If you’ve been thinking about adding retinol to your skincare regime, you might be wondering if there is a vegan-friendly alternative to standard retinol products. Plant-based retinol is an excellent way to combat the first signs of aging while still avoiding products that compromise your values. Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about using retinol and what the benefits of vegan retinol are to users.
What is Retinol?
Retinol is a type of vitamin A, and it’s become incredibly popular in recent years as an ingredient in skincare products. You’ll find that retinol helps to combat the first signs of aging, but it also offers many benefits to those suffering from acne and uneven skin tone. Retinol binds retinoid receptors in the skin, which tells your skin’s cells to increase collagen production. Collagen production generally decreases as we age, but with retinol, you can give your skin the boost it needs to remain youthful and plump for longer. Retinol comes in many different forms, such as a retinol serum, gel, emollient, or cream. You can apply it directly to your skin, and you’ll find that most people see a huge difference in the quality and health of their skin.
What is Vegan Retinol?
For anyone looking to add retinol into your daily routine, you might be wondering if there is a plant-based and cruelty-free retinol option. One thing to consider is that the majority of retinol products on the market are made from animal sources. You need to be incredibly careful about checking the ingredients, as you’ll find they often have eggs, fish, beef, or chicken traces in the ingredients. The good news is that there are plant-based retinol alternatives on the market, just like our retinol serum. These products can be made from vegan-friendly ingredients, including plants and vegetables. The majority of products are made in laboratories, and they work to mimic the molecule that is found in nature.
You may hear vegan retinol referred to as bakuchiol, which is a plant-based retinol that’s derived from the Psoralea corylifolia plant. While bakuchiol doesn’t resemble the traditional retinol product, it does still have the same functions. You’ll still notice a huge improvement in the production of collagen and the overall look of your skin.
Side Effects of Plant-Based Retinol
While we absolutely love using our retinol serum as part of our daily skincare routine, one thing to consider is the potential side effects of retinol. Depending on your skin type, you may find this product to be quite harsh on your skin. For that reason, we recommend that you build up the amount of vegan retinol you use over the upcoming weeks and months. Start by using the product just once or twice a week until you are able to use it every day after some time.
Many people notice that their skin becomes dry or red when they use retinol for an extended period of time. It may also feel itchy or start to scale, which can make you feel less confident about how you look. If you do notice these signs, take a few weeks off to allow your skin to recover once again. Retinol can also make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Make sure you wear sunscreen after using retinol to protect your skin when you are outside in the daytime.
The Benefits of Vegan Retinol
There are so many great reasons to start adding vegan retinol to your daily skincare routine. These are just a few of the most common uses and benefits of vegan retinol.
Treat Acne
Acne is a common condition for people of all ages, but vegan retinol can help to reduce skin peeling, which blocks your pores. It also includes anti-inflammatory properties, which work to combat the inflammation that causes acne. When used alongside our drying spot treatment for acne, you’ll find that your skin has a good chance of clearing up in the near future.
Anti-Aging Properties
The main reason that people use plant-based retinol for the first time is to help combat the signs of aging. Our skin ages as we grow older, but UV light exposure, pollution, and smoking can all impact your skin as well. As we age, our skin loses its elasticity, and the epidermis holds less water than before. Retinol works to combat fine lines, wrinkles and sagging, which is something we all want to reduce as much as possible. It works to strengthen the epidermis and minimize the amount of water that evaporates from your skin. Regardless of your age currently, you’ll want to consider adding this into your skincare routine to prevent aging from impacting your skin early on in life and to boost collagen production.
Improve Skin Tone and Texture
Vegan retinol helps improve cell turnover and collagen production, both of which can help combat uneven skin tone and texture. If you are struggling with dull skin, you’ll also find that your skin looks brighter when using plant-based retinol. Of course, to improve your skin’s overall look and feel, make sure you are adopting a good daily skincare routine. You can use our retinol serum alongside our cleansing oil, and you can add a CC serum before putting on make-up in the morning. Our face moisturizer cream with hyaluronic acid is also a good option for anyone struggling with dry and dehydrated skin.
If you are looking for a new vegan retinol to try, we highly recommend our retinol serum. This is a plant-based and cruelty-free product which offers all of the benefits of plant-based retinol that we shared above. We recommend taking it slowly when you first add retinol into your skincare routine. Make sure you slowly build up to using this product each day to ensure your skin is reacting okay to the ingredients. You’ll soon find that your skin looks more youthful and clearer thanks to the powerful ingredients in our vegan retinol, leaving you looking and feeling your best for many years to come.