RETINOL is a beauty ingredient that needs no introduction. Proven to improve cell turnover and hailed as the holy grail in skincare, it can help with wrinkles, hyper pigmentation, acne and acne scars.
But its use does not come without a price. Primarily, it may make skin more sensitive, which is why the caveat in using retinol is to lather on sunblock (at least SPF 30) during the day.
Those who are new to this vitamin A derivative should start with low-dose retinol product (which contains 0.3 per cent to 0.5 per cent). Use it twice weekly and increase the frequency as you go along.
Given its efficacy and side effects, retinol formulation is extremely important so skincare makers are trying different ways to balance this power ingredient with hydrating substances like hyaluronic acid and ceramides.
Skincare label Drunk Elephant, meanwhile, balances its retinol with oil, specifically virgin marula oil, in its new release called A-Gloei, designed for retinol beginners.
Founder Tiffany Masterson says she wanted to make something for people who aren't familiar with retinol.
"Retinol is highly effective at increasing cell turnover and is incredibly good at targeting the signs of ageing as well as reducing inflammation and acne. It's an amazing, powerhouse ingredient that teaches skin cells how to act younger.
"The flip side is that it can be an intimidating ingredient for people who have never used it before. It's easy to overdo it, so retinol gets a bad reputation for being sensitising. If you go in with too much in the beginning it can cause peeling and redness."
A FINE MIX
So Masterson combines a lower dosage of retinol, at 0.5 per cent (versus 1 per cent in its A-Passioni) and adds soothing, antioxidant-rich marula oil.
"We made A-Gloei to be a gateway retinol. I essentially wanted to sneak retinol in at a lower level to make it ideal for anyone who is just getting used to retinol and wants to start building up their tolerance."
Masterson says marula oil, which is widely used in the brand's skincare line, contains a high concentration of oleic acid.
"Research has demonstrated that oleic acid is a highly effective penetration enhancer, allowing other ingredients, like retinol, an easier time to penetrate by making the lipid surface on skin more permeable and the active ingredient, more soluble.
"This is also why our marula oil absorbs quickly — the high content of oleic acid won't sit on the surface as other fatty acids do. With A-Gloei, you are getting all of the benefits of two powerhouse ingredients that complement each other."
FOR THE EARTH
Masterson says Drunk Elephant's marula oil is extracted by grinding and raw cold-pressing the kernels of the South African marula fruit.
"The tricky thing is that while marula oil is naturally high in antioxidants and fatty acids, much of those benefits can be lost during harvest. So we use an extraction and filtration process that results in the purest and most concentrated form of the oil, with those delicate antioxidant and fatty acid compounds preserved."
True to the brand's philosophy — including formulating its products without ingredients like SLEs, parabens, essential oils and dyes — its marula oil is purchased from a supplier that is a member of the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity: Nagoya Protocol.
The Nagoya Protocol has three primary goals — to protect the biological diversity of genetic resources; provide sustainable use of those biological resources; and ensuring fair, equitable profit and payment of the use of those resources.
"This allows the farming communities, while supplying our marula, to establish protections for the crop and to negotiate and establish their own price for their crop," she says.
CLEAR AND SOOTHE
A-Gloei also contains plant-derived ceramides that are identical to the wax-like moisturising ceramides that occur naturally in skin.
Ceramides help fill in the spaces between skin cells, giving them elasticity, and play a critical role in strengthening the skin barrier by helping to maintain the moisture balance of skin, while protecting against water loss.
While you'll see benefits from the marula oil and ceramides right away, it takes time to see results with retinol.
"It takes around three to four months, so be patient. There shouldn't be any rush and the results are worth it," Masterson says.
"If you are new to retinol, the best way is to ease in. Start by using A-Gloei once or twice a week, gradually increasing frequency to every other night, then every night as tolerated," she says.
Apply two or three drops in the morning or at night to clean, dry face, or mix with any Drunk Elephant moisturiser or serum.
"Always avoid the eye area — at least not without mixing A-Gloei into your eye cream. I would recommend that you not apply it undiluted to the eye area, and if you are using A-Gloei during the day, be sure to follow with sunscreen.
"Also, keep in mind that all retinol products are not recommended for use by pregnant or nursing mothers, so consult your doctor before using it."
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