We're talking about the one skincare ingredient
that gets more hype, more confusion, and more
TikTok drama than any other. Retinoids. Some
say they're the fountain of youth in a bottle,
others swear they ruin their skin. And we're
gonna get into it, how they work, and how you
as a professional can use them to treat acne,
pigmentation, aging, and everything in between.
If you're new here, welcome to Beauty Babble,
where we talk shop about the real stuff behind
running a beauty business. I'm Doreen, a brand
and content strategist and former esthetician.
And I'm Suzanne, Sadesco certified esthetician
with over 30 years in the industry, spa owner,
and now an educator mentor for beauty pros. And
today we're getting into retinoids. See, I've
already messed it up because there's retinol,
retinoid right now. Why don't you give us a definition?
Retinoids are compound chemically related to
retinoic acid, the active form of vitamin A that
binds the retinoid receptors in the skin affecting
how cells behave, particularly how they grow,
shed and repair. There's so many, you're right,
there's so many ways of saying it and how they're
using it in its understanding and really it comes
down to whether they're prescription or over
-the -counter meaning what we can use too, right?
So that's kind of the difference. What can beauty
pros use that isn't prescription? Well, in your
own product line, it'd be good to know which
one you're using and there's some mild to moderate
ones. Retinol is a moderate one. whereas retinal
is so there's r -e -t -i -n -o -l and then there's
r -e -t -i -n -a -l so retinal retinol that's
i think where we get confused sometimes with
it the retinal al at the end is moderate over
the counter and it can it's usually less irritating
and that's why you're probably going to find
it not as much in products, but the most common
one in skincare products that we will see is
actually the retinol, the OL at the end. And
that's mild to moderate, over -the -counter.
So even your Sephora products, your other department
stores, kind of pieces, different skincare. But
that one's the one, the most common in skincare.
But there's also retinol with a YL, palminate.
And that's over the counter. That's very, very
mild, which is quite nice to use too, because
it's often that beginner type of retinoid that
you can start to use or sensitive skins. And
there's still, I mean, sensitive skins want to
do anti -aging or sensitive skin might have acne
or pigmentation. So it's kind of that less potent
level, you know, whereas you're getting into
the other ones. Tretanone is a retinonic acid
and that's a prescription level. So you're not
going to see that unless you're working in a
medispa or under a doctor or potentially maybe
a nurse practitioner. Medical aesthetics, that
end of things. Fast acting and actually fun fact,
it's the most researched ingredient. Of course,
because it falls under the medical side of things.
Oh, interesting. And there's the other one that
is phazerotin. Am I saying that right? I can't
even say it. Sorry, I'm terrible at those things.
That is a high strength one as well and often
used for that high acne, you know, stage three,
stage four level and even psoriasis. It's a prescription
level as well. I'm going to share actually this
table that you have made because some of these
names are very hard. So the tretinoin, this is
the Highest one is what you were saying. This
is the prescription. It's medical. We're not
touching that This is the other one Prosperity
is a routine i'm butchering that that's also
a prescription one. That's right. All right,
and then This one is the next one. Did you talk
about this one? No, I was getting to that one.
That is a mix between over -the -counter and
prescription, which is interesting. I don't personally
know enough about that one, but I would just
be researching it if I wanted to know more. And
I'm just going to say the name for our listeners
who aren't watching this on YouTube. Adapalene.
Yeah, and those are the other. And then you talked
about these ones. This is retinol, retinol, retinol
and retinol. So I was saying the end of the word
is an A -L or an O -L or the Y -L. And then all
if you if you're saying it quickly, you don't
know which one it is. So when your clients say,
yes, I use a retinal, ask them which one find
a product so you understand what they're actually
using. I think that's where we think it's all
the same. And they'll they'll show different
names for it. Yeah. Well, and how would we use
this? I think that's a big thing, too, is that
well, one is age. Oh, during you have to share
your story. Oh, yes. We all know, we've seen,
you know, these articles of kids using retinol,
but my daughter had a birthday party, 10th birthday
party, we had a sleepover, and the kids were
getting ready for bed. I say bed because they
didn't actually end up sleeping. And so I go
down to the basement and to check on them, and
one of her friends had pulled out her... Sephora
product and it said on it retinol and she's passing
it around and these are like 10 year olds with
Their skin, like they've got baby skin, like
their skin is absolutely flawless. They do not
need retinol. So I just made sure that I'm like,
ah, maybe don't share that because some people
might react or whatever. But I think I had been
a little too late. I know my daughter didn't
put any on, but I know some of the other kids
did. And you can have a reaction to that. Their
skin is way too young. Yeah, typically you might
see it in the I'll say tweens to teens. If they
have started to get bright, then you'll some
doctors will actually subscribe it to them but
that's for a condition not because you're saying
you're using it and I think this is a great opportunity
for beauty pros out there is to maybe have the
ingredient or topic that's out there when you're
following social media what's the trend what's
going on out there who are these kids watching
and doing and put up there a little bit of blurb
about it so talk to me about this especially
if your kids are using it or want to know more
so you can educate your clients and you're tapping
into helping them with their kids. Like if you
were my client and you saw that in my room, you
would have been, oh my God, that just happened.
What is this stuff? And then I become that professional,
explain to my client more about it, right? I
think these are little opportunities that we
kind of miss on as professionals in the room,
but this isn't going away. This has been an ingredient
around forever. Again, the trends come and go,
but this one sticks around, I think is a big
one. because everybody's in the anti -age or
the pro -aging world our 10 year olds are look
at that yeah and i think and you you had said
this before but it it is for more than just anti
-aging and also for clearing up breakouts and
stuff what else can it be used for um the one
thing that if we look at us deep in the layers
of the skin what's happening when it's an acne
skin or a breakout even it's just common don't
break out like Stage one to two kind of thing.
It's not full on pustule level but it's you know,
the the pores getting clogged because of the
comedone because of the blackhead or the that
type of idea so when you look at the buildup
of dead skin on this on the surface and keeps
building up building up and if we are naturally
Releasing that buildup it allows as we like to
say the skin breathe Normalize, I guess you could
say on that way. But if you look at it that way.
Well, what is the purpose behind? are anti -aging,
the same process, right? So it's always about
trying to keep the skin from building up too
much dead skin cells, right? And even when it
comes to the melanin or hyperpigmentation of
the skin, it actually is going a little to the
same idea that is going to help the layers of
that pigmentation as it builds up. that's hyperfigmentations
in the upper part. We're not talking melasma.
That's a lot deeper, right? But you're allowing
that to slough off, which begins to lighten it.
But the biggest thing out of everything is they
have to be using an SPF. They have to be putting
it on again throughout their day if they're exposed
to the sun more than, you know, that hour or
two, depending on what Fitzpatrick they are,
right? But, you know, can you use retinoids in
the summer? Yes, you can. depending on what you're
using. What is in mild form? Are you, how are
you helping coach your clients through it through
the summer? Hats, SPFs, they want to take care
of their skin. And usually that's where we fall
aside, I guess you could say is that our clients
are not taking the series that they should. And
I think that's a big part of it. Like you said,
like you don't, I don't know, does the parent
know that this happened? That their kid is using
that product? It's hard to say. It's confusing
because there's so many different kinds. It's
confusing for the professionals sometimes. It's
easy for it to be confusing to, you know, the
non -professionals who are just like, oh, here
it is. And if you think if you get that retinoids
all together, they're a game changer. They really
are when used properly. And more is not always
better. You hear me. I'm a broken record when
I say it. It's just a little bit at a time. It
is an acid base. I guess we should look at it
that way. different degrees of it, right? I remember
when it first came out, as I mentioned, how long
I've been in the industry, that a client came
in one time and she was literally shedding like
a snake her face. And she had just had a vitamin
A treatment, a retinol treatment from the dermatologist.
And I was like, oh my God, I forgot what percentage
it was. It was like a 50, it was crazy. And she
didn't go outside, she had to stay indoors. go
through the did her skin look great later on
sure but not everybody wants to have that downtime
right not everyone can afford the downtime and
how you're going to stay at home all the time
but yeah that's a long time ago folks can i say
this it's been a long ways but i think it's the
other thing is they don't realize like for acne
and breakouts is actually an anti -inflammatory
too so that helps to take that inflammation out
of the skin it's not just about you know that
anti -age or the acne side of it it helps to
bring down fight the bacteria as well and a big
thing is that it it turns over like it speeds
up the turnover of the cells which is the healing
side which we want from the acne or breakouts
i should say no wonder it's so popular yeah is
it preventative sure but how often do you need
it so that comes into the skin thickness the
age of your client what else are they using i
mean I think that's what we forget that, you
know, I remember having a brief conversation
with someone, they were asking someone knew me
and said, Oh, you should ask her, she knows about
skincare. And I was like, Oh, sure. I got a couple
minutes, right? I don't know what you're using.
And it's okay. Well, you're using retinols. And
she used to shouldn't know she's using two different
types. Remember the OL and the AL? YL? She's
using two different ones. One of them was twice
a week. The other one's twice a week. Plus she
was exfoliating with a scrub. She's doing mini
enzyme masks and she was 23 years old. And so
I begin by teaching People have more questions.
Like what how was her skin? She was dry. She
complained of dryness. She's sensitive ago. Yeah
Yeah, I can see why your rosy cheeks and you're
feeling dry And then I showed her like once I
figured out the product and then I saw how often
you using it I said I just cut back. You're only
23 years old how often your skin turns over.
Yes, we want that, but more does not prevent
aging. Biologically, you're set at that age.
Yes, there could be external factors that age
you quicker, sun tanning, sun tan beds. It's
the sun mainly, right? Lifestyle, I guess, sure.
Genetics, yes, but it's mainly that. So once
I said that to her, like when I ran into her
a week later, and she saw a difference right
away, she said, stop using all of that and don't
exfoliate your skin for the next five days. I
said, just give it some time, use your hyaluronic,
use this, she had a mask that was like a soothing
one for the redness, like go use that for the
next few days and just see how that goes. And
she was, oh my God. So then I just said to her,
I don't know the brand very well. I'm being honest,
I don't sell that brand, so I don't know it,
but just knowing the ingredient. Why don't you
try doing this and then think seasons as well
like so then she's like, okay, and then it was
probably I Don't know months months later asked
her how you doing. She was oh my god That was
a game changer. Everything was so different about
it. And again, it's just understanding what the
ingredient is So I know that we're taught especially
nowadays. We're taught a brand and how to use
the brand in our trainings Yes, we need to know
that but you still need to know ingredients.
You need to help your clients outside of you
know the treatment room as well right if this
thing comes up yeah the other one pigmentation
this is interesting because what some might not
know and because we were talking about this ingredient
it made me deep dive again because it's been
a little while since i deep dove into this one
but i did forget that it actually disrupts the
melanin transfer in from the melanocytes into
the dead skin cells which was interesting oh
yeah that's right i'm a little geeky when it
comes to that stuff right but That's how come
it helps hyperpigmentation, not just the sloughing
off of the skin cells, but it's also what's happening
when the melanins transfer into those spot areas,
I guess you could say. So it helps to diminish
that transfer into there, if that makes sense.
Yeah. Yeah. And the other thing is, how do you
partner with the retinoids that you're using?
So thinking about what could work with it. So
you want to think of brightening agents, vitamin
C, you want to think niacinamide is great. Now,
in respect to that, just remember that niacinamide
is a very active and you want to increase circulation,
same with vitamin C, but just knowing what you're
going to use, how you're going to use it. So
understanding, it's a little bit of a puzzle
thing for each person, right? You got to put
the puzzle together for each person to figure
that out. But they work really well together
and Azalic acid actually is another ingredient
that works really well with the retinoid as well,
so it helps to effectively use the retinoid better
for the skin reaction of less melanin in those
areas. You're not whitening the skin, you're
not bleaching the skin, you're just changing
almost like the chemistry of the skin and how
it's releasing the melanin into those areas.
One other thing that I should mention too is
people are really scared for retinoids for the
Fitzpatricks, the higher Fitzpatricks. So if
we think back, what did we learn about acids
and peels and Fitzpatricks? So no different.
If they're that higher Fitzpatricks, four, five,
six, you want to do, you know, very slow, very
mild, not too fast. You don't want that, you
know, that rebound pigmentation effect that happens.
but you could, you know, something to buffer
with it, the milder form, are you using it, maybe
alternating nights or only a couple of times
a night to see like what's happening with them
and just really slowly introduce it. And again,
it's based on what brand are you using and then
talk to that brand representative, the educator
to help guide you through those things too. I
think that's really important on that side. But
in the end, if you want it to work properly,
you need to you know what one use it properly
but SPF is really essential but it can be used
as well right it depends which one you're using
yeah you know yeah and i and i tell clients like
it's not negotiable you have to use the SPF always
all year round tell them why yeah yeah even you
saying like can you use retinoids in the summer
or whatever like We need to be using our SPF
all year round. So if you are going to use retinoids
in the summer, then it's just you just have to
be a bit more vigilant. The other side of I didn't
mention to you is that because it's doing what
it's doing, it also helps with other treatments
that you're going to be introducing. Maybe it's
the prep, right? Maybe it's for their home care.
It's prepping them for their hyaluronic because
you're, you know, lifting off the dead skin.
You're adding more moisture with this other mask
and hyaluronic is going to... work better because
you're preparing the skin so there's a lot of
fun ways to do it as you get more comfortable
I think doing it but in the end just generally
and keeping on top and keep reminding like I
said I went back when oh yeah I'm gonna deep
dive a little more about that and like I you
can't remember everything so be okay with to
continually learn and grow with it and they're
also finding new things all the time so I think
that's a fun part of it too right But yeah, like
a lot of people forget or maybe weren't even
taught that it actually helps to disrupt that
melanin transfer for the hyperpigmentation is
why you get that nice bright, bright lightening
of the skin. Yeah, I think it the you know, it's
been overshadowed by the anti aging and the acne
treatment because I had it prescribed when I
was younger, when I had like more acne skin.
And I did have like I couldn't go to work one
day I was working at the time I was working at
the front desk at a spot and like my face is
completely peeled. And then after that was a
lesson learned, I went after that, I'm like,
I'm going to take it, you know, I got into skincare
and learned it and went the slow and steady route.
Yeah, so I think if you look at almost, I'll
say almost any age based on the condition, what
are we doing? Why are we using it? And I think
if that's what you look at first, and then choosing
which one you're going to use, like that beginner
level, and slowly introduce it. We're talking
esthetician, we're not talking medical grade.
And maybe you're trying it, have the client using
it overnight. It's only a couple, one time a
week, then the following week, two times if they're
sensitive and giving gaps in between. So that
layering idea of introducing it into it, start
out slow, like I said, one, maybe two times a
week. Then depending on the skin, like what's
the goal? Acneic. hyperpigmentation, whatever
it may be, if there's that condition behind it.
Or let's add the anti -aging, someone's older
just getting into using products like this, and
they could really use, they have a lot of fine
lines, elasticity of the skin, the dead skin
buildup. Sure, you can act on that as well, the
same idea, where maybe the skin will gradually
tolerate to three times a week to four times
a week, but again, it all is age. skin condition
thickness of skin what else are they doing with
it right and then eventually you can do that
sandwich where you're you know you're doing your
moisturizer your retinol and another moisturizer
like you can you can play with that idea as well
just it's almost like you're doing that thing
of like a vitamin where it's a slow release you
know it's that scene concept you could do it
that way as well and always always pair it with
the spf and non -negotiable and it got to be
30 to 50. on the SPF every morning. Yeah. Yeah,
I'm gonna go. I need to go put my retinol cream
on. I know. I know. I was looking going, God,
I don't know. Last time I had, I got to use up
what I got. I have to do that. I got to stop
doing this and jump into the ingredients that
make me want to dive into more. Yeah. I'm like,
I want to use them all. I love it. This was a
good one though. And I hope it gave us all some
clarity. And I think the important thing as professionals
to remember that we have the responsibility to
guide and like clear up some myths for our clients
too because there is so much information out
there and so much stuff on social media that
is not always yeah not always accurate yeah yeah
awesome okay great i love it hopefully you all
enjoyed listening to this episode and make sure
you subscribe for the next one thanks for listening
to beauty babble