The Sunday Times - UK (2021-11-28)

There are some strange phobias out there. There are the well-

known ones — the ones that involve spiders, heights, small spaces

— but are you ready for mine? It’s to do with my phone: I have an

irrational fear of it ringing. If I get a call from my mum or sister at

an odd time of day I quickly spiral to worst-case scenario. I was once

sitting in an 11am meeting at work when I saw I had missed a call

from my mum. The fear set in and the clammy hands and woozy

head followed shortly afterwards. I excused myself and called her

back — “Sorry, darling, bumbag dial. Am on my walk with Ingrid.”

There is maybe one weirder phobia, which I only heard about recently, and it’s called retino-

phobia. Yes, it’s the fear of retinol. It all stems from the fact that there is so much hype around the

skincare ingredient. The industry is forever shouting from the rooftops that it’s the holy grail when

it comes to visibly improving the appearance of wrinkles and boosting collagen production,

speeding up cell turnover and managing pigmentation. Top doctors call it the Superman of skin-

care, so everyone wants in. But — there was always going to be a but, wasn’t there — the potential

side effects freak people out. “My face peeled.” “The redness! The dryness!” As a result of the horror

stories a sizeable group of retinophobes has formed: “My skin is sensitive.” “It doesn’t agree with

me.” “I am too scared of the irritation.”

Things are changing now as brands are catering to the retinophobes with hard-working yet

gentle — very, very gentle — formulas. Let’s start with Kiehl’s Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-

Dose Serum ( 1 £62), which minimises the uncomfortable side effects by using an approach similar

to micro-dosing. (Anyone who has just watched Nine Perfect Strangers, I promise you I’m not Masha

in disguise.) The idea is that the low and precise dosage is released slowly and works steadily

instead of in one aggressive hit. What’s more, the nourishing ingredients play a key role —

according to the consultant dermatologist Dr Justine Hextall: “The formula contains a peptide and

ceramides, which help soothe and strengthen the skin barrier while delivering an effective retinol.”

Next is StriVectin Advanced Retinol Nightly Renewal Moisturizer ( 2 £92). This one is inter-

esting because it breaks the usual rule about using a retinol product sparingly to begin with. Most

brands tell you to start using them once a week to see how your skin tolerates them. StriVectin says

this cream is gentle enough to apply nightly from the start. But how likely are we going to be able

to see any results if that’s the case? Very likely, it seems. Similar to the Kiehl’s innovation, this

uses something called an “optimised surface release system”, which essentially means the retinol

is released gradually into the skin. The brand also reports that, in trials, none of the participants

experienced irritation.

Next is Olay’s 12-years-in-the-making Regenerist Retinol24 Max Night Cream ( 3 £40), which

contains its highest-strength retinoid blend yet, but the big difference is that it has also been super-

charged with hydrating ingredients such as glycerin and niacinamide, which is great for retino-

phobes worried about dryness and irritation.

And finally, Dr Dennis Gross Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum ( 4 £74).

I asked Hextall what she thought about ferulic acid: “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will work well

with a retinoid, especially for those wanting to treat unwanted pigmentation and fine lines.”

Two pieces of advice from me: don’t panic and start too young. I’ve heard about teens incorporating

retinol into their routine for prevention. “You want to use it to treat signs of photo damage, so,

depending on your history of UV exposure, you’re looking at mid-thirties,” Hextall says. If it’s preven-

tion you want, then an SPF is your biggest complexion bodyguard. And, second, don’t be fooled by

anything that says “like retinol”, “similar to retinol”, “retinol alternative” on the packaging. It is not

retinol and does not have the same research and clinical-trial back-up to be anything close to retinol.

Cat Garcia It doesn’t mean it’s not good, but it’s imperative to know that it’s not retinol. ■ @sarahjossel

Sarah Jossel

Readers, please don’t be afraid of retinol —

it really is a wonder ingredient

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The Sunday Times Style • 47