Don't get hung up on the percentages.
Although it might sound like a stronger formula with a higher percentage of retinol would be more efficacious, that’s not always the case. “With retinol, we’re always balancing strength, efficacy, with the potential of retinol to irritate the skin,” explains Dr. Mikailov, “In terms of drugstore retinol, we find that retinol can be effective at multiple concentrations.” He says that “while retinol creams with higher concentrations (0.2 percent or more) worked faster, at the end of 6 months, retinol creams at various concentrations, including below 0.2 percent, also had great benefits.”
Look for keywords like "gentle" and "non-irritating" on the label.
Retinol is notoriously irritating so it's important to choose a formula that's formulated to mitigate any unwanted side effects, even if you don't have sensitive skin, say Dr. Mikailov. Oftentimes, gentler retinol serums and creams are "encapsulated" or are combined with nourishing ingredients like vitamin E or soothing ingredients like allantoin.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLvSpqapp5yewaK6jZympmejqcatsYybnJqtpK58o7HArquyZ5dpgXl%2BlmtucmeSmsC1ecOrrKCrpKS%2FpnnRnquipp%2BheqS%2BxJqkrGc%3D