Retinol is scientifically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation and is commonly referred to as the “gold standard” in skin care.
GQ magazine says the ingredient boasts “almost magical properties” and has built a reputation as one of the industry’s “most effective ingredients.”
According to The Independent, retinol has long been a “beauty buzzword,” but its status as skincare’s holy grail is under threat as new EU laws limit the concentrations of retinol allowed in over-the-counter products.
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What is Retinol?
Retinol entered the anti-aging business in the 1970s, and it “wasn’t a passing fad,” says GQ: It’s “here to stay” because, “unlike the inexact science that many ‘anti-aging’ products claim, it actually works.”
A fat-soluble derivative of Vitamin A, the product “improves skin texture, collagen production and cell turnover, reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, enlarged pores and hyperpigmentation,” reports The Independent, and is recommended by “countless brands, beauty geeks and influencers” as their “secret to beautiful skin.”
But its effectiveness comes at a cost: first-time users may experience irritation (known as “retinol purge”), including redness, dryness, and peeling, and more serious but rare side effects include breakouts of acne, worsening eczema, skin discoloration, and swelling.
Why limit retinol concentrations?
New EU legislation limits the amount of pure retinol in over-the-counter facial skin care products to 0.3%. Body lotions are allowed to contain a maximum of 0.05%.
The law was backed by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, a group of experts in the toxicology and safety of non-food consumer products, and goes into effect at the end of 2023. However, the rule doesn’t go into effect immediately: Brands have three years to refine the formulations of their existing retinol products.
WH says the change doesn’t mean the previous allowances were “in any way harmful” — rather, the goal is to “minimize people’s overall exposure and reduce the risk of sensitivity that can result from using concentrations higher than the skin can tolerate.”
This is to “protect consumers from the theoretical risks of consuming too much vitamin A,” skin care expert Dr Sam Bunting told Stylist, “because too much vitamin A can cause health problems including liver damage, and in pregnant women, very high concentrations can harm the unborn baby.”
That’s because vitamin A is fat-soluble, rather than water-soluble like many other vitamins, so “it can’t be excreted from the body in the same way as vitamins B and C, which puts you at risk for overdosing,” says Elle.
The “vast majority” of vitamin A comes from the diet, dermatologist and surgeon Dr Magnus Lynch told Glamour.
But cosmetics “increase consumers’ overall vitamin A intake,” the committee said, which could be a concern for those who get the most vitamin A from food and supplements (5 percent of the population).
What has been the reaction to the new rules?
“I believe this change in the law is, overall, a good thing,” said Chloe Burcham, beauty editor at Women’s Health magazine.
While retinol is “a great ingredient for some skin types,” it’s “not for everyone,” especially children and teens, who have become a fast-growing segment of the skin care market in recent years.
“The change in the law will probably affect people’s current skin care products because many have increased the concentration of retinol they use from 5% to 1%,” Ahmed El Muntassar, a general practitioner and cosmetic physician, told the magazine. “However, this is probably a good thing, as young people and teenagers are using retinol when they don’t need it.”
The ban doesn’t actually affect the amount of tretinoin allowed in prescription medication, so people who need “higher doses of vitamin A,” which is often prescribed to treat acne, will still be able to get it from their doctor, Stylist said.
“The good news is that you’re likely to see notable benefits from 0.3% retinol, both in terms of collagen production and in helping to unclog pores and prevent acne,” Bunting said.
And the fact that brands have been given three years to change their formulas is “reassuring,” she told the magazine: “If there was a real danger, we would need to act more quickly.”
