Learn what sets No7’s new retinol products apart from other brands.
For most of my adult life, I’ve loved skin care. Professionally, I spent years trying out products on a weekly basis, and personally, I learned to find moments of peace in my nightly and morning skin-care routines. Still, there’s one skin-care product that’s always left me intimidated, no matter how hard I tried to find a version of it that worked for my complexion: retinol.
At first glance, there’s nothing too complicated about retinol. Technically speaking, retinol is one of several types of retinoids, which are vitamin A derivatives. Practically speaking, retinol works to increase cell turnover and collagen production, smoothing, brightening, and plumping skin — and it really works. In fact, unlike many less-studied ingredients, retinol is one of the most efficacious and proven skin-care ingredients on the market. That’s why, if you’re at all interested in skin care (and maybe even if you’re not!), you’ve probably heard of it. Maybe you’ve even seen a meme about how to know when it’s time for retinol.
At 28, I’ve known retinol is incredibly effective (and probably something I should be using every day) for many years now, but I’ve still hesitated to add it to my regular, everyday routine. Because there’s one other well-known quality of some retinol products: It can be harsh.
Through my own trial and error, I found the more intense retinol creams and serums often left my skin red and dry, while the milder versions didn’t provide visible progress. Naturally, all this means I’ve spent years wishing there were effective, accessible retinol products that were gentle enough to use every day and powerful enough to provide results.
And then I learned about No7’s retinol collection.
No7’s products are known for their accessibility and premium quality, so perhaps it’s no surprise that the brand’s retinol offerings are both attainable and effective — just what I had been looking for. Still, I have to admit that I hesitated before using the brand’s Advanced Retinol 1.5% Complex Night Concentrate. But here’s where No7 retinol products are different: The retinol is powered by slow-release oil encapsulation technology to control the delivery of such a concentrated ingredient to the skin. In other words, you get more retinol with less chance of irritation. Even better, No7 uses pure retinol, which is proven to be more effective than commonly used retinol derivatives.
With the wildly popular results of the brand’s Night Concentrate (83% of women surveyed saw a reduced appearance of wrinkles, according to the brand), No7 is now expanding its line of retinol products with Pure Retinol Night Cream and Pure Retinol Eye Cream. If the idea of putting retinol around your eyes gives you pause, you wouldn’t be alone. A common misconception about the ingredient is that it’s not meant to be used around the eye, but as New York City-based dermatologist Dendy Engelman tells Allure, using a retinol (and specifically, a retinol eye cream) in the area above and under your eyes can actually be one of the best things you can do for your skin as you age. “The skin around the eyes is thinner than the rest of the face, and is one of the first to show signs of aging,” Engelman says. “Applying retinol (carefully) to this area will help prevent fine lines, wrinkles, and sunkenness from setting in.”
Oftentimes, when trying to find a retinol that works for me, I’d struggle to know what retinol product was best. Was it an eye cream? A powerful serum? A night cream I knew I’d use consistently? No7’s retinol regimen offers all three options, all created with a gentler, less irritating retinol that’s been informed by 15 years of research. Personally, I found the easiest way to incorporate the products into my routine was to use a few drops of the Night Concentrate each evening before bed, making sure to put the product on the areas of skin I wanted to brighten and smooth the most. To be extra cautious, I started applying it a few times a week and progressed to using it every night. The lightweight, non-sticky feeling of the serum made it easy to layer with the Night Cream. When combined, the effects of the retinol are amplified, producing powerful results. But for nights when I want to keep my routine simple, the Night Cream offers all the brightening, smoothing benefits of retinol paired with the intense, long-lasting hydration of a luxury moisturizer.
Whether you want to use all three products or pick and choose the option that works best for you, the great thing about retinol is that a little goes a long way. If using the products each and every day intimidates you, that doesn’t mean you still can’t achieve results. You can start by using only “a pea-sized amount three times a week” and you’ll still see a difference, explains New York-Based dermatologist Kenneth Mark. One thing to remember, though: Be sure to use at least an SPF 30 sunscreen when using retinol products, as retinol can make skin more sensitive, as Miami-based dermatologist Jill S. Waibel notes.
Like most skin-care products, though, arguably the most important key with retinol efficacy is to use it consistently.With an accessible price point paired with high-quality ingredients, the No7 products make it easy to incorporate effective, gentler retinol into your skin-care routine as often as you need to, for as long as you want to.
As Waibel explains, positive results from retinol use can appear in as little as 30 days, depending on the patient’s age. For the most dramatic results, though, Wabel emphasizes what other dermatologists have said: “The longer patients use retinol, the better.” This is why finding retinol products that work for your lifestyle, budget, and skin type is just so important. No7’s retinol collection are the first products that make adding retinol to my daily skin-care regimen seem like an attainable, consistent change that feels good and provides results — and that’s worth more than anything.