The Many Benefits Of A Multitasking Retinol Sunscreen

You may have heard of retinol cream. You definitely must have heard of sunscreen. But we are willing to bet you have never heard of retinol sunscreen.

Retinol sunscreen is, to put it in a nutshell, your regular sun protection cream but with a magical anti-ageing component. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Yet it is a real thing. Retinol is a form of vitamin A used widely in cosmetic products. It's a useful, even miraculous form of skin care popular for its ability to treat acne and is even said to have revitalizing effects on your skin.

It's in our nature as humans to try to do everything in one go. Case in point, your weekly grocery runs. Making two trips to bring the groceries in from the car is avoided to the point of loading yourself so heavily with bags that you can barely make it to the door without dropping one. So naturally, we would love the idea of fulfilling multiple needs with just a single source. There's a reason why products that say two-in-one or three-in-one claim such popularity among the general public.

Retinol sunscreen is also technically one such "two-in-one" product. But convenience is not the only reason why you should consider making it part of your skincare routine.

If you are in the habit of using a night cream, chances are you're already well acquainted with retinol. Retinol should be a part of your beauty treatment for a few good reasons. It increases the production of skin cells and unclogs your pores. On top of that, it also increases the production of collagen, which can reduce the appearance of wrinkles on your face, giving you that anti-aging effect we were talking about.

But, there is a fly in the ointment. Retinol is also an exfoliant. That is, it scrubs away dead skin cells. And while that may sound like a good thing, it has the potential to be bad for you. Because this leaves the skin more exposed to the sun and more prone to UV damage.

Whitney Bowe, MD Dermatologist in New York City, revealed to Vogue "Retinol makes your skin more sensitive to UV rays and sunlight decreases the efficacy of the product." So using sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 is essential when you use retinol as skincare.

As we said, retinol exfoliates your skin, which increases its risk of getting UV damage. Being exposed to Ultra Violet rays without any form of sun protection can cause damage to DNA in skin cells creating cell mutations that can lead to skin cancer. So when your dead skin cells are removed by retinol, your skin is exposed even further and becomes even more vulnerable.

What sunscreen does is basically act as a barrier and help block UV rays from getting absorbed into your skin. Retinol is also sensitive to sun exposure and is known to break down when directly exposed to sunlight, affecting its ability to work its magic on your skin. So the significance of using daily sunscreen is maximized when you're a retinol user.

Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City advises "It's important to wear daily SPF to all exposed areas for everyone, and especially if you're using a retinoid or hydroxy acid," (via InStyle) But using retinol cream and then sunscreen to counter the effects of the retinol cream seems quite redundant, doesn't it?

An ingenious idea — sunscreen with retinol incorporated into it. So you'll be getting protection from UV rays all the while promoting clearer skin, and lesser wrinkles and fine lines with just one easy application. And since it's basically cutting your skincare routine in half, you can get it done in half the time it took you before. What more could you ask for?

And if all that wasn't enough since getting unprotected sun exposure is associated with skin wrinkling and fine lines, daily use will also help you avoid that thanks to the SPF.

It's also a contingency plan if you forget to lather on sunscreen after using retinol. Or when you just don't feel like putting on sunscreen after already going through the motions of putting on retinol cream and your other skin care routines. Not to mention all the other daily morning rituals that you absolutely have to get through.

More and more sunscreen products are using retinol these days. It's the ultimate hack for all your summers. Who doesn't want younger, brighter, and more vibrant skin? It will do wonders for your self-confidence. And you know they say — confidence makes anyone that much more attractive.

This is also another incentive to not forget your sunscreen. That is a big plus since we all know how important SPF is for your overall health. UV damage is no joke. You'll be much more inclined to use your sunscreen generously every day if it also makes you look like you age backward.

Ease is something we humans all crave every single day, and we love a good duo. Retinol and sunscreen are definitely a duo that is better together. It's a testament to why retinol sunscreen just works so well. So this is one "two-in-one" product that you definitely should have in your beauty-treatment arsenal.