What Is Encapsulated Retinol?

With tons of skincare products and formulations out there, it’s hard to keep track of everything! One good ingredient we always watch out for is retinol. 

Retinol is an ingredient that increases the rate of cellular turnover of the cells plus it also helps boost the production of collagen. The result is having smoother, younger-looking skin. 

But you may have come across multiple versions of it, like encapsulated retinol.

What is encapsulated retinol? How does it differ from retinol and should you use it? These are only some of the questions that we will answer for you below.

But retinol could also cause some side effects like skin dryness, redness, and irritation. In order to help lessen that risk, encapsulated retinol is produced. 

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Retinol 101

Before we focus on encapsulated retinol, let’s first discuss what retinol is. Retinol is a form of vitamin A that can also be known as vitamin A1. 

Ther are many other products and variations associated with retinol, including Tretinoin, Retin-A, Retinoids, etc. Perhaps Mary Lou Retton will release a new line of products!

When it comes to skincare, retinol is so popular because it is a powerful ingredient that is capable of transforming your skin, targeting acne and wrinkles. Due to its potency and effectiveness, it also has a reputation for being strong!

Sometimes, even people that don’t have sensitive skin may develop side effects, like irritation (known as the “retinol uglies“, while using it. That’s also the reason why most suggest you don’t simply use retinol every day, especially if it is your first time.

The best approach would be to build up your tolerance to it.

Additionally, retinol may not be compatible with other products in your skincare regime. That is why you have to carefully choose the skincare products you use with it. 

Retinol penetrates the skin and is converted to retinoic acid, which is the active form that speeds up cellular turnover. It also speeds the production and prevention of the breakdown of collagen. 

This makes the skin more elastic, youthful, smooth, and bright.

It also helps deal with some of the fine lines and wrinkles that you might have.

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What Is Encapsulated Retinol?

Although retinol is quite an effective solution for some skin issues, it is also notorious for being so strong that it could cause irritation on the skin. 

To remedy that, encapsulated retinol was formulated. Just like retinol, it has similar positive effects on the skin in increasing the rate of cellular turnover and increasing the collagen levels in the skin.

However, there is still a difference when it comes to how it is delivered to the skin. Retinol is readily available to the skin and could be changed immediately to retinoic acid as long as the skin enzymes needed are present. 

After changing to the active form, it travels down to the lower layers of the skin where it works it magic. As retinol is applied to the surface, it could cause irritation on the surface of the skin. 

And as the retinoic acid travels, it may lose some level of potency before it reaches the targeted deeper area.

As for the encapsulated retinol, there would be a delay because it is protected by a carrier system. Encapsulated retinol is still retinol and still needs to be changed to retinoic acid to be in its active form. 

The difference is the encapsulation that helps prevent the skin surface from being irritated. Additionally, the retinol remains more stable and potent for longer because it is “protected”. 

With encapsulated retinol, it first penetrates into the skin before the retinol inside the capsule is released gradually. That is then converted into retinoic acid and does its job to help with skin exfoliation from within. 

An example of encapsulated retinol is Biobare 0.5% Encapsulated Retinol Cream .

The capsule that envelops retinol is made from a fatty acid molecule, which naturally dissolves over time. This gives time for the encapsulated retinol to first reach deeper layers before it is released. 

The capsule that envelops retinol is made from a fatty acid molecule, which naturally dissolves over time. 

The good thing about having encapsulated retinol is that it prevents irritating the skin and causing flakiness or dryness. Furthermore, it helps preserve the retinol by protecting it from oxygen and light.

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Why Should You Use Encapsulated Retinol?

If you want to reduce signs of aging, a very effective skincare ingredient to look for is retinol. It doesn’t only work on wrinkles, it also helps brighten dark spots, even out the skin tone, smoothen out textured skin, and helps with acne marks. 

Encapsulated retinol is no different when it comes to the results. It can also do those same things but could be better for some people. 

First of all, due to the encapsulation, it has a lesser risk of irritating the skin. This makes it a great alternative for those who want to use retinol but is afraid of its possible adverse effects. 

Encapsulated retinol is great for those who have sensitive skin or those who are just starting to add retinol to their skincare routine. It can actually be used by anyone who wants to use retinol and reap its benefits. 

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How To Use Encapsulated Retinol In Your Skincare Routine

Even if encapsulated retinol could produce milder side effects, you should still not haphazardly include it in your skincare routine. Remember that there are still ingredients that you shouldn’t mix with retinol even if it is already in the encapsulated form. 

When adding skincare products with encapsulated retinol to your skincare routine, it is best to use them as part of your nighttime routine. You can use it once a day and still see visible results. 

Don’t do it every night. You can start by using a pea-sized amount every few nights so that you can build up to it and see if your skin can tolerate it. 

Remember to always use sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher if you are using retinol. That’s because your skin could be more sensitive to the UV rays due to the effects of the retinol.

Remember to always use sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher if you are using retinol.

Also, any retinol product shouldn’t be used by people who are pregnant or those who are having laser light procedures.

See also:

• When to Start Using Retinol: Explained
• Should You Use Retinol Before or After Moisturizer?
• Hyaluronic Acid Before Or After Retinol?