Skin Care
Traditional retinol has been a staple in skincare for years, commonly used in topical products to combat visible signs of aging. But for some people, its benefits come with unpleasant side effects. If you want to learn about conventional retinol but are hoping to avoid those downsides, you’re in the right place. Read on for a simple guide to retinol in skincare and how to add natural alternatives to your routine.
What Is Retinol?
Conventional retinol is a synthetic form of vitamin A, an antioxidant that’s important for healthy skin and eyes. Because the body can’t make this vitamin on its own, you need to get it from food or apply it to your skin. Retinol is used in skincare because it helps speed up cell turnover, boost collagen, fight free radicals, and reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
How Does Retinol Work?
To benefit from retinol, the body converts it into retinoic acid (also called tretinoin), the active form of vitamin A. Retinoic acid affects cells in ways that improve skin health and appearance. It:
Speeds Up Skin Cell Turnover
Healthy cell turnover is key for skin renewal and repair. As a child, your skin cells turn over about every two weeks. By your twenties, this slows to every 28–35 days, and by fifty, it can take 45–90 days for dead skin to shed. Slower turnover can make skin drier, thinner, and more pigmented. Conventional retinol helps surface cells renew faster, allowing fresher skin to emerge and dead layers to shed more efficiently.
Stimulates Collagen and Elastin Production
Collagen and elastin give skin its structure and bounce. Over time, these proteins decline, making skin look less full and smooth, and leading to sagging and wrinkles. Retinoic acid helps stimulate the production of new collagen and elastin and slows their breakdown, keeping skin firmer and more resilient.
Neutralizes Free Radicals
Around 90% of skin aging is caused by environmental factors like pollution, blue light, and UV rays. These stressors create free radicals—unstable molecules that damage skin cells and lead to premature aging. Conventional retinol’s antioxidant action helps neutralize free radicals, making skin more resilient against this damage.
Retinol Benefits & Side Effects
Conventional retinol can:
– Remove dead skin cells
– Clear congestion
– Tighten pores
– Smooth uneven texture
– Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
– Help skin look firmer and plumper
– Fade dark spots
But regular use can also cause:
– Dryness
– Peeling
– Redness
– Itching
– Irritation
– Increased sensitivity to the sun
Most dermatologists recommend avoiding conventional retinol if you have rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, other inflammatory conditions, very sensitive skin, or extremely dry skin.
A Retinol Alternative
You can get many of retinol’s benefits without the side effects by choosing a natural, plant-based option like bakuchiol. Bakuchiol comes from the leaves and seeds of the babchi plant and has been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for centuries. Only recently has it become popular in modern skincare.
Bakuchiol offers many of the same results as retinol but is gentler. It can reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles, improve firmness, refine texture, and even out skin tone without the harsh side effects.
Benefits Of Bakuchiol
Doesn’t Irritate
Retinoids often cause peeling, redness, and sensitivity. Bakuchiol is generally well tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive skin, and can be used both day and night. Unlike conventional retinol, it doesn’t increase sun sensitivity.
Smooths Fine Lines & Wrinkles
Clinical studies show bakuchiol can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. By encouraging cell turnover, it helps skin look smoother and more even by improving elasticity and firmness. Adding bakuchiol to your routine can help your skin look younger and refreshed.
Improves Firmness & Elasticity
As skin ages, it can lose firmness and elasticity from lower oil production, pollution, sun damage, and gravity. Studies indicate bakuchiol can improve firmness and elasticity by slowing collagen breakdown and boosting skin bounce, making skin appear firmer and plumper.
Evens Out Skin Tone
Uneven tone—like blotchiness, dark spots, or rough texture—can come from sun damage, melasma, or acne scars. Conventional retinol is often recommended for fading dark spots but can irritate. Bakuchiol can be a gentler alternative that promotes cell turnover without the same level of irritation.
Suitable For All Skin Types
Bakuchiol is usually well tolerated across skin types—oily, dry, sensitive, or combination. As with any new ingredient, start slowly to see how your skin reacts, but most people find it gentle and effective.
How To Add Natural Retinol To Your Skin Care Routine
If bakuchiol sounds appealing, our new Bakuchiol + Niacinamide Collection could be a great fit. These two products combine bakuchiol with niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3 that helps lock in moisture, minimize large pores, even out skin tone, soften fine lines, and brighten the skin.
The collection includes a moisturizer and an SPF fluid designed to hydrate, replenish, and protect while revealing a smoother complexion.
– Bakuchiol + Niacinamide Moisturizer: This gel-cream restores hydration and helps reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. It combines bakuchiol and niacinamide with panthenol to smooth and firm the skin while minimizing the appearance of pores and uneven texture without visible irritation.
– Radiant Protection SPF Fluid: An all-mineral SPF that protects skin from the sun while smoothing the look of fine lines and wrinkles. With a hydrating, dewy finish, this SPF 30 protects combination to dry skin and helps skin look more youthful.
Product Picks
Bakuchiol + Niacinamide Moisturizer
Lightweight gel-cream
$69.00
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Radiant Protection SPF Fluid
All-mineral sunscreen
$58.00
(65)
Natural Retinol Alternative
Another way to get retinol-like results without the side effects is our Natural Retinol Alternative, made from chicory root and tara tree extract. This blend mimics some effects of conventional retinol by helping skin look lifted and tightened. It can improve firmness and elasticity while reducing visible signs of aging.
One standout product with this ingredient is the Monoi Age Corrective Exfoliating Cleanser, which combines exotic monoi and finely ground olive seeds to refine and rejuvenate skin. It removes impurities and surface debris for a smoother-looking finish.
You can also try the Bamboo Firming Fluid, a silky concentrate with our Natural Retinol Alternative. It smooths the look of fine lines and tightens skin, while bamboo and coconut help tone and condition for a firmer, more youthful-looking complexion.
An Eminence Organics customer, Judy, writes in her five-star review: “I’m absolutely in love with this product. The formula is incredibly lightweight and absorbs quickly, leaving my skin feeling soft, supple and well-hydrated. I have noticed a significant improvement in the firmness and texture of my skin, especially around my eye area. Fine lines and wrinkles have become less noticeable, and my complexion looks brighter and more radiant.”
For best results, apply the Bamboo Firming Fluid after your toner and before your moisturizer. As with all Eminence products, a little goes a long way—a thin layer is enough to keep skin soft, smooth, and looking younger.
Do you use conventional retinol in your skincare routine? Would you consider switching to natural and organic alternatives? Visit your nearest Eminence Organics spa to find the products that suit your skin.
Product Picks
Monoi Age Corrective Exfoliating Cleanser
Multi-action exfoliating cleanser
$48.00
(182)
Bamboo Firming Fluid
Skin plumping concentrate
$69.00
(189)