Retinoids Are Getting Smarter
It's not enough to include a compliment of ultra-effective ingredients together in one formula. Now, these ingredients are becoming smart. And smarter. But what does that mean for your skin?
What Is a Retinoid?
According to Wikipedia, retinoids are a class of chemical compounds that are vitamers of vitamin A or are chemically related to it. There are multiple different ones, though most people are familiar with the likes of retinol, tretinoin, and isotretinoin. They regulate epithelial growth, so they play an important part of things like vision, regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation, bone growth, immune function, and the activation of tumor suppressor genes.
Retinoids enhance skin radiance and treat conditions associated with chronological aging such as wrinkles and fine lines, as well as dermatological disorders including acne, follicular and lesion papules, actinic keratosis, oily skin, and rosacea.
In fact, they're the American Academy of Dermatology's recommended first-line of defense against acne. Because they regulate cell turnover, they can help to keep pores from clogging, working to prevent breakouts.
They work as an anti-inflammatory agent that can reduce redness, swelling, and acne, so they're also effective at helping to slow down the process of aging. Topical vitamin A-based drugs have been shown to fade actinic keratosis spots, even pigmentation, and speed the turnover of superficial skin cells, effectively reducing the appearance of sun-damaged skin.
Retinoids are able to reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen. They can improve skin color by stimulating the production of new blood vessels in the skin. They can also fade age spots and soften rough patches of skin by helping to remove old, dull skin cells from the surface, boosting newer, fresher skin cells.
Retinol: Rough Around the Edges
Available only through prescription, tretinoin or retinoic acid is the bioactive form of retinoid that gets utilized by the cell. But when applied in its pure form, it completely destroys the skin's protective barrier and activates inflammatory pathways.
Retinol is one of the most powerful of the retinoids you can find without a dermatologist's prescription and it can deliver visible results. But with that power comes some inherent flaws when used in the forms most widely available. Retinol use may commonly result in irritation, redness, excessive flaking, and sun sensitivity, among others. Some retinol users have even noted redness, swelling, crusting, and blistering.
It's no surprise those may be some of the side effects, given the fact that retinol helps to speed through the process of cellular turnover: exfoliation and rejuvenation. When you put a speed dial on something like that, it can be pretty abrasive.
To make matters worse, retinol makes the skin more susceptible to the sun, regardless of SPF, so it could make your skin age faster if you don't follow the directions.
So how can you get the fabulous anti-aging and anti-acne benefits of retinoids without the more annoying, uncomfortable side effects? By making them smarter.
Smart Retinoid
GLOWBIOTICS is able to safely solve the problem by creating Smart Retinoid, glyceryl diretinoate (GDR). Patented and exclusive only to GLOWBIOTICS, GDR is the byproduct of the reaction of retinoic acid with glycerin. The result is a retinoic acid ester. It's essentially a retinoic acid attached to a triglyceride (think, fat-coated). This stabilizes the retinoid, increases its ability to permeate the skin, and reduces the reaction it causes.
When it's applied to the skin, GDR is readily absorbed by the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of skin). Once in the skin, it can readily be absorbed by the cell, where it can be put to work.
You're left with the ultimate smart, high-performance retinoid with none of the irritation! When used as directed, it can firm, tighten, and brighten your skin without triggering the sensitivity and dryness often associated with retinoids. You'll be able to see the difference: a visible softening of the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage with none of the inflammation typically experienced with other retinol formulas.
Easing Into Retinoids
Because they can cause skin dryness and irritation, doctors often recommend using retinoids every other day at first before gradually working up to nightly applications, especially if you've never used retinoids before or have sensitive skin.
Using them consistently is the key to their effectiveness, and their effectiveness becomes more apparent with time. It's always a good practice to apply your moisturizer after using retinoid treatments. It's also imperative to wear a sunscreen during the day because of the skin's increased sensitivity to sunlight.
Avoid using products containing hydroxyl, salicylic, or glycolic acids or other acne medications at the same time because they could cause further irritation.