Many of us have considered retinoids a crucial part of our skincare routine for quite some time now. Dermatologists and beauty experts alike will tout its benefits thanks to its multitude of uses and benefits. But how does retinol fit in when we are living in a country with 365 days of sun , and should you stick with it or skip it?

First, What Are Retinoids?

As a derivative of vitamin A that is converted to retinoic acid to be used in skincare products. Retinoids are used for a whole host of other amazing tricks; from improving the skin's texture by promoting cell turnover to minimizing wrinkles by stimulating collagen under the skin. The only downside we can really find is that it can be harsh on the skin; most people using retinoids will have to build up a tolerance over time.

That said, it’s understandable why we might be reluctant to use retinoids here in the Maldives. The harshness of such products can seem like something to avoid when we’re out in the sun more frequently.

Should I worry about using retinol in the Maldives?

Retinol is well-known for irritating the skin when used in high doses. Most serums and retinoids come with various percentages of strengths on the label. They’re developed specifically so that we can start with a low percentage and work our way up over time.

When you first begin to use retinol in your routine, it may well cause irritation if the product you’ve begun is too strong. It means that it’s time to find something milder. That way, you can reap the benefits of retinoids, but at a lower percentage.

Retinoids can make your skin feel like it’s burning. This is because it’s how the product produces new skin cells and turns over the dead ones. You might see some redness while this is happening. And, of course, this can lead to worrying about exposure to the sun.

How Often Should You Use Retinoids in the Maldives?

Retinoids will make your skin a little more sensitive to the sun. But research shows there’s no evidence to back up claims of photo-allergies or photo-toxicities with retinol. Provided you’re also applying SPF (which you should be!), there’s no reason your risk of burning should be significantly different to if you weren’t using a retinoid. It’s worth keeping in mind that the retinoid itself is a little sun-sensitive, though.

Prolonged exposure to sunlight will deactivate the active ingredients in your products, which will make it considerably less effective. So, it’s no surprise that those in the know prefer to use retinol treatments at night, before bed. Doing this won’t prevent irritation from occurring, but it will help to ensure the effectiveness of your products.

No- nos ingredientif you are using retinol

Ok, so retinoids aren’t to be entirely avoided when we are in the sunny side of life. But there are some skincare ingredients that you should or must avoid, as they’ll lose efficacy in the sunlight.

Whether it’s an over-the-counter product or dermatologist/doctor prescribed medication, some products will make your skin sensitive and prone to burning. 

• Products that contain citrus ingredients and essential oils are all phototoxic. Which means those derived from lemons, oranges, grapefruits and even bergamot can cause problems. Each of these contains something called furocoumarins, which will burn your skin when exposed to sunlight. As such, it’s crucial to make sure you understand the ingredients in your products before you use them.

• There are also certain products used to treat hyperpigmentation that can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun; hydroquinone being a big one.
• In higher concentrations, it’s better to keep an eye on your AHA and BHA products too; these can make your skin vulnerable to UV rays. Much like the other ingredients we’ve mentioned, stick to using it at night. Or practice some sun avoidance and wear SPF to be certain your skin is safe.

In conclusion

It can be a challenging choice whether to go with retinoids or not specially we are living in a very hot climate with 365 days of sun. So keep in mind that the risk of sensitivity is a bit high specially if you are exposed to sun every day or you spend most of your day outside.

For anyone already acclimated to retinoids, and using them regularly, it’s worth considering using them only at night-time at a very low dose starting 2 times a week and increasing to every night over the time.

Also make sure to avoid other ingredients which can make your skin more sensitive including; Kojic acid, Glycolic acid, Salicylic acid, Azelaic acid…ect.

Sunscreen with a 30 SPF or plus is a must if you are using retinoids products. We would also recommend using ingredients like vitamin C to help protect your skin and fight free radicals and skin damage. Check out our Vitamin C brightening face serum.