Daya, my friend and ROKer asked: “If you where to only recommend 5 products. What would they be? “

I quite like this question! And I’ll try summing this up sweet and short for you Daya dearest:

1: Retinol night cream. I have explained the importance of incorporating a retinol product suitable for your skin type, in my post about Retinol. It’s a major antiager, if not THE major antiager, and early usage of this has been scientifically proven to prevent 3 of the main causes of skin aging, and has also been associated to skin rejuvenation. I recommend starting at 0.5% if you’re new to retinol, and I like Skin Ceuticals Retinol 0.5 Refining Night Cream 30ml/1oz. Its important when choosing a retinol product to consider the packaging, as air and light will damage the retinol and decrease its shelf life. Skinceutical use an air tight, light tight metal pump container. Another good one is Skin Medica Tri-Retinol Complex ES 28.3g/1oz, I use the 1.10%, but they have
Skin Medica Tri-Retinol Complex 28.3g/1oz at a lower concentration for new retinol users.

2.Glycolic- acid containing night or day cream. Its up to you if you want to use glycolic -acid as part of your day or nighttime regiment, as I know different companies produce both. I recommend using it at night though (when your not using your retinol product), because glycolic acid has been associated with sun- sensitivity. If you do want to use it as a day cream I highly recommend Sesderma’s aglycolic range, they have two creams in the range, both containing 12% glycolic, and both having SPF’s of 15 and 20, respectively. Sesderma Acglicolic Classic Cleamoisturizing Gel
As long as your cream contains over 10% glycolic you’ll be sure to experience an effect, anything under 10 is not worth buying. I use my Reviva Labs, 10% Glycolic Acid Cream, the nights that I don’t use my retinol,as the glycolic will inhibit the retinol to work properly.

3. A topical antioxidant serum. Antioxidants, as I have spoken about earlier this week, have been associated with skin rejuvenation and protection when applied both topically to the skin directly and through your food. They have also been shown to aid the protective properties of sunscreens, by boosting the skin’s own defence mechanisms against UV radiation. I have used John Masters Organics vitamin C antiaging face serum and Caudalie Vinexpert Firming Serum , and I like them both because of their gel like consistency and fast absorption. There is one more that I would recommend you to buy based on the ingredient list, and thats the ARCONA Booster Defense Serum, Repair/Protect AM 1.17 oz (35 ml) ,
but I haven’t had the chance to try this one out myself yet as I’m still using my Caudalie. But I will definitely buy this after! I’ve been drooling over it for a while now, packed with antioxidants that one (and organic, double win!)

4. SUNSCREEN: It’s never too late to start with this one. And even if you’re blessed with low levels of radiation depending on where you live in this world, a sunscreen of at least 30 (this is my personal opinion, because I’m quite the SPF fanatic) should be part of your daily routine. As I mentioned in the sun and the skin, a physical filter sunscreen offers the best protection against both UVA and UVB, and my favourite right now is SkinCeuticals Physical UV Defense SPF 50
If you find yourself needing more hydration than the sunscreen gives, you can add a moisturizer on top 20 minutes after application of the sunscreen, such as Eucerin Aquaporin Active Protective Moisturising Cream SPF 15+UVA

5. An Eye cream: The fifth and last product I would recommend, is an eye cream targeted to your specific under- eye problem; be it under eye circles, under-eye bags, or non of the above. The skin under the eyes is the first to show wrinkles as it is thinner by nature, so early care should be taken concerning this area. I have problems with dark circles my self, and my two favorites are Sesderma K-Vit Anti-Dark Circles,

and Dermalogica total eye care, spf 15 with SPF 15. I’ll use the Sesderma during nights, and the Dermalogica cream during the AM, as it contains light diffusing particles. If you suffer from loss of elasticity I would recommend Dermalogica AGE smart Age reversal eye complex, based on the ingredients. It contains retinol and vitamin K, targeting under -eye-circles as well.

In addition to these I recommend buying a moisturizer to use in-between the nights you use your acids. I use Eucerin Aquaporin Active Rich Hydrating Cream
for this purpose.

I could go on to recommend facial treatment masks, but that would be outside the scope of this post. (must.not.write.more.)

I hope you’re happy with my answer dearest Daya, and that you’ll find my product recommendations useful.

Best of luck!

Love,

Rolah

If not, let me introduce you:

On the quest for youth you will meet foes and allies alike, and Retinol is perhaps the greatest ally you’ll ever make. At the risk of sounding slightly like an addict, I was first presented to Retinol 2 years and 3 bottles ago. At first it was the 0.5% from Sesderma, the relationship evolved into skinceutical’s 1.0% Retinol, and we are now best friends at 1.10%, through Skin Medica Tri-Retinol Complex ES 28.3g/1oz .

Skin Medica Tri-Retinol Complex ES 28.3g/1ozAn ultra-powerful anti-aging treatment Formulated with three forms of vitamin A highly concentrated with retinoids Developed with patented Microsponge® delivery system to offer gradual release over time to reduce irritation Accelerates collagen production to eliminate appearance of fine lines & wrinkles Promotes cell regeneration & cellular turnover to boost skin’s tone & texture Minimizes appearance of age spots Unveils firmer more flexible & younger looking skin

Retinol is a less potent variation of Retinoid, which you can only get per prescription from your dermatologist. Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives that unclog pores, boost collagen to reduce fine lines, and speed cell turnover to even out discoloration and smooth the skin—sometimes in as little as four weeks. The first retinoid—tretinoin—was FDA approved (under the brand name Retin-A) almost 40 years ago as a prescription acne treatment.

Dermatologists soon noticed that patients on Retin-A experienced not just clearer but softer, brighter, less-lined skin. And since then the rest is history. Retinol, which is found in a number of over the counter preparations, are slowly converted to retinoic acid (the active ingredient in prescription creams) and so results will take aprox. 12 weeks before they become evident.

Retinol is a major antiager, and being me, early investment in this powerful keep- all –things- age-related-at bay-weapon, was a no brainer. I have tried 3 different creams from 3 different companies and the one I’m using now Skin Medica Tri-Retinol Complex is by far my favorite.

First things first! Lets understand what all the fuss is about.

Aging is characterized by 9 different attributes:

1.Roughness

2.Development of skin lesions, such as actinic keratosis

3.Slacking, due to loss of eleastic fibers

4.Skin thinning, due to thinning of the epidermis (the uppermost layer of the skin)

5.Skin Fragility, due to flattening of the area where the epidermis and the dermis (lower layer of skin) meet.

6.Bruising, due to lack of support around blood-vessel walls

7.Age spots, or hyperpigmentation- brought about by UV radiation

8.Wrinkling- lines formed as elasticity decreases, leaving tracks of facial movement behind.

9.Hollowing of the face, due to loss of fat beneath the skin, most often seen underneath the eyes as hollows or groves may be formed there.

Simply put, Retinoids and Retinols (to a lesser degree) have been attributed to 3 of the above mentioned aspects of skin aging. They are as given by : Jacquelyn Levin, DO and Saira B. Momin, DO :

1.Hyperpigmentation. Retinoic acid is thought to reduce mottled hyperpigmentation by enhancing epidermal cell turnover. Enhancing epidermal cell turnover decreases the contact time between keratinocytes (skin cells) and melanocytes (pigment producing cells) and promotes a rapid loss of pigment.

2.Fine lines and wrinkles. Retinoic acid therapy reduces fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the capacity of the epidermis to hold water through stimulation of glycosaminoglycan (GAG- a large water binding molecule in the skin) synthesis and by stimulating collagen synthesis through increases in transforming growth factor (TGF-beta) and procollagen.

Furthermore, it is believed that RA may also retard or prevent further dermal matrix degradation by inhibiting the enzymes that break down collagen and preventing oxidative stress, as well as an 80 percent increase in collagen I formation when photodamaged skin was treated with Retinoic acid. (Christopher Griffiths et al.)

The over the counter Retinol containing antiwrinkle effect has recently been documented in a study by REB Watson et al. , in which fibrillin-1 ( a component of the elastic fibers of the skin) was significantly upregulated after long-term use. Also, numbers of fibroblasts and increased collagen production was observed in a recent study, following a 7day course of a topical retinol product.

3.Roughness. Retinoic acid therapy reduces skin roughness by modulating the expression of genes involved in cellular differentiation and proliferation, hence promoting epidermal cell turnover.

The effects are believed to be mediated through binding to retinoic acid receptors (RAR) and subsequent binding of these complexes to specific genes affecting gene transcription.

– Decrease in wrinkle depth after Retinol use

In addition to its anitaging properties, retinoic acid has been shown to be effective in the treatment of acne, which was the reason for its first use on the skin. In addition to diminishing sebum (oil produced by skin) output, retinoic acid may reduce the number of open and closed comedones (black heads and white heads), which makes it a nice addition to any skin care regiment of people suffering form acne.

– Reduction of acne after Retinoid use

The adverse effects that have been reported are skin flaking, and irritation; also I would recommend staying away from vitamin A derivates while pregnant. I just know if it was me, I would rather be safe than sorry, as some studies have shown that high doses of vitamin A during pregnancy can be harmful to an unborn child. And oral retinoids, such as isotretinoin (Accutane, an acne treatment), are known to cause birth defects.

Precautions of sunlight exposure are also recommended, as retinols may induce photosensitivity, although some dermatologists argue it is only the compound itself that is sun sensitive, hence application should be done at nighttime.

Recommended use of retinol/retinoid containing products as found on SkinMedica’s home page, are:

“If a retinol product has never been used before, begin by limiting use to twice a week, two to three days apart, gradually increasing frequency to every other night. After one to two weeks, advance to each evening or as tolerated. Mild redness, peeling and irritation are expected when using this product. Daily sun protection with SPF 20 or higher is highly recommended during use of this product. As with any skin care product, avoid getting in eyes. If contact occurs, rinse eyes thoroughly with water.”

And might I add;

- Always start with the lowest concentration possible, if your new to retinol, try
Skin Ceuticals Retinol 0.5 Refining Night Cream 30ml/1oz

Skin Ceuticals Retinol 0.5 Refining Night Cream 30ml/1ozContains 0.5% pure retinol & advanced delivery technology Stimulates cell regeneration & collagen production Eliminates appearance of fine lines wrinkles & age spots Visibly reduces pore size & repair blemishes blotchiness No clogging of pores & diminishes need of extra moisturizer Leaves skin velvety smooth & youthful Ideal for more sensitive skin Not suitable for pregnat women

-Never apply it at the same time you also have products on your skin that contain glycolic acid or benzoyl peroxide .

- Always apply it to your skin at bedtime; never use it during the day.

-Always use a an SPF of 30 or above. Try
Skin Ceuticals Sport UV Defense SPF 45 90ml/3oz

(All products pictured in this post are from strawberrynet, and come with FREE WORLDWIDE DELIVERY!!!)

Hope you feel enlightened and ready for your Retinol experience, dearest ROKers, it most certainly is a beauty ingredient which will make tremendous differences to our skin as time goes by.

Lots of Love,

Rolah

-Sources

Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety

Siddharth Mukherjee,¹ Abhijit Date,² Vandana Patravale,³ Hans Christian Korting,⁴ Alexander Roeder,⁴ and Günther Weindl⁵

Dermatoendocrinol. 2011 Jul-Sep; 3(3): 136–140.

Published online 2011 July 1. doi: 10.4161/derm.3.3.15026

PMCID: PMC3219164

How Much Do We Really Know About Our Favorite Cosmeceutical Ingredients?

Jacquelyn Levin, DO and Saira B. Momin, DO

J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2010 February; 3(2): 22–41.

PMCID: PMC2921764

A cosmetic ‘anti-ageing’ product improves photoaged skin: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial

REB Watson, S Ogden, LF Cotterell, JJ Bowden, JY Bastrilles, SP Long,^* and CEM Griffiths

Br J Dermatol. 2009 August; 161(2): 419–426.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2009.09216.x

PMCID: PMC2774146

Vitamin A Antagonizes Decreased Cell Growth and Elevated Collagen-Degrading Matrix Metalloproteinases and Stimulates Collagen Accumulation in Naturally Aged Human Skin¹

James Varani, Roscoe L Warner, Mehrnaz Gharaee-Kermani, Sem H Phan, Sewon Kang^*, JinHo Chung^*, ZengQuan Wang^*, Subhash C Datta^*, Gary J Fisher^* and John J Voorhees^*

Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2000) 114, 480–486; doi:10.1046/j.1523-1747.2000.00902.x

Regulation of keratin expression by retinoids

Hans Törmä

West J Med. 1988 December; 149(6): 766–767.

PMCID: PMC102663

Topical retinoic acid, aging, and the skin.

P M Elias

Restoration of Collagen Formation in Photodamaged Human Skin by Tretinoin (Retinoic Acid)

Christopher Griffiths, Andrew N. Russman, Gopa Majmudar, Robert S. Singer, Ted A. Hamilton, and John J. Voorhees

N Engl J Med 1993; 329:530-535August 19, 1993

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Reader Question, concerning my 5 must-have beauty poducts!

Have you met my friend, Retinol?

How Much Do We Really Know About Our Favorite Cosmeceutical Ingredients?

Topical retinoic acid, aging, and the skin.

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