What The Heck Is Retinol And Why Should I Add It To My Fall Skincare Routine?

Crisp autumn air, shorter nights, changing leaves is in the midst right now and with this also comes a change of clothes.  But what some people seem to neglect is the change in their skincare products as well. I mean who wants their skin as dry as leaves?  Plus, a lot of us have done some serious damage to our skin in the summer, so introducing a skincare product that can help with sun damage, sunspots, anti-aging, as well as dry, flaky skin is a must!

So, if you want to find out to get your Autumn skincare on with Retinol continue reading!

For this post, I have partnered up with Valentia Skincare. This company has amazing products formulated with natural and organic cosmetic ingredients that will repair and protect the skin. One of their products, the Night Revive Retinol Serum, is an ideal product to add to get your face, fall ready.

SPONSORED POST: I was given this product to review. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 
I only share reviews with you that I feel will be beneficial or informative in some way.

Adding In A Retinol Serum
As the temperature drops, we end up spending less time outside, which means less exposure to the sun.  That is why Autumn is a great time to add a retinol serum to your skincare regimen as when you’re using retinol you want to avoid prolonged sun exposure.  Additionally, the cool air can also leave our skin less hydrated, so having a product that can provide hydration as well, is the key to smoother, rejuvenated skin.

In addition to smoother skin, the Valentia Night Revive Retinol Serum helps to …

• Reduce the appearance of brown spots caused by the sun
• Stimulate collagen
• Improve skin tone
• Manage breakouts
• Condition the skin

What The Heck Is Retinol
Retinol is the principle Vitamin A and can fill some of the roles that Vitamin A plays metabolically. Many Vitamin A effects are hormone-like, influencing the growth and differential of cells.

You see, there are tons of damaging elements that are skin is exposed to every day, like dust, pollutants, sweat, even makeup, all of which can age the skin. Retinol (Vitamin A) is a useful product that helps diminish these signs of aging and visibly contribute to improving the appearance of your skin

Retinol works by speeding up the cellular turnover rate, which allows the healthier cells to work their way up to the surface faster and decreasing the activity of the destructive enzyme collagens.

Therefore, having a retinol like the Valentia Night Revive Retinol Serum in your fall skincare regimen is a necessity.  I mean anything that can help with cellular turnover, lines and wrinkles are a must have on my list of fall skincare products!

Look At The Ingredients
Ingredients are what makes one product’s success stand out from another. And Valentia has specially selected ingredients that work together to achieve optimum results.

KEY INGREDIENTS:

• Retinol (Vitamin A): Works at the cellular level to stop wrinkles, manage breakouts, and evens out skin discoloration.
• Vitamin C: Guards skin against environmental free radicals to prevent premature aging.
• Vitamin E: Provides intense hydration to diminish the drying effects of retinol.
• Squalene: Derived for pure olive oil to soften and condition delicate skin.

What To Avoid
In addition to looking at the ingredients that are in a product you also want to look at the what is not in it, thus natural, and organic products are essential in my book.   You want to stay away from synthetic fragrances and dyes, as they are two additives known to cause irritation.  Plus, with the change of humidity in the fall months, the last thing you want to do is to apply something on your skin that could be potentially irritating!

On the other hand, natural ingredients with an organic base have proven most effective at repairing skin damaged by the sun or the wind, preventing signs of aging such as wrinkles, dark spots, and reversing the effects of oxidative stress on the skin.

Lastly, you want to make sure that you look at the packaging as vitamin A can break down when it is overly exposed to light. Hence you want to purchase a retinol that is bottled in a darker container that minimizes the exposure to light and air.

Exfoliation
Although I think skin exfoliation is important all the time, adding it to your fall regimen is a must.  While there are plenty of beauty tools out there that can help with skin exfoliation, retinol's can also act as an exfoliator by sweeping and removing your dead summer skin cells.  As mentioned above retinol's also help with enhanced collagen production, so combine that with the fact it can also act as an exfoliant, you will be well on your way to a fantastic fall face!

How To Use
It is important that you are using this product correctly to get the best results.  See below some of my guidelines

• If this is your first time using a retinol, I always suggest adding it slowly to your NIGHTTIME skincare routine.
• If you are in your 30, using it three times a week can help slow the aging process.
• For those in their 40+ using the Retinol ever other night, or every night if your skin can tolerate it.
• Apply in a circular motion using your ring finger as pulling and tugging on the skin can age you quicker.
• Use an SPF of 20 or higher during the day to protect your skin.

Want To Try Some For Yourself
Well, Valentia has given my readers 20% off, so go to Amazon and get your skin fall ready with Valentia Night Revive Retinol Serum.   
Use Code: YJ7CWBI7 to get 20% off your order.

Oh one last thing, make sure to stay social by following Valentia on Facebook & Instagram!

Until next time, beauties!