Which acid to choose? How to apply retinol? Learn the secrets of autumn face care.

Autumn skin needs

Summer time is a real challenge for the skin. Heat, wind, sea breeze, salt and fresh water, sunlight – all this negatively affects the condition of the skin. Therefore, autumn facial care should be properly planned. Harsh summer conditions cause the skin to dry out and the hydrolipid barrier to weaken. As a result, the face is more susceptible to irritation. The dry epidermis is gray and lacks radiance. The process of photoaging accelerates, the dermis becomes thinner, wrinkles form. The complexion takes on an earthy tone. Post-sun discoloration and inflammatory lesions may also appear.

However, with properly selected cosmetics it is possible to significantly improve the condition of the skin after the difficult summer season. The main goal of autumn facial care is to regenerate the skin and improve its overall condition.

For clear results, it is worth taking care of the skin in two ways: at home and at the beauty salon. As part of daily home care, it is important to systematically use properly selected products. A cosmetologist or beautician is worth visiting once or twice a month. During the course of treatment, visits to the beauty salon can be even more frequent, as recommended by the expert.

It’s important to know which active ingredients will best address your skin’s autumn needs. There are very effective tools at our disposal: cosmetic acids and retinol.

Facial acids – application and contraindications

Cosmetic acids are divided into alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA, fruit acids), beta-hydroxy acids (BHA) and polyhydroxy acids (PHA). These substances are commonly used as part of home or salon care, depending on the type of acid and the concentration of the substance in the formulation of the finished product.

In the cosmetic market, acids have been used for years. Their effects are well recognized and predictable. Besides the concentration, the pH of the acid is also important. The higher the concentration and the lower the pH, the stronger the effect of the acid cosmetic.

Based on the depth of penetration into the skin, we distinguish:

• Superficial acids – act only in the epidermis, and are used in beauty salons;
• Medium-deep and deep acids – reach all the way to the dermis, and are used in doctors’ practices and aesthetic medicine clinics.

When selecting an acid for the face, it is necessary to take into account the phototype of the skin and any contraindications. The lower the phototype, the more sensitive and prone to irritation the skin is. Contraindications to the use of acids include:

• pregnancy,
• lactation,
• tretinoin treatment,
• active herpes,
• allergies,
• open wounds on the skin.

During the period of acid use, skin exposure to UV radiation should be limited. This means that we should use a quality sunscreen during this time and forgo the solarium.

Cosmetics with acids – how do they work?

The effect of creams and other cosmetics with AHA, BHA and PHA acids depends on the type and concentration of the acid, on the pH of the product and on the other substances contained in the formulation. Thanks to the wide availability of acids, it is possible to precisely select care that will bring very good results and significantly improve skin function.

Glycolic acid

Glycolic acid has the smallest molecular structure of all alpha-hydroxy acids. That’s why it penetrates easily and quickly into the epidermis. It relaxes the intercellular spaces, thus facilitating the exfoliation of dead cells and refreshing the appearance of the skin. It improves the penetration of other active ingredients that are co-present in the formulation of a given cosmetic product. Thus, it contributes to increasing the skin care effects of the cosmetic. In addition, glycolic acid promotes the synthesis of collagen and elastin. As a result, it improves the quality and quantity of the skin and the overall appearance of the complexion. It minimizes wrinkles.

You can find glycolic acid in creams: novo and novo forte, as well as in professional studio.peel treatments: anti-aging and anti-acne.

Mandelic acid

Mandelic acid is at the opposite pole compared to glycolic acid. It has the largest molecular composition of all AHA acids. Its structure is analogous to broad-spectrum antibiotics. As a result, it gives very good effects in the care of acne-prone skins, with excess sebum, with inflammatory lesions. In addition to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and seboregulatory effects, mandelic acid also has a keratolytic effect. This means that it removes the outer dead skin from the stratum corneum. It evens out skin tone, does not irritate or cause hyperpigmentation. It can be used all year round.

You can find mandelic acid in hydratore cream and in professional studio.peel treatments: anti-imperfections and whitening.

Lactic acid and citric acid

Lactic acid is an AHA, and has moisturizing and even-toning properties. Citric acid also belongs to the AHA group, but has a different effect: antibacterial and whitening.

Both of these acids are part of the revitalizing complex, which is present in the formula of rossatore resurfacing cream.

You can also find them in professional studio.peel treatments:

• lactic acid – in studio.peel sensitive, whitening and rebuilding;
• citric acid – in studio.peel whitening.

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid belongs to the beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) group. In a cosmetic product it can occur in concentrations of up to 0.5%. Due to its antibacterial effect, it is intended for the care of skin with acne lesions.

Retinol – what is this active ingredient?

Among the active ingredients with the greatest role in autumn skin care is certainly retinol. It is a derivative of vitamin A, counted among the so-called vitamins of youth.

We supply vitamin A to the body in the form of beta-carotene (through food) and in the form of retinoids (on the skin, through cosmetics). The amount of vitamin A in the body drastically decreases when exposed to UVA radiation. This type of radiation reaches the Earth’s surface regardless of the season or the level of cloud cover. That’s why it’s so important to regularly replenish deficiencies – including through skin care. Ingredients from food reach the skin in the last order, so any deficiencies manifest themselves most quickly precisely on the skin. In cases of vitamin A deficiency, the complexion becomes dry and flaky, and nails and hair become more brittle.

Retinol – effects and contraindications

Vitamin A has a very broad spectrum of effects on the skin:

• it loosens corneocytes,
• facilitates exfoliation of the outer layer of the epidermis,
• has an anti-wrinkle effect,
• improves the overall appearance of the skin,
• regulates the sebaceous glands and sebum secretion,
• makes the skin more flexible,
• eliminates fine wrinkles and discoloration.

Retinol is very effective in the care of problematic skins – with inflammatory lesions, with acne. However, it is important to keep in mind the contraindications, which include pregnancy and lactation, as well as high UV exposure (including in solariums).

Retinoids in their pure form can cause unwanted effects. Sometimes they irritate the skin and cause tenderness, redness and peeling. For this reason, cosmetics with retinol should be introduced into skin care carefully and gradually. It is also worth choosing those products that combine retinol with its non-irritating, botanical analogue – ecoRetinol.

Various forms of vitamin A in cosmetics

When choosing a preparation with vitamin A, it is worth paying attention to the form of this ingredient used in the formulation. Retinoic acid, due to its spectrum of action, is included only in medicinal products. In cosmetics there are forms such as esters (retinol palmitate or acetate), retinol, retinal. As a result of the processes occurring in the skin, each form of vitamin A must convert to retinoic acid. Only then will it be able to cause the desired aesthetic effects.

How to compare creams with different forms of vitamin A?

When making comparisons, use the appropriate conversion rate:

1000 micrograms (1 milligram) of retinol = 870 micrograms of retinol acetate = 550 micrograms of retinol palmitate

This means that we need to use 2 times more palmitate to get effects analogous to those of 1 molecule of retinol. Thus: 0.1% retinol and 0.1% ester are not the same! The effectiveness of a product labeled with the latter notation is at least halved.

What is the maximum concentration of retinol in cosmetic products?

The maximum concentration of retinol in a face cream that is not rinsed off the skin is 0.3%. For cosmetics for the eye area, the maximum concentration of retinol is 0.03%.

EcoRetinol in facial care

Autumn skin care with vitamin A will bring the best results if you combine retinol with ecoRetinol. This botanical (plant-derived) retinoid has 10 genes in common with “regular” retinol. The positive effects of both substances are the same and additive, while the plant-based ecoRetinol does not cause skin irritation, peeling or tenderness.

The combination of retinol and ecoRetinol in a single formulation results in a more potent cosmetic without the uncomfortable skincare experience. EcoRetinol is a booster for the beneficial effects of retinol.

Products containing a combination of retinol and ecoRetinol are:

• retino,
• retino forte,
• retino eye,
• professional retino booster treatment.

Summary

The skin after summer needs regeneration. In autumn it is worth betting on cosmetic acids and on retinol. It is important to know about the properties and concentrations of individual ingredients, as well as contraindications to the use of a particular substance. The best aesthetic results are brought by precisely selected two-track facial care: at home and at the beauty salon.