If ever a skin-care nirvana were to exist, my money is on it being a retinoid. A brief refresher: Retinoids are the catchall term for the topical vitamin-A derivatives that do everything from attack acne before it starts (the original purpose, since 1971) to fend off the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. There’s more: Retinoids unclog pores, reduce inflammation, fade age spots, smooth skin texture, and stimulate cell turnover?basically, they keep you looking younger for longer, without the blemish-prone downsides of youthful skin.
There are prescription-strength retinoids, like tazarotene (found in Tazorac) and tretinoin (like Atralin and Retin-A), which have an active ingredient of retinoic acid and can cost a pretty penny if your insurance isn’t so hot on the coverage, and then there are over-the-counter options. Over-the-counter formulations all contain retinol, which is similar but tends to be a little less potent and thus work a little slower than their prescription-strength counterparts. A minor difference, really?retinoids are super-powered, and retinol takes it easy. Because retinoids are such a powerful antiaging ingredient, it’s easy to adopt the notion that they are strictly for the 30-and-up crew who want to stop skin aging in its tracks, or people who are fighting moderate-to-severe acne. This is inaccurate. If you want to reap the full benefits, regardless of your skin type, you should be using them right now. Like, currently. At this ve...