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What are retinoids?
Retinoids are a family of ingredients that are chemically related to or derived from retinoic acid (pure vitamin A – a.k.a., tretinoin). Retinoids are considered the gold standard in anti-ageing skincare and help to target a whole host of concerns, including fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, dullness, congestion and breakouts.
All retinoids work in the same way, with the ultimate result of increasing skin cell turnover. This increased cell turnover is what helps to improve signs of ageing, radiance and breakouts on the skin.
Some of the most popular retinoids used in skincare formulations include retinol, retinal and retinol esters. These are all first-generation retinoids, as they all convert to retinoic acid once on the skin; the active ingredient that eventually increases skin cell turnover.
Different retinoids have different efficacy levels, which is determined by how many conversion steps it takes to get to the active ingredient. With each conversion step, the ingredient efficacy weakens. For example, retinal is around 11x more effective than retinol.
What makes Adapinoid® different to other retinoids?
Adapinoid® is known as a third-generation retinoid and works in a very similar way to traditional retinoids. However, once on the skin, it converts to adapalene instead of retinoic acid.
In this case, adapalene is then the active ingredient. Adapalene has a similar chemical structure to retinoid acid, meaning it can bind the same receptors in the skin and trigger the same response, increasing skin cell turnover.
Adapalene and retinoic acid are both extremely effective ingredients, and if these active ingredients are added directly to the formula, the product will only be available with a prescription in the UK/EU. For example, adapalene can be found in the popular acne treatment Differin.
Products with Adapinoid®
There are currently limited skincare products that contain Adapinoid®, since it’s a relatively new ingredient to the skincare market. On a product’s ingredient list, Adapinoid® will be listed by its chemical name, oleyl adapalenate.
Words by Ceyda Faik-Yildirim MSci – Team Skin Rocks
Qualifications – MSci Chemistry (Hons), VTCT Level 2 Facial Massage and Skincare, VTCT Level 3 Electrotherapy Methods and Anatomy & Physiology
All Think Science™ content published by Skin Rocks is researched, written and reviewed by qualified scientists.
