Reduce Wrinkles on the Night Shift
Ever been cruising at 75 MPH on a highway late at night and suddenly found yourself stuck in a traffic jam? It’s a mystery until 20 minutes later your car crawls by a road construction crew, three lanes diverted to two. It’s so irritating you need to curb your road rage!
But it really comes down to this: that late night construction is sorta like your skin regimen.
Let me explain: The best time for road repair work is when there are the fewest drivers on the road, so it’s safer and less disruptive. Similarly, when you go to bed at night, the conditions are optimal for your skin to punch the clock and get to work repairing and recovering from the day’s stresses.
This isn’t just true of your skin, it’s true of your whole body. And at night you’re sweating less and not touching your face -- which keeps bacteria at bay -- nighttime is the best time to apply a topical retinoid.
What’s a retinoid? And how does it work? Good question, and one that I answer quite a bit in my clinical practice.
Here’s what you need to know:
WHAT IS IT?
Retinoids are a powerful class of skincare ingredients that battle acne, control oil and, most famously, reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and scars. They are, in fact, one of the only ingredients that have been clinically proven to achieve these results. You may have heard of some of the old school, prescription versions like Retin-A, but retinoid technology has come a long way since the 70’s and at Geologie we use the gold standard version: Retinol.
WHY YOU NEED IT
If you’re new to the night regimen, just repeat this mantra: the night regimen is the most important part of my skincare routine. Period. When applied to the skin, retinol speeds up the life cycle of skin cells, prompting them to turn over and renew.
This cellular acceleration clears the way for new cell growth and fresh collagen that strengthens the skin, diminishes fine lines and reduces wrinkles and scars. And by clearing out pores and preventing dead cells from clogging them, retinol radically reduces acne too.
HOW TO USE RETINOL
To your freshly-cleaned skin apply Geologie’s Repairing Night Cream to your chin, forehead and each cheek. Then rub the cream in, staying away from the corners of the nose, mouth, and eyes (and any open wounds). The cream should become invisible almost immediately. Then: sleep (preferably on a clean pillowcase).
SLOW DOWN: MEN WORKING
Retinol is a powerful ingredient that works fast. So you need to slow down when you use it. The cellular regeneration process begins very quickly and at the outset this can result in some irritation, redness or flaking. This is totally normal.
When you begin, apply the Repairing Night Cream every OTHER night to see how your skin adjusts, and then graduate to every night after a week if you’re not experiencing any redness and irritation. If you are, just keep going every other night or even every THIRD night. There is no rush to acclimate and the benefits are worth it.
If you do encounter irritation just let us know! We’ve coached thousands of guys over the retinol hump and to the promised land. That’s what we do, so if you have any questions or need any help, we’re here for you.
THE RESULTS
I see my patients develop noticeable results within weeks and sometimes even days. Once you’ve established your routine, make sure you stick with it. The application of retinol is the clearest path to refreshed, rejuvenated skin, and with each use you’re building on the effects over time.
Questions about your night regimen? Looking to find a skincare regimen that’s personalized just for you? We’re here for you -- and the next time you hit a late-night traffic jam, go Zen, get beyond your road rage and think of the sweet age-defying benefits of retinol instead.
