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Micro-Dosing with Retinol

The secret to ascending the retinol curve.

Retinol can be scary in the world of skincare – especially in the summer. Not only is the ingredient available in many forms that behave in different ways, but it’s also known for causing irritation, flakiness and general discomfort when starting use. This doesn’t have to be the case, though. The mistake most people make when using retinol is bombarding their skin with higher concentrations, thinking that “bigger is better” when in-fact less is truly more when it comes to strategic retinol use. 

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Pearls

The “retinol curve” is a term in skincare circles that simply means the time it takes skin to stop reacting to retinol, at which point our skin enters a “maintenance” state where elasticity, natural oil production and collagen synthesis is optimized for your specific age and skin type. The secret to logically ascending the retinol curve is simply introducing your skin to retinol slowly. By doing so, you give skin a chance to reap the benefits of retinol use without eliciting irritation – which can be miraculous when you can’t hide for a few days after a retinol treatment.

The solution? Micro-dosing with retinol. Finding a product at 0.5% and building to 1% concentration can help skin approach the retinol curve and allow more realistic at-home retinol use. The A Method® offers a unique pair of retinol products – featuring micro-encapsulated "Pearls" of All-Trans Retinol suspended in an ultra-hydrating base – that offers a wonderful solution to slowly introducing skin to the benefits of nightly retinol use. Order a sample here or save 20% on full-size purchase with code DISH20.