As a longtime skincare junkie I find that many of retinol-based creams and serums that are available over the counter are rarely very effective. All you have to do is look at the ingredient list- if the “active” ingredient is listed somewhere on the lower half (ingredients are listed in proportional order and highest quantities are always at the top of the list) then it’ll have minimal to no effect on your skin. I am a huge fan of ARCONA skincare products and my latest find; their “Vitamin A Complex” is my new favorite nighttime treatment and one OTC retinol serum that I trust in.
ARCONA’s Vitamin A Complex is an anti-aging repair treatment that contains two retinoids. Even though I don’t have any wrinkles or age spots that I need to treat, I find that anti-aging products really help out with diminishing acne spots and smoothing out my skin’s texture. This Vitamin A complex resurfaces the skin (with retinol), reduces hyperpigmentation (with glycolic acid), makes the skin firmer and increases its elasticity (by increasing collagen and elastin production).
As soon as I apply few pumps of the Vitamin A Complex onto my skin, I can tell my skin loves it. The formula is very clean and lightweight, it absorbs fairly quick and leaves my skin looking much brighter. I also love the fact that it has a pump-the application doesn’t get messy, as the formula is very thin and water-like. I use this treatment about 3-4 times a week (I alternate between this serum and my acne.org BP gel) following with a moisturizer. Arcona’s Vitamin A Complex is a great product that battles dull and rough skin; I noticed that the longer I use it, the better my skin is starting to look. All of ARCONA’s products that I’ve used so far lived up to their promises. One thing that I also have to mention is that all of their skincare products (at least ones that I’ve used) are fragrance-free, so they do not contain any irritating dyes or perfume- and that’s a huge plus in my book.