Here at Style Chicks, we talk about Retinol a lot. A lot, a lot, a lot. And for good reason, as recently discussed, it treats acne to wrinkles and everything in between. And for all our jabbering about how Retinol can single-handedly do all the things, why do we still think it should be paired with Vitamin C Serum and Hyaluronic Acid? Because Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid make Retinol do all the things faster, deeper and better. My Dermatologist recommended using Retinol and Vitamin C daily for optimal collagen production and anti-aging benefits. Read on to learn why Retinol, Vitamin C, and Hyaluronic Acid are the Three Amazing Amigos of Skincare.
Retinol, for those of you new to Style Chicks, is one of our favorite beauty weapons. Retinol refines skin texture, it breaks up discoloration, it quells acne and reverses skin damage. It eradicates dead skin like a slow-mo chemical peel leaving younger, dewy skin in its place. And as an unexpected bonus, blackheads practically leap out of your face and very few ever return because those pores are empty and stay empty. But there are two other active ingredients that when used in conjunction with Retinol can help it work even better, that being Vitamin C Serum and Hyaluronic Acid.
VITAMIN C AND RETINOL
Vitamin C Serum, the topical form of Vitamin C, delivers Vitamin C to the surface layers of the skin. In doing so, it lightens discoloration, helps reverse sun damage and helps quell acne. Sound familiar? Why yes, it sounds an awful lot like what Retinol does. Then why bother using both? Because Vitamin C is the Ying to Retinol’s Yang, accomplishing the same general task but in a different way so that together, they complete the job. Some examples:
- Where Retinol tackles discoloration by breaking apart the dark pigment, Vitamin C fades any discoloration and does especially well on smaller specks of scars, age spots, and sun damage.
- Where Retinol refines the texture of skin so it looks strong, Vitamin C builds collagen to strengthen and support it so it is strong.
- Retinol fights a pimple from happening by cleaning out pores and eradicating bacteria-trapping dead skin, Vitamin C reduces the inflammation that makes small blemishes into big ones.
- Both Retinol and Vitamin C help promote collagen, but each are involved at different stages in the collagen production process. Together, they ensure the maximum amount of collagen is produced.
The point of all this is these two ingredients accomplish the same end result, but in ways that the other one can’t. And together, they really get things done well. What a team!
Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol
Retinol quickly exfoliates and resurfaces the top layers of the skin. After a few weeks, many of us make the same mistake: “If a little Retinol is good, then MORE will be better!” Then the redness and irritation come. Applying a larger amount Retinol won’t get it deeper into your skin, it can only burn the surface layers. But when Retinol is paired with Hyaluronic Acid, it can reach deeper layers of the skin.
Hyaluronic Acid is another Style Chicks favorite ingredient because it has the unique capability to absorb enough moisture to plump the skin. It also is a small enough molecule that it can penetrate deeper skin layers. This means any active ingredient, like Retinol and Vitamin C, when paired with Hyaluronic Acid can slip into these deep skin layers like it has a guest VIP pass, meaning Retinol paired with Hyaluronic Acid can tackle even very deep, old scars and sun-damaged layers of skin.
The deeper these ingredients get, the better the supporting collagen structure becomes, and even older and darker scars fade. When Hyaluronic Acid helps Retinol sink into the deeper skin layers, it helps eradicate uneven skin texture and tone, including sun damage and deep scars.
TIP: If you have acne, old scars, sun damage or wrinkles that even glycolic peels do not make a major dent into, then the damage is deep in the skin and a Hyaluronic/Retinol combo can be very helpful to your type of skin problems.
You can purchase Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol separately and apply them both at the same time, or you can use a Retinol that already contains Hyaluronic Acid, such as Lordsbury Retinol+C Cream Moisturizer. I also prefer Lordsbury Retinol+C Cream because all of us are tempted from time to time to slather on a bit too much Retinol, and since Lordsbury+C Cream Moisturizer has so many buffering emollient ingredients, it’s almost impossible to over-do it. Whereas with a prescription Retinol, it’s very easy to irritate the skin.
DERMATOLOGIST RECOMMENDATION FOR SKIN OVER THIRTY
My dermatologist told me that especially for skin over 30, the standard is Vitamin C during the day and Retinol at night, and apply a moisturizer on top, plus eye cream. This combo is effective but somewhat drying, and it is time-consuming to have so many layers of product.
I found it far most cost-effective and practical to just apply one product, Lordsbury Retinol+C Cream Moisturizer, which contains 2.5% Retinol, 20% Vitamin C Serum, Hyaluronic Acid, and a host of buffering moisturizers to tolerate the potent ingredients, including Wildcrafted Green Tea, Jojoba Oil, Sunflower Oil, Shea Butter, and Aloe Vera. These buffering moisturizers enable me to even use it even around my delicate eye area and throat twice a day.
CONCLUSION
Retinol can work wonders, but Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid can make a good thing even better by perfecting the tasks Retinol does well and enabling Retinol to access the deeper skin layers where old scars and sun damage may lurk. Hyaluronic Acid also helps Vitamin C and Retinol produce collagen at the deeper layers of the skin, which enables better support against wrinkles and sagging. Lordsbury Retinol+C combines all three ingredients together with many natural, soothing moisturizers, for a one-stop, all-in-one moisturizing treatment trifecta.
WHERE TO BUY IT
Find Lordsbury Retinol+C Cream Moisturizer at Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M3PSEQX/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=lordsbury-20&linkId=80ce0c85b497e19a5480f6b096cc3147
Style Chicks received compensation for our time and effort. However, our experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% ours.