How to Start Using Retinol in Your Skincare Routine, Advised by Senté

Find Your Perfect Skin Ingredient Partner

While there are many, countless great skin care products to add to your regimen, there are a few that are tried, tested and proven time and time again to be the indispensable skin care powerhouse must-haves. One of those is retinol. While there are a few forms of Vitamin A used in skin care, retinol is one of the most commonly used because it is effective, stable and doesn’t require a prescription.

For those with sensitive or dry skin, finding the right retinol can be quite a journey through store shelves and websites of more options than we care to consider. Some get lost in the multitude of choices while others choose one that is too strong, or choose the right one, but use it too often and too quickly. However, getting that perfect retinol for your skin care regimen will visibly improve your skin texture, tone and clarity.

Even for those without dry or sensitive skin, starting a new retinol can be challenging, but here are a few tips to get started:

1. Find the right formula for your skin type

If you have dry, sensitive skin, find a formula that contains hydration and moisture to help minimize the dryness that we commonly associate with retinol use.

Senté Bio Complete Serum is our favorite retinol for dry or sensitive skin. Formulated with a gentle blend of retinol and retinyl safflowerate along with Senté patented HSA for deep hydration, this time-released formula provides gentle retinol activity for visibly smoother skin without dryness or irritation.

Shop Bio Complete Serum →

2. Start slowly but build up quickly

If you’re new to retinol, or changing to a higher concentration, use it every 3rd night to start. This gives the skin time to adjust to retinol and reduces the likelihood of irritation. For optimal results, the goal is to quickly get to using it every night. Start with 3 nights per week, increasing by one night per week every 2 weeks until you’re using it every night.

3. Buffer with a moisturizer to help get acclimated

Yes, you can use a moisturizer to help buffer irritation the first few weeks of retinol use and if you have dry skin, you should have a hydrating moisturizer in your regimen.

Apply the moisturizer first, followed by the retinol product. After a couple of weeks, switch the order and apply retinol first, followed by moisturizer.

4. Look for synergies to build a comprehensive regimen

Senté patented HSA (Heparan Sulfate Analog) is the ideal addition to any regimen to help support hydration in and on the skin, soothe redness and irritation and improve the visible signs of aging. You can find HSA in Senté Bio Complete Serum and Dermal Repair Cream, the perfect pair for dry, sensitive skin.

An 8-week clinical study with Senté Daily Soothing Cleanser, Invisible Shield SPF 52, Bio Complete Serum and Dermal Repair Cream showed statistically significant improvements in fine lines & wrinkles, skin smoothness, hyperpigmentation and hydration along with reductions in visible redness, making the regimen effective and well tolerated by those with very dry or sensitive skin.

5. Use SPF every day

Retinol helps improve the appearance of all of the aging concerns you see, but the sun will undo all of those improvements. Adding a retinol to a skin care regimen causes some new sun sensitivity, but that’s just in the first few months of use. However, success with any skin care regimen requires sunscreen all day, every day, even if you are inside all day. Many indoor light sources including phones, tablets, computers, televisions emit light and heat that stimulates damage in the skin.

In Conclusion

An effective skin care regimen includes hydration, moisture, retinol, sunscreen and safe sun habits. Stay out of the sun during the hottest times of day, always wear sunscreen, protect your face with a hat and sunglasses, apply and reapply sunscreen to often overlooked areas such as the ears, back of neck and back of hands, even in the coming Fall and Winter months!

Article written by Lori Viar, Sr. Director, Global Integrated Medical Communications at Senté®