It is no secret that retinol is one of skincare’s most loved ingredients. From the vitamin A family, it can help to tackle signs of ageing, correct pigmentation and can be used to fight breakouts. With all of these amazing skin benefits it is no surprise that retinol has such a cult following in the beauty and skincare world.
But it can overpower sensitive skin. Retinol works quite fast and is great for those skin types that can handle it, but by kicking your skin cells into action and demanding fast results it can come with some side effects. These can be found in the form of redness, flakey skin and irritation. This is why it is so important to learn that there are alternatives to retinol that can give you the same benefits but in a more gentle manner.
Bio-Retinol
After many advancements in ingredient technology, there is now plant derived ‘Bio-Retinols’. These are not from the vitamin A family, but work on the skin in the same way as Retinol, helping to deliver the same benefits such as anti-ageing but with less harmful side effects.
Our Bio-Retinol + C Booster
Bakuchiol
In our brand new Bio-Retinol + C Booster we use Bakuchiol.
Bakuchiol is another plant derived, natural alternative to vitamin A. It can be found in the seeds of the plant Psoralea Corylifolia and has been found to have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Bakuchiol holds many of the same skin benefits as retinol, in fact, clinical studies by Sytheon have found that when used over 6 weeks it improved wrinkle depth, fine lines, pigmentation, elasticity and firmness of the skin, without causing irritation.
Sea Buckthorn
We also use Sea Buckthorn in our new nourishing oil-based booster. Sea Buckthorn oil contains approximately 190 bioactive substances, which include provitamin A. A provitamin is a substance that can be converted within the body to a vitamin. Meaning that Sea Buckthorn oil contains the same benefits of retinol (vitamin A) itself.
It has many skin benefits such as helping to rebuild cells and delay cell ageing, reduce scars, helping to treat conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne, improving skin elasticity and has a regenerative and anti-ageing effect.
Our Bio-Retinol Gold Mask
Bidens Pilosa
In our gold mask we use Bidens Pilosa. This is a retinol analogue or a ‘natural retinoid’, meaning that it has a retinol-like effect on the skin. There have been a number of tests carried out which have shown the benefits of Bidens Pilosa and how it acts like typical retinol. These include in vitro tests that showed that Bidens Pilosa increased collagen 1 by 24%, functional elastin by 42% and sirtuin-6 gene expression (linked to cell longevity) by 2.4 fold.
Rosehip Oil
We also use Rosehip Oil in our Bio Retinol Gold Mask. Rosehip Oil contains biologically active tretinoin (all-trans-retinoic acid). This is a naturally occurring derivative of vitamin A that binds to various retinoic acid receptors, meaning that it holds all the same benefits as retinol such as helping to promote collagen and elastin production leading to great anti-ageing benefits.
Further Reading
If you want to learn more about bio retinol and various retinol alternatives, here are some interesting reading materials:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5438513/
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11746-006-5013-2
You Might Also Like:
