October 2005
Dear Paula,
I have been a reader of Cosmetics Counter Update for a long time, but it was only last month that I purchased some of your products, and I must admit I'm amazed at their quality and fair prices. I have noticed that you do not offer any retinol products. Is this because you feel AHA and BHA products are a better choice, or is there a case where you would recommend retinol instead? I have searched through the past editions of your newsletter and haven't found a retinol product that impresses you lately, so I would appreciate your comments on this one.

Ana, via email

Dear Ana,
Thanks for your thanks! And you're asking a good question about retinol. Despite its potential benefits, which are significant for skin, it has had its share of problems. Let me explain. Retinol is the entire vitamin A molecule that can be broken down into thousands of smaller components, of which one is retinoic acid (also called tretinoin, the active ingredient in Renova and Retin-A). Skin cells have a receptor site that is very accepting of retinoic acid. This relationship between retinoic acid and a skin cell allows a type of communication in which the cell is told to function normally (that is, not like a damaged or older cell), and it can conform to that request. Retinol cannot communicate with a cell until it has been broken down into retinoic acid. What has been up for debate is whether retinol can be converted into retinoic acid after it is absorbed into the skin and remain stable (in the skin, or in the product for that matter). Issues about retinol's stability and how much is enough when using the ingredient (specifically, when it changes to retinoic acid, is there enough left to get to the cell) have been the problems with retinol in cosmetics. More recently, some new, stable forms of retinol have become available, along with lots of research regarding their efficacy, and that has changed everything. As a result, several new products I will be launching next year will include retinol.

In short, retinol is a beneficial cell-communicating ingredient and an antioxidant. Simply put, it helps skin cells create better skin and skin-support substances. Packaging is still a key issue, so any container that lets in air (like jar packaging) or sunlight (clear containers) just won't cut it, something that also applies to most state-of-the-art skin-care ingredients. Lots of retinol products come in unacceptable packaging (Source: Cosmetic Dermatology, Supplement, Revisiting Retinol, January 2005, pages 1-20).

One more point: Neither retinol nor retinoic acid can take care of anyone's skin-care needs on their own. For example, they don't replace the need for a well-formulated sunscreen or AHA or BHA product. Exfoliating the skin with AHA or BHA has a long history of helping it to function more normally by removing built-up layers of sun-damaged skin. Also, retinol should not be the only ingredient you look for in a moisturizer. Skin needs a combination of ingredients to function optimally, including cell-communicating ingredients (of which retinol is one), antioxidants (to reduce free-radical damage), and substances that mimic the structure of skin. Together, all these various ingredients and elements combine to create a powerful part of any skin-care routine.