The benefits of using retinol
If you're unfamiliar with retinol, I'll give you a quick run-down of its benefits. Retinol is a form of vitamin A that's known for its anti-aging benefits. But that's not all it can do. These are the top upsides of using a retinol product:
- Anti-aging - prevents and reduces wrinkles
- Brightening - evens out the skin and makes it look more radiant
- Acne treating - keeps your pores clog-free, therefore minimizing the appearance of acne and blackheads
- Reducing dark spots and scarring
What retinol essentially does is stimulates a quicker cell turnover. This means that your dead skin cells are shedding quicker and so they're not able to clog your pores. Other than that, new skin cells are forming quicker, leaving your skin looking fresh and smooth.
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% - my experience
The Ordinary offers 6 different types of retinol serums and I went for the mildest one. First of all the Granactive Retinoid line is gentler than the Retinol line. Other than that, it's only a 2% serum. Because of that, there is no irritation, redness, flaking, dryness or purging when using this product. The irritation risk is very, very low. I personally had no issues with it.
The serum itself is very liquidy, runny and lightweight. It's kind of a milky white color and it has an ever so slight scent (that's not exactly pleasant). Don't worry, it doesn't contain perfume, it's just the scent of the formula, I guess. It's very easy to spread it around your face and it sinks in pretty quickly. After applying it, the skin looks RADIANT. It's gorgeous, honestly. Every time I apply it I can't stop staring at myself in the mirror.
Ever since using this serum, my acne has practically disappeared. I get the occasional spot, but very, very rarely. The acne I had on my jawline and cheeks is gone and the scars are fading slowly, but surely. Overall, my skin looks significantly better and even the under-the-skin acne has vanished. I do put all these improvements down to The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion.
How to properly apply retinol
If you don't know about the rules of applying retinol, here's a little heads up.
- It's meant to be applied as part of your night-time skincare routine.
- You apply a few drops onto your clean, dry face.
- If you're new to retinol and you want to use a buffer to reduce the chances of irritation, you can apply it after your moisturizer or mix it in with your moisturizer.
- You can apply it after your hydrating serum - just wait for your skin to be completely dry.
- Apply a moisturizer after retinol.
- Using SPF is non-negotiable! You have to use an SPF during the day when you're using retinol because your skin will be more sensitive to the Sun.
Personally, I apply this product after my Hada Labo Hydrator. After the retinol, I apply my Mixa Hyalurogel Light moisturizer. With that, I'm done and ready for bed. I use retinol two nights in a row and then I take a two-night break. It's a routine that really works for me.
If you're someone who also struggles with acne, I highly recommend giving this baby a go. You will get the results without the bad side effects and you'll see a huge difference. I hope. Of course, you have to be patient with it and use it regularly to actually see the results. It's definitely not a change that happens overnight. My skin took its sweet time and I started seeing improvements after about a month of using retinol. So, be patient and I'm sure it will pay off.
In case you've used The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion - let me know! I'd love to hear your experiences and thoughts.
