older and older.

So I finally started a 'routine' and I use a hyaluronic acid serum (only Aldi) and a face cream at night after toning and then in the morning I use a skin brightening serum with face cream over the top (only Lidl!).

So I dont need a load of posh stuff and dont really want to complicate the routine any more that it already is, its quite a lot for me.

But Ive realised that I think I thought I was using retinol and its not, its hyaluronic acid based serum.

My main areas of concern are moustache area, very lined with open pores. Plus turkey wattle neck.

So do I need retinol and if so what do I use and how do I use it?

Its the lines really, my skin is smooth and soft, dont really wear huge amounts of make up, at weekends perhaps, I just hate the look of that upper lip area and neck.

(actually when I say I dont need loads of posh stuff, Im not averse to spending on pretty bottles, it depends how I feel....)

You need to sort your spf before you use retinol. Are you using a high factor daily on to of your moisturizer? Do you reapply mid day? Make that a routine before you go near retinol. And then I would only use in the winter as even i am no that meticulous with my SPF.
Personally I would look into a good vit c serum in the day, followed by moisturizer and and SPF. See how that goes and look into a mild retinol in the winter.
I would also invest in an LED light mask if you fancy something extra. Might help with the fine lines on the lips and you can use over your neck as well and it helps you get into looking after yourself.
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How old are you OP? I recommend dermal needling if you can stand it and yes use retinol and then move up to tretinoin once you feel ready its one of the few things that is clinically proven to remove lines. SPF, Glycolic and Vitamin C Serum worked into your routine are useful to. HRT will help if you are at that age, as will a good diet, moderate exercise, good sleep, yoga & meditation and sadly no alcohol.

An led mask is also a good shout too.

Well apart from not going in the sun, I work inside and dont apply anything in the day

My moisturiser has spf in it, but in the summer or any warm weather Ive sweated it off by the time I arrive at work, I usually have to wipe my face a lot. Its better in winter

My thing that I wear in the morning is a vitamin c serum, cant remember the brand, its upstairs at the moment.

Yes in my 50s now and looking into HRT.

I will look at needling, not sure Ive heard of that and Im not keen to go to do things, I know I wont book stuff in, too lazy

I have a good diet, no exercise at the moment, need to work on that, sleep is ok, no alcohol.

Never heard f an LED mask

@bellac11 Sounds like you have a good foundation, I think dermal needling could help your lips area, you can buy a pen or roller and do it yourself at home but it is eye watering to harrowing on the pain scale so perhaps not for everyone but it does work!

Do you not use a product with SPF in (not makeup), you will age even faster with retinol without it (and put yourself at risk of skin cancer).
I use retinol from the ordinary (1%) , I've not been using it long. so have not seen any results yet other than the dreaded purge. I use a SPF mist from Vichy, feels divine and moisturises my skin, you can also reapply over the top of makeup which is very useful, being a teacher I can't redo it during the day as I have the children with me.

Yes absolutely use SPF daily. I work in a dark windowless room all day and still wear it for the commute and walking from the car to the house etc. 50 in the summer. Might drop to 25 in the winter or a moisturiser with spf. But definitely one in my make up. But if you use retinol you must use it.

*definitely not in my makeup i mean. It doesn't give enough coverage.

Whats a purge?

What does retinol do then, perhaps I dont need it?

I wont be wearing anything like 50spf to walk the few foot from my front door to the car and the same getting out the car at the office!!!

And unfortunately as I say, my face sweats in any warm weather and I have to wipe my face a lot.

I purge is where if you have acne it can get worse when you first use retinol or tretinoin. However if your skin is not acne prone then you might just get some redness and flaking. Sadly with almost all anti-ageing type actives SPF is a must even on cloudy days but you could get away with a lighter SPF 30 in a moisturiser if your not out for a long time but for tretinoin you might need to consider something more robust. I have a very sweaty face too and always have, I stay bone try all over my body but by face and head sweats buckets. I just reapply my spf more often and don't often bother with make up.

No Ive never had acne.

So if I was using retinol there is a higher risk of skin damage from the sun, I didnt know this

Looked up these needle pens, they look a bit worrying to be honest!!

Don’t you go out at lunch or after work? Go for a walk or run. That’s when you need spf.

i use retinol but not religiously every day a couple of times a week. Tretonin is supposed to be much better for anti ageing than retinol but I don’t use it.

I wouldn’t completely keep off alcohol, I reduce what I do drink (and can tell friends who drink a lot) but I think a few gin and tonics or wine won’t harm you at all especially if your diet, especially if your diet, exercise is good.

Yes you need retinol to achieve dramatic changes. It is the ONLY product that will actually give proper anti aging results (and tret etc). Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid and the other AHAs / BHAs do great things for your skin which can improve texture, increase hydration, reduce the look of pores etc but the retinoids are really the crème de la crème.

Yes you have to wear sunscreen if youre using retinol but that’s not difficult is it? You just buy a nice one suitable for the face - factor 50 or you buy a moisturiser which has it built in, there are loads on the high street. Just ensure to use it every morning as you normally would.

Why don’t you have a look at No7 - they have a retinol, it’s not super strong but it’s a good starter and it’s easily accessible in Boots and the No7 ladies will talk you through it.

You start a couple of times a week and you can “sandwich” it between a splodge of night cream so that the strength is a little diluted whilst you work up your skin tolerance.

the purge is the first period of maybe 6 weeks where your skin is acclimatising to the retinol, not everyone gets it especially if you work up 1/2 times a week and use a barrier to start.

Over time you will up the strength, if you could afford it and want to see quicker, solid results then try a prescription service like Skin & Me

No I dont go out during or after work. Bit like a vampire....

I have a bit of spf within moisturiser, I wouldnt want to use something separate, in the past Ive used things and it all goes in little balls on my face if theres too many different bits.

Theres another thread where people are saying retionol and the tretinoil ruined their face!

Maybe very limited alcohol intake is fine but recent research shows that alcohol even the proverbial "glass of red wine" is more damaging that previously thought however we all have our vices so pick your poison so to speak!

@bellac11 Retinol nor tretinoin ruins your face but some people get a damaged barrier function from using it usually to aggressively or using too many other actives at once. Always start at a low percentage and work your way up slowly and use a gentle facial cleanser like cerave hydrating facial wash.

To be honest i would hust stay away from it is you arent willing to use a decent SPF. Stick to serums with peptides, vit c, and a moituriser with SPF if thats what you prefer. But dont mess with retinol unless you are prepared to reslly protect your skin. Like i said. I wold only ever use it in the winter anyway.