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When it comes to anti-aging skincare routines, the latest skincare ingredient debate is whether to choose retinol or vitamin C, which one can find side by side in skincare aisles. Both are marketed as skincare powerhouses that can help fade hyperpigmentation, even out skin tone, and smooth the complexion, but it is difficult to determine which skincare ingredient is the better option for providing benefits to aging skin.
While both retinol and vitamin C have many of the same benefits, they have different skincare strengths. Retinol dives deep into the skin’s lower layers to repair and rejuvenate and is typically potent. Vitamin C, on the other hand, takes care of the skin’s surface by managing imperfections and sun damage. The two also largely differ in their compatibility with different skin types, sun sensitivity, and recommended usage in skincare routines.
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Disclaimer: This is purely the writer's opinion. We might have missed a few points on the subject. Let us know your opinion in the comments below.
What is retinol in anti-aging skincare?
A hot topic in the skincare scene, retinol is a type of retinoid for the skin, a vitamin A derivative, which the body converts into the middleman, which is retinaldehyde or retinal, then into retinoic acid, the active form used by the skin cells in skincare and anti-aging care.
Pros and cons of retinol
Using retinol on the skin offers multiple benefits, such as:
- The retinoic acid that retinol transforms into has exfoliating abilities, which eliminate dead skin cells and promote collagen growth. It results in smooth and nicely hydrated skin with fewer fine lines and wrinkles.
- Retinol helps enlarged pores due to dead skin buildup by removing irritants clogging the pores, leaving a smoother skin texture and cleaner, smaller pores.
- By helping shed dead skin cells, retinol promotes the growth of new ones, which helps remove dark spots for a more radiant complexion.
Retinol also has some drawbacks:
- While retinol is a powerful skin rejuvenator, it takes a lot longer for its effects to show up.
- When using too much strength, first-time retinol users may experience a little itchiness, redness, and scaly patches.
Read more: When to use retinol in a skincare routine?
What is vitamin C in anti-aging skincare?
In skincare, L-ascorbic acid’s main function is as an antioxidant, meaning it fights harmful toxins or free radicals that come into contact with the skin while helping to repair damaged skin cells. This gives skincare products with this ingredient their restorative and protective properties when applied to the skin, which helps reverse premature signs of aging.
Pros and cons of vitamin C
The benefits of vitamin C include:
- During the day, L-ascorbic acid acts as a skin protector that stops skin stressors like pollution, smoke, and free radicals from UV rays in their tracks before they can damage the skin.
- As a potent antioxidant, it improves the appearance of skin and is well-known for its skin-brightening effects, which leave a brighter complexion and reduce dark spots.
- It also has wound-healing abilities by boosting essential proteins in the reconstruction of the skin, which helps speed up acne scar healing and improve skin texture.
Some of the drawbacks of vitamin C include:
- Often dubbed a diva, it’s only effective and stable if it’s in its pure, natural form. Any exposure to air and sunlight can degrade it, proving it useless.
- Using too high a percentage can be irritating to sensitive skin, leading to dryness and redness.
Read more: How to use Vitamin C for effective skin brightening?
Differences between retinol and vitamin C
Generally, anyone can use both skincare ingredients, but to get the best results from either, it’s important to know when and how to use each of them.
With vitamin C, especially in serum form, it can be used on the face twice: morning and night, layered between the toner and moisturizer or cream. It’s especially a welcome addition to AM skincare routines because it helps prevent oxidation from UV rays, pollutants, and other environmental irritants.
Retinol, on the other hand, is tricky to use. Due to its photosensitivity, it is recommended for bedtime skincare routines only. Otherwise, it can cause heightened sunlight sensitivity in the skin, making it more vulnerable to oxidative stress.
Another major difference between retinol and vitamin C is their strength, with retinol offering different potencies depending on concentration and style, whereas L-ascorbic acid cannot. With its many forms, like retinal or retinoids, retinol comes in common over-the-counter serums or more potent prescription creams.
On the other hand, L-ascorbic acid in skincare products uses the optimal 5% to 10% of the ingredient in their formulas, as anything higher can irritate sensitive skin types or cause breakouts in acne-prone skin.
Key takeaways
For AM skincare routines, opt for a vitamin C skincare product while keeping retinol products for the PM skincare regimen. For those looking for an immediate glow and vibrance, L-ascorbic acid will improve dull and aging skin quickly. For those in it for the long haul to reverse signs of aging, they may opt for retinol.
Whether picking up vitamin C or retinol for a skincare routine, it’s best to follow with sunscreen in the morning.
