Good Timing for Retinol+ Ramp-Up

By Dr. Marnie Nussbaum, Board-certified Dermatologist

Retinization is the process where the new-to-retinoids skin builds up tolerance, over 4-12 weeks. You have to gradually work up to stronger concentrations over time. So when I begin a patient on any retinoid, I start them on a milder concentration to gauge their tolerance, and build it up from there.

You also need to take time off; in the beginning you can’t use retinol every night. Instead, you should focus on retinol treatment one night, and using a calming moisturizer on the alternate night.

OPULUS Beauty Labs has simplified this and done all the work for you.

They designed the Retinol+ Collection and Ramp-Up Regimens to gradually increase the concentration of retinol as your skin’s tolerance builds. This gradual increase process is called titration. Each Regimen consists of 28 Opoule™ Treatments that are clearly laid out for 4 weeks of nighttime treatment.

What makes it really easy is that these regimens also sequence in a calming and comforting RHR Overnight Mask for the ‘nights off’ with ingredients such as allantoin, hyaluronic acid, peptides to restore the skin barrier, hydrate and renew.

You use one Opoule Treatment each night. It’s that simple.

There are three treatment Regimens. Regimen 1 includes a concentration of .025% retinol. Regimen 2 is .05% retinol and Regimen 3 is .1% retinol. If you’re new to retinol start with Regimen 1. If you’re pre-conditioned, start with Regimen 2, and ramp-up from there.

Another benefit comes from the Activator. When the Opoule Treatment is placed in the Activator, it’s thermally blended for an enhanced absorption. The Opulus™ Activator is also novel, because it freshly blends and delivers enough for complete application including face, neck and decolletage—areas often exposed to environment damage.

It’s very common after a few weeks for my patients on retinol to feel frustrated because they’re not seeing any results. I tell them, “Don’t lose your patience! Just because you can’t see anything just yet doesn’t mean it’s not working under the skin. Trust me, it is working. Keep going and stay consistent.”

I always say that Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is collagen. It took X number of years for the skin to accumulate what damage it has, so it follows that even the best regimen in the world is not going to able to rejuvenate it overnight. But if you stick with your retinol program, it will happen.

Everybody’s skin is different so it’s impossible to give a blanket statement as to when improvements will manifest. But most of my patients on retinol begin to notice results from 8 to 12 weeks with progressive improvement after that. If they keep with it, after 6 months thei skin quality improvement is remarkable–smoother texture, more even pigment and increased elasticity.

Though retinol is remarkable for all kinds of skin conditions, the time you should NOT use it is if you are pregnant or nursing. Once your baby is weaned, you can return to your OPULUS Retinol Regimen although, depending how long you took a break, you may need to start with Regimen 1 and gradually ramp up again. Soon enough, your skin will spring back in evenness, smoothness and firmness.

I’ve seen it again and again that with a consistent retinol program there will come a day when you and everyone else will really see the difference. It’s just a matter of sticking with it.