Add Vitamin A To Your Skincare Routine at Home

Vitamin A is a vital micronutrient that our bodies require for optimal health. While we typically get this nutrient from colorful, carotenoid-rich foods like mangos, papaya, squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, and green leafy vegetables, it’s important to note that Vitamin A can also be applied topically to our skin.

When used as a topical treatment, Vitamin A acts as both an antioxidant and cell regulator. Its antioxidant properties help slow the breakdown of collagen and elastin fibers in our skin, which are responsible for maintaining its structure and texture. By restoring Vitamin A levels in the skin, it can also regulate cell signaling and promote the production of new collagen to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and enlarged pores. Additionally, Vitamin A can help slow the production of melanin in the skin, leading to a reduction in hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and post-breakout marks.

Vitamin A reaches our skin in the form of retinoids, such as retinol and retinoate. In this blog post, we will explore how retinoate can effectively deliver Vitamin A to your skin. We will also discuss the best ways to incorporate retinoate into your skincare routine for smoother and more radiant skin.

Understanding the Difference: Retinol vs. Retinoate

Basically, retinoate and retinol do the same thing, but retinoate does it more efficiently.

Retinol is a widely recognized form of Vitamin A that is dominating the skincare market. But what many products don’t tell you is that retinol doesn’t act immediately or alone. It must first convert into retinoic acid and transition into tretinoin to activate the retinoic acid receptors (RARs) responsible for regulating cell differentiation and growth.

This conversion is facilitated by specific enzymes within cells and while it is beneficial, many cosmetic products use milder forms of retinoids that need to transform in the skin in order to work, which can make some of these retinol products less effective.

To circumvent these issues, scientists identified novel molecules that can directly stimulate retinoic acid pathways. Retinoate, or Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate (HPR), transforms into both retinoic acid and retinol upon skin contact, delivering immediate and long-term benefits. This dual-action conversion bypasses the need for conversion and caters to the skin’s needs from the moment of application.

Who Should Use Retinoate?

If you use retinol and experience flaking skin, it may be that you are using a retinol product that is too potent for your skin or you are applying the retinol product too often. Recent studies highlight the exceptional performance of retinoate compared to other cosmetic-grade retinoids at equivalent concentrations. It also has shown to be significantly less cell-damaging, even at concentrations ten times higher than its counterparts.

If you have tried tretinoin, retinoate was nearly as effective as prescription tretinoin when measuring increased gene transcription levels. Based on measurements of procollagen concentration levels, skin treated with retinoate significantly increased procollagen production compared with untreated control skins, and was similar to tretinoin.

Why You Should Use Vitamin A in Your Evening Skin Care Routine

Although Vitamin A doesn’t make your skin sensitive to UV rays, it is a corrective ingredient that the skin will best respond to in the evening when it is repairing and rejuvenating while you sleep. It’s also important to always wear mineral sunscreen and reapply every two hours when outdoors to prevent premature skin ageing, hyperpigmentation and skin cancer.

Because Vitamin A is not an exfoliant, you can actually layer your Salicylic Acid Gel or Mandelic Acid 8% with your Skin Restore Serum to increase its effectiveness. Be sure to apply the acid of choice first, then layer Skin Restore Serum on top. This combination can be an effective strategy to target milia.

Incorporate it into your evening skin care routine after cleansing, prior to exfoliating. If you are wanting to layer it with your favorite serums such as the NeoGenesis Recovery or Eye Serum, it is recommended to apply these first and then layer a pea sized amount of your Skin Restore Serum vitamin A retinoate prior to applying your evening moisturizer for best results.

Introducing NeoGenesis Skin Restore Serum: Vitamin A Retinoate

We are so excited to add Skin Restore Serum to our product line. NeoGenesis has formulated a 0.2% cream gentle enough that it can be used on sensitive skin more frequently and with fewer side effects that are commonly associated with Vitamin A.

NeoGenesis uses a form of retinoic acid that is stable and non-irritating; it’s a retinoate in our Vitamin A product that directly activates the retinoic acid receptors. This yields the most effective Vitamin A product, without toxicity or sensitization of the skin.

Vitamin A can be applied topically to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, sun damaged skin, hyperpigmentation, enlarged pores, clogged pores and post-breakout marks. It works by stimulating collagen production and reducing skin damage. Choosing retinoate is a milder, yet more effective, type of Vitamin A that can help your skin look healthier, feel smoother and appear more vibrant. For best results, incorporate Vitamin A products into your night-time routine.

Notes: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is advised that you don’t use retinol or retinoate. Since Vitamin A makes the skin photosensitive, it’s recommended to stop using it on a warm vacation if you aren’t diligent with your sun protection.