Retinol is your skin’s friend, even in the summer
The Murad Resurgence line includes the Retinol Youth Renewal Serum, which was introduced last year, and the new Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum and Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream, available at Rustan’s.
Retinol is one of those skincare ingredients struggling with a bad reputation — mostly misconceptions that are a result of misuse. The most common: “Retinol will make your face really red and you’ll burn under the sun.” True, but only if you don’t ease your skin into it first and if you don’t wear sunblock, which is something you should be doing anyway whether you are using retinol or not. The truth is, retinol is recommended for nighttime because, being a vitamin A derivative, it breaks down when exposed to sunlight and oxygen exposure. It just won’t work. It’s also important to use trusted brands. The goal is obvious peeling but a gradual and subtle dead skin cell turnover.
Murad has a daytime retinol product, the Retinol Youth Renewal Serum, which was introduced last year. It uses time-released retinol, so it delivers the same benefits gradually through the day to prevent dryness and reduce irritation. Recently, Murad launched the product’s nighttime counterparts under its Resurgence range, the Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum and Night Cream, which use the same Retinol Tri-Active technology.
According to Murad, it improves skin in three ways. By at once boosting cellular turnover, delivering time-released retinol for sustained benefits and boosting skin’s receptivity to the ingredient, it gently minimizes lines and deep wrinkles, firms, evens skin tone and boosts radiance. The products also contain Sweria flower extract, an ingredient native to the Himalayas and known for its ability to aid in the regeneration of skin cells after a burn. The eye serum contains Marine Kelp Complex to firm and brighten dark circles, while the night cream has peptide-rich Red Algae Extract to improve skin’s firmness and elasticity while soothing skin.
According to a Murad-sponsored study, users of the Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum saw 93-percent reduction in lines and wrinkles in four weeks. These are women from different age groups, from their 20s to their late 40s, reaping the benefits of retinol.
Some guidelines for first-time retinol users: 1) Start with a low-strength formula to prepare skin for retinol. Use at night, every other day, then gradually increase strength and use more frequently. 2) According to retinol.com, retinol itself is sensitive to light but it doesn’t make skin sensitive to light when used. Nevertheless, it’s best to err on the side of caution and always apply sunblock as the last step in your skincare regimen. 3) Stick to the retinol product for at least a month, maybe add a moisturizer, but avoid other medications so you can more or less gauge if the results (or the reaction) you experience are from the retinol. 4) Finally, get a relaxing facial at least once a month (Murad Spa in Rustan’s Makati offers super relaxing facials) and get your skin assessed and treated accordingly for best results.
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Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum (P4,850 for 15ml) and Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream (P4,550 for 50ml) are available at Rustan’s Department Stores.
