Just started getting fine lines. Help! Retinol not working

[Liloand]

Just turned 42. Didn't have any wrinkles till about 6 months ago. Then developed 3 on my forehead and have got 2 crows feet on each side. Not got 11s or bunny ones. I have tried microneedling, facials, facial accupuncture, nothing will get rid of them. I started using a retinol (Loreal or Olay depending on what is in sale) on my forehead but not making the slightest difference. Please does anyone have any advice? I bought some Frownies but can't put over the retinol as it takes so long to sink it. They are not deep wrinkles (yet) but I am desperate to get rid of them. I usually wear sunglasses if it is sunny which is why I think the crows feet are quite shallow. But I would like to get rid. Is there anything that works at this stage apart from botox?? Is there anything I can do to stop them getting worse? Many thanks to you 🙏

This, if the wrinkles are really bothering you, if you dither and/or put it off until you've tried every cream under the sun it'll be too late and you'll regret it.

Tret, serums, vitamin C etc will give you lovely, glowy, even skin if used properly but they won't reverse the wrinkles that have already formed. You need to do both.

You need tretinoin. It prescription retinol. 20 times more effective than over the counter. You can find it in the new skincare brand online And Begin.

Collagen loss is probably the most common reason why we develop wrinkles. I started having crow's feet and feathering around my upper lip a couple of years ago and my friend got me onto retinol and both now literally disappeared.

Retinol helps rebuild collagen. There are many different strength of retinol (by strength, it means bioavailability as some are not readily usable by your skin but the skin needs to convert it to a usable form. That extra step makes the so called lower strength retinol less effective but often less irritating to the skin). I use proscription strength (Tretinoin) which you can get online: Skin + Me, Dermatica, And Begin...They all do a cream that contain retinol and other actives tailored to your skin's need.

I know the skincare world is a mystery to many (myself included until a couple of years ago), all the ingredient names can sound confusing but many common ones that got banter about are actually not too unfamiliar. Retinol is Vitamin A which is needed for collagen building. Niacinamide is Vitamin B3 which is used to build keratin (a skin protein). Vitamin C is a co factor in collagen building and neutralise free radicals thus prevents damage. Hyaluronic acid is a jelly like layer deep within the dermis so some doubt the effectiveness of applying it topically. Ceramide is a skin lipid...There also things that attract moisture like Urea and things that basically seal the skin to prevent moisture loss, most common one is probably Vaseline (every mother has used that on her baby's bottom). Amazon sells books on skincare ingredients if you fancy having a read up.

Sun damage is the most common cause of wrinkle so using high SPF (30+) sun block daily is essential if you want to avoid wrinkle. Dr Shereene Idriss, an American dermatologist has a very good YouTube channel if you want to find out more about skin care. Good luck!

PS Many of the natural oil such as Coconut, Avocado, Sweet Almond are also very good Moisture sealer, lipid replenisher. Sunflower oil is very similar to the skin's natural oil.

@Liloand i’d second a stronger retinol built up over time. You may need a buffer product to start with to get your skin used to it. It is easy to compromise your skin barrier if you go at it too hard too quickly. Personally I’d avoid Botox around the eye area as it can have a peculiar effect on eye bags if you’re susceptible to them as you get older. Lots of advice on the Caroline Hirons FB group and her website for all skincare matters.

Everyone’s skin is different but for me, consistency is the key to great skin. And factor 50 spf regardless of the time of year. My morning routine is cleanse,acid tone, Strivectin tighten and lift peptide serum followed by a vitamin c (brightening product) and I like Strivectin or Oskia then moisturiser and spf. Around the eyes, I use NIOD fractionated eye concentrate serum followed by Strivectin 360 peptide. In the evening I double cleanse with an oil or balm cleanser first followed by a gentle creamy cleanser, acid tone, Strivectin (as above) then retinol then a heavy-duty moisturiser. Eyes as per AM. You have to allow enough time between every stage for the product to sink into your skin. And eye-specific products around the eyes. I have definitely noticed a slow down in my eye wrinkles. I also use a nuface electrical device to stimulate the skin. There are no ‘quick fixes’ so find a product/routine that works for you and your budget. I’m a big fan of Pixi, The ordinary and The inkey list as high/quality purse/friendly alternatives.

There is a lot of reporting currently about the negative effects of Morpheous 8 on the wrong skin so definitely read up on it in other places rather than TikTok/insta if you are thinking about spending £500 on something which might not be right for you.

Retinol or tret and sunscreen. I’ve used a spf 40 from my mid 30s and wish I’d used it before then (did use spf 25 though). Consider paring your skincare routine back to basics and I love eg rose oil from Neals Yard. Personally I hate Botox etc but I wouldn’t rule out face lifts like Gillian Taylforth has had.

You need Dermatica or Skin
+Me for Tretinoin which is the gold standard of retinoids.

I started using Sunday Riley‘s 5 Stars after seeing it recommended on MN.

It took me a while to get used to it and I had to dial it back at first as it was too strong, but I think it’s excellent and is far better than the retinol from Beauty Pie I was using.

https://www.cultbeauty.com/sunday-riley-5-stars-retinoid-and-niacinamide-eye-serum/13222927.html?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=EUR&shippingcountry=DE&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiArrCvBhCNARIsAOkAGcVA-b0sLjdObrAtGAC2c4b7eesTm-lq1W0xG2jikaoiqn7iUG9VsvYaAvDHEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thanks this is really helpful

No 7 Line Correcting Serum. Some people respond better to matrixyl.

I gave prescription retinol from Dermatica and Skin + Me a couple of years and whilst it made a bit of a difference it wasn’t hugely impressive. I do use Dermatica for help with rosacea now and that works well for me, so I do have a good opinion of the service in general.

Pleasure.
If you want to read up on what you're putting on your face, "Skin care decoded: a practical guide to beautiful skin" is an easy but informative read. If you are more scientific minded "Discovering Cosmetic Ingredients" delves much deeper into to the how and why - my chemical engineer friend (Bio Chemistry PhD) loves it, me not so much.
There are also a whole host of cosmetic equipments you can buy which, from what I can glee, mostly help with collagen building or stimulate Hyaluronic production or else get rid of dead skin. There are plenty of evidence that shows some of them work but it's whether you have the time and resource.