What to Expect When You Start Using Vitamin A Products

Last Updated: 22 August 2021

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

There’s one superstar ingredient you can count on to delay signs of aging, boost your skin’s collagen, reduce hyperpigmentation and improve your skin texture. It’s Vitamin A, also known as retinol.

Start incorporating Vitamin A products into your skin care routine in your mid to late 20s or early 30s. This is the time when you’ll start noticing a few fine lines or wrinkles on skin. Besides using hydrating products to keep your skin plump, sometimes you need something a little stronger. Consider retinol.

Absolutely − this nutrient is great for skin. Vitamin A is known as one of the most effective ingredients that can minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve an uneven skin tone and treat acne. Despite its many benefits, there are things to watch out for when you start using Vitamin A products. As long as you use them the right way, you’ll realize they’re worth the benefits in the end. Ahead are some things to expect if you’re new to Vitamin A skin care products:

Skin purging is one of the most common side effects when using Vitamin A products like retinol. This flare-up can appear in the form of blackheads, redness and small or bumpy pimples. You may find sudden breakouts when you start using a Vitamin A product, but don’t worry, it’s normal and expected, especially if you have acne-prone skin. Vitamin A products speed up cell turnover, meaning that new skin cells replace existing ones, so the purging process gets rid of any congestion that pops up on your skin eventually.

Skin purging may be inevitable when using Vitamin A products, but you can lessen the chances of experiencing it by opting for a product with a lower concentration of retinol. You can also try the “buffering” method, where you combine the Vitamin A product with a moisturizer to dilute the retinol, allowing your skin to adjust to the new ingredient.

Using Vitamin A products can make your skin drier than usual, and if you already have dry skin then you may experience some flakiness. The good news is this phase is temporary, at least until your skin builds up tolerance to the product. To prevent excessive dryness, avoid using retinol every day, especially if you’re a beginner. Start slowly by using it only twice a week, before increasing to three times a week and to every other night. See how your skin reacts and adjust usage accordingly.

To keep dry or flaky skin at bay, follow a hydrating skin care routine in the mornings and evenings when you’re not using Vitamin A products. This way, your skin still gets all the hydration it needs. If you find that your skin feels extra dry on nights when you use retinol, then apply a rich moisturizer to lock in moisture. We recommend a mild moisturizer that is gentle enough to use with retinol and soothes skin too.

Lastly and most importantly, be patient with the results. Those who use any Vitamin A product should be in it for the long run. Using retinol is a long-term commitment and you shouldn’t expect results right away. It may take up to three to six months to see visible skin changes, even longer if you’re treating deep fine lines or wrinkles. With consistent and long-term use, you can benefit from everything retinol has to offer, including anti-aging, collagen-boosting and acne-fighting benefits.