Olay Retinol24 review
Hi there!
As promised, I’m writing all about my experience with Olay Regenerist Retinol24 products! I’ve been using the night cream and eye cream from the Retinol24 range since the beginning of the year and I’ve now given it enough time (about 6 weeks) to work (or not) and here’s my honest review. Before I begin, some things you should know: I’m in my (very) late 30s and I have normal-dry skin. This post is not sponsored in any way and I’ve purchased these products myself as part of the Buy 2 for £40 deal at Boots! Separately, the products retail at £34.99 each, so it was a good deal!
Now, I’m going to give you some useful, practical tips to get the most out of these products. I hope you will find them really helpful if you’re using, or thinking of using these products.
If you’re using retinol for the first time, it’s a good idea to do a patch test. Retinol is known to cause some irritation and in some cases, peeling of the skin. That said, if it doesn’t cause any irritation, it does NOT mean that it’s not working. That’s just the the nature of the ingredient and your skin type. So don’t worry either way. But do stop using it and consult an expert if there’s too much irritation (you’ll know) - that’s not normal, and you may need to switch to a different type of retinol.
Before you start using the Olay Retinol24 products, do take advantage of the FREE live skin consultation service that Olay offers (virtual consultation). I didn’t know about this service until after 2 1/2 weeks of using these products. But when I spoke to an Olay beauty consultant, I definitely had a better understanding of the ingredients and some dos and don’ts!
The Olay Retinol24 products contain a Retinol ester - *retinyl propionate, and (without getting into too much chemistry), it is supposed to be more stable; and causes less irritation. So if you’re just starting off on your retinol journey, the Olay Retinol24 products could be a good place to start. [for more details and chemistry, see *source below]
Avoid using any acids - like AHAs, BHAs, salicylic acid, lactic acid in your skincare routine when you’re using retinol products. A lot of the time, it’s not the retinol, but what you use along with the retinol, that causes problems.
Avoid layering multiple retinol products - for e.g, avoid using the retinol serum, and the retinol cream at the same time - you need just one of the two at a time.
Less is more - use sparingly, because more product will not give you more benefit.
Because of the drying nature of retinol, use hydrating products - like hydrating cleanser, hydrating toner (if using), and if needed, add a layer of a rich moisturiser on top of the retinol cream - this is especially important in winter, when the skin is drier than usual. Personally, I found that the Olay Retinol24 cream was not hydrating enough for me, so I used my trusty Cetaphil moisturiser over it. This combination worked wonderfully for me.
Don’t forget to use sunscreen in the morning, when you’ve used a retinol cream at night. The skin is more sensitive than usual, and the UV rays will cause more damage. I did feel that my skin was more sensitive and stretchy than usual while using these products.
In my experience, my skin got worse before it got better while using these products, so expect a bit of redness/irritation when you’re just staring off. The skin is not used to the ingredients and it’s a matter of finding a balance and sticking to the routine in this adjustment period. I had no idea but the redness/peeling is called the ‘retinol uglies’!
Start slow, and use retinol on alternate nights to begin with (or twice a week depending on how sensitive your skin is). Slowly introducing the ingredient will give your skin a chance to get used to the product. I started off using the Olay products daily (out of sheer excitement), and soon enough, switched to alternate days (after I got loads of ‘uglies’ :D). But after 3 weeks, I was using the Retinol cream about 4 times a week. So find what works for you.
Give your skin some time to absorb the product fully, before layering on additional products. This is true not just for retinol products, but skincare in general. I literally apply a product, then go on to do some other work, and come back for the next layer (and so on) and this long winded approach somehow works for me!
*Source: The Skincare Edit - Retinoid Vs Retinol , The Truth about Retinol
Now for some before/after pics! Brace yourselves - I was in two minds about posting my actual close up pics because I have all sorts of insecurities, but I think you’ll notice a difference! :)
Before: My skin feels dull and not as soft and smooth as it used to be. Definitely ageing (very quickly, sigh)
Day 10 - Skin is a bit irritated, peeling in places - definitely worse than before! I’m basically thinking that I’ve made my first big mistake of 2021 :D:D, but something tells me to keep at it. So I switch to using the retinol products on alternate nights, and also add an additional moisturiser over the Olay Retinol24 cream. I cross my fingers and toes and hope for the best!
Day 22: Finally got past the ‘uglies’ (phew!), and at this point my skin feels soft and dare I say, there’s a little glow I see for the first time in many days!
Day 31: I’m beginning to notice a difference in my skin texture - it is much smoother, and the under eye area especially is brighter. I’m feeling more confident about my skin!
Day 35: I don’t know if you can notice but my skin is looking fresh and healthy. It’s still smooth and although you can see my monthly breakouts, it’s not as bad as it gets every month, so overall I’m happy with this situation.
Day 41: These selfies are from yesterday 10th Feb and I’m really pleasantly surprised and very pleased with the results so far. For an OTC retinol product, I think it’s really effective. The only other retinol product I’ve tried is the La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum which is also really good, but I have to say I’ve seen more improvement in skin texture after using the Olay Retinol24 products, just in 6 weeks! So it’s a big thumbs up from me!
Thank you for reading, and I hope you found this post helpful! I would love to hear from you, and answer any questions! Generally speaking, retinol products show a significant improvement after 3-4 months of regular use, so I’m going to keep using these products. But I must say that these Olay Retinol24 products are showing real signs of being really effective! What do you think? Please leave a comment below! Thanks! xx
