The Best Retinols for Sensitive Skin
Erin Cook is a beauty and lifestyle journalist who has been slinging words for magazines, such as marie claire, ELLE, Harper’s BAZAAR, Cosmopolitan and Body+Soul, for the better part of a decade. As part of this role, she's had the pleasure of interviewing countless experts, such as dermatologists, trichologists, makeup artists and brand founders, to get their two cents on the latest beauty trends or to answer consumer questions. She loves a good hyaluronic serum, tinted moisturiser or glossy lipstick almost as much as she loves her cats. Almost.
If you’re serious about skincare or simply over the age of 30, you’ve probably heard of retinol.
It’s one of the few skincare ingredients that is immune to the trend cycle. While other ingredients come and go, retinol is always a mainstay.
Why? Two reasons. For starters, it works. And secondly, there are so many benefits, we barely have time to list them all.
However, there’s a catch.
For those of us with sensitive skin (ahem, me) choosing the right retinol can be tricky.
You see, retinol comes in a variety of strengths and forms. Some of the stronger formulas can cause irritation if you’re not careful.
For anyone with sensitive skin, you might need to work your way up to these stronger retinol products or simply cut your losses and avoid them altogether.
The good news is that if you know what you’re looking for, there are plenty of retinol serums and creams that are appropriate for sensitive skin.
Let’s get into it, shall we?
What Is Retinol?
Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A.
While you’re probably most familiar with the term retinol, there are many vitamin A derivatives, more broadly referred to as retinoids.
Here are the main types of retinoids, listed from strongest to weakest potency:
Retinoic acid: Also known as tretinoin, retinoic acid is a prescription strength form of vitamin A that needs to be prescribed by a GP or dermatologist.
Retinal: Short for retinaldehyde, this potent ingredient can be found in over-the-counter skincare products. It’s less irritating than retinoic acid but more powerful than retinol.
Retinol: The most common and well-known form of vitamin in A that is readily available in skincare.
Encapsulated retinol: While still technically retinol, when this ingredient has been ‘encapsulated’ it means that the retinol is surrounded by a protective barrier that makes it more tolerable for skin.
Retinyl esters: The gentlest derivative of vitamin A.
Bonus:
Bakuchiol: While technically not a vitamin A derivative at all, you will often see bakuchiol referred to as a ‘natural’ retinol. This is because a small study in the British Journal of Dermatology found bakuchiol to be just as effective as retinol at treating the signs of ageing, except with less risk of irritation.
Bakuchiol is generally considered a safer alternative to retinol for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. *Always consult with your healthcare provider for further guidance.
Want more on retinol? Listen to our podcast episode below on when to step it up in your routine:
Retinol Benefits
Retinol and other vitamin A derivatives are considered the gold standard of anti-ageing in skincare. Some of the benefits include:
- Stimulating collagen production
- Reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Brightening the skin
- Smoothing skin texture through exfoliation
- Helping to unclog pores and treat pimples
For more benefits of this powerful ingredient, watch the YouTube video below:
Can I Use Retinol if I Have Sensitive Skin?
In a word: yes. But let’s stick to the more tolerable types (retinol, encapsulated retinol, retinyl esters, bakuchiol) or formulas with low percentages.
How to introduce a new retinol product into your routine
Whether you have sensitive skin or not, we have the same advice for you: start slow. While it’s always tempting to slather on your new serum every night, you’re going to have a much better time if you take it easy.
When using a new retinol serum or cream, begin by applying only once or twice per week. If you’re a bit nervous about how your skin will react to retinol, consider applying it as the last step in your routine, over the top of your moisturiser.
Do this for a few weeks and monitor your skin’s response.
Signs of irritation to look out for include redness, dryness, flaky skin or sensitivity.
Does your skin look and feel okay? Glowier, even? Once you’re sure your skin has started to build up a tolerance for the retinol-based product, you can increase the number of applications to three times per week.
Disclaimer: retinol increases your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. Please, please, please apply sunscreen every day. Promise?
Best Retinols for Sensitive Skin.
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1 or 3
What:
Key ingredient: Retinal
Why it’s great: If you’re new to using vitamin A and want to eventually work your way up to the stronger stuff, the Medik8 Crystal Retinal range will hold your hand through the process.
What’s great about this range is that there are four products to choose from, each featuring retinal at an increasing percentage. According to the brand, they formulated with retinal as it can deliver results faster than retinol typically can.
Both Crystal Retinal 1 and Crystal Retinal 3 contain low doses of retinal and are suitable for beginners. If you’re nervous about your sensitive skin (fair enough!) start with 1 and progress to 3.
Beauté Pacifique Créme Paradoxe Night Cream
Key ingredient: Retinyl palmitate and retinyl acetate
Why it’s great: This night cream by Beauté Pacifique delivers big benefits but is surprisingly gentle. It contains two stable and effective forms of retinol – retinyl palmitate and retinyl acetate – alongside other skin-nourishing ingredients like squalane and licorice root.
I’ve personally found that my sensitive skin has been able to tolerate this well.
It’s made for normal to dry skin so is a little on the thicker side and great during winter. My verdict? *Chef’s kiss*
The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane or the The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane
What:
Key ingredient: Retinol
Why it’s great: If you’re looking for a budget friendly option, you can’t go past The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane or The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane. Both serums are suitable for sensitive skin, depending on how conservative you want to be.
The addition of squalane means that not only does this formula have the standard anti-ageing benefits of retinol, it’s also super hydrating too. Win, win.
Esmi Skin Minerals Afterglow Rejuvenating Bakuchiol
Key ingredient: Bakuchiol
Why it’s great: This serum is a great all-rounder for those looking for a bakuchiol product with retinol-like results. It’s safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding while also helping to brighten skin tone and deeply moisturise dry skin types, thanks to its oil-like consistency.
Catch up on more of Erin's BIQ articles below:
