Munawar Hosain/startraksphoto.comApparently, retinol is on the outs...in Hollywood at least.
Retinol, a derivative of vitamin A, has been a popular anti-aging ingredient in beauty products for the past few decades. In fact, it's practically become a marketing buzzword on par with hyaluronic acid (great for moisture) or niacinamade (effective for pigmentation), with both drugstore and prestige brands touting its benefits.
However, according to Nurse Jamie, celeb skin care expert to celebs like Shay Mitchell and Ruby Rose, "Retinol is so 1980s." Off-the-shelf products containing retinol are easily attainable, gentle but oftentimes weak, taking months to see results, if any. Of course, there's the more effective retinoic acid (like Retin-A) used in acne topical treatments and to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines—but, if you live in the U.S., you'll need a doctor's blessing to use it. While the powerful prescription sounds like a magical cure-all, it also comes with some pretty gnarly side effects.
Retinoids work on the cellular level, boosting collagen production, smoothing out skin and evening out pigmentation. However, on the surface level, that may cause redness, dryness and peeling. It'll appear like it's exfoliating your skin, creating new layers, but in actuality, they are side effects of the ingredient.
"The telltale sign of over-'retin-Aed' skin is a shiny forehead and red flaky skin," described the expert.
Ask around in Hollywood and you might be surprised to learn that even stars are nixing the once-popular beauty treatment from their top shelves. "I'm much more careful about beauty ingredients when I'm pregnant. I don't use any retinol products, and I'm very mindful of restrictions based on the advice of my ob-gyn," shared Kerry Washington in her most recent interview with the Coveteur.
Don't get us wrong: Even Nurse Jamie isn't arguing that it works—it does. There's a reason that it's been a beauty go-to since the '80. "However, I think it strips the skin of natural oils, makes skin light sensitive and there's rampant overuse and what I call over-exfoliation nation," shared the pro.
"These days there are so many other solutions," shared Nurse Jamie. If you're turned off by the side effects, what do you do instead? If you ask the pro, the easiest solution is to look for products containing a newer-to-the-game ingredient, Epidermal Growth Factor. Like retinol, EFG, a powerful protein, causes cell turnover and reduces the signs of aging—but here's the kicker: It does all of this without leaving the skin red, flaky and shiny.
Need we say more?