Diane Von Furstenberg said it best: “Aging is out of your control.  How you handle it, though, is in your hands.”

Skincare experts know that it’s much easier to prevent the signs of aging than it is to try to correct them years down the road.  In other words, a little bit of maintenance goes a long way!  Waiting until you develop deep lines and wrinkles or a face full of sunspots will require more syringes of filler, higher amounts of Botox/Dysport, and more aggressive laser treatments to correct and reverse the damage that has been done to your skin.

That means the best time to start protecting your skin against the signs of aging is right now!

…But where on earth should you start?

There are so many different skincare brands and products saturating the market that it’s hard to know exactly what’s best for anti-aging.  You may hear of products with growth factors, Vitamin C, or hyaluronic acids to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles.  While all of these are great ingredients for your skin, the BEST product to give you younger, more radiant skin is retinol.

What is retinol?

Retinol, which is derived from Vitamin A, is found in many anti-aging skincare products.  It increases skin cell turnover and helps reduce the appearance of brown spots, sun spots, fine lines and wrinkles, acne, and large pores.  Retinol also gives you a more even skin tone and texture and gives your skin that radiant glow!

How do I use retinol?

If you’ve never used a retinol product before, start off with a lower strength and slowly build up to a higher strength.  Why?  Too much of a good thing all at once can be bad: it’s very easy to overdo it and end up looking like a moulting snake.  Using too much retinol will cause redness, dryness, and irritation.

When you’re starting out with retinol, use a pea-sized amount just 2 to 3 nights a week.  Then, you can gradually build up to 4 to 5 nights a week.  You can use retinol all throughout the year—it doesn’t make your skin more sensitive to the sun!  The ingredient itself is sensitive to sunlight, which is why you use it before bed at night.

Pro Tip: Summer is a great time to start using retinol because the humidity makes your skin less likely to dry out as it adjusts to the product.  Of course, always apply sunscreen every morning before leaving your house!