Skin Like Fresh Chicken Cutlets (In a Totally Good Way)! AKA: FutureDerm Time Release Retinol 0.5

I read a quote on Facebook from Leslie Blodgett of Bare Escentuals last night, and it was like a sign that it was time to write this post. She said "when you wake up in the morning your skin should feel plump and hydrated. If not, you aren't getting the most out of your skincare and your skin isn't recovering from the drain and bad influences of your day." Now of course she was recommending a new serum or something rather from her company, but I know that I don't need it, because I have this...

I will preface this by disclosing that prior to using FutureDerm's Time Release Retinol 0.5, I had never used any kind of retinol product before, so I don't have a point of comparison. But I do know that I have never used a product that has made such a huge difference in the texture of my skin in such a short amount of time. Most often used as an anti aging treatment, when offered the opportunity to sample the product (by the lovely creator of FutureDerm Inc., Nicki Zevola), I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical. Not because I doubted the effectiveness of the cream, but because I don't actually have any signs of aging, so I didn't know that I could actually attest to it's effectiveness. Then I read an article on retinols that indicated that they can also be helpful in treating acne, and since I was in the midst of a full on skin revolt (darn temperamental hormones), I decided it was time to go ahead and give it a shot and see what it could do.

I sort of broke the cardinal rule of beauty blogging and starting using this before I took pictures. So this is my well loved bottle of the retinol...

I was immediately impressed. Within a week of regular nightly use, I noticed a visible difference in the texture of my skin-it was just as Leslie Blodgett described how skin should feel in the morning, plump and hydrated. And I noticed that it reduced the swelling and redness of active breakouts as well as halt erupting ones (you know those painful breakouts that you can feel coming, right underneath the surface of your skin?) in their paths. I was sold! But that should come as no surprise, as there is real science and research behind this wonder cream.

From the FutureDerm website:

Retinol 0.5% is clinically proven by research studies to reduce fine lines and wrinkles by 30% within the first two weeks of use. 

Retinol 0.5% helps:

Fight fine lines and wrinkles
Smooth mottled or rough skin
Aid mild to moderate acne
Alleviate the appearance of age spots
Maintain and build skin firmness

Retinol works largely by increasing cellular turnover and downgrading matrix metalloproteinases (enzymes that degrade collagen). 

How Our Retinol 0.5 is DifferentA concentrated retinol formula, FutureDerm Time-Release Retinol 0.5 contains 0.5% microencapsulated retinol in a lightweight gel formula that is perfect for use together with your other favorite moisturizers. Most retinoid creams are thicker, taking up to 30 minutes to absorb into the skin. Ours feels like it absorbs in under a second, so you don't have to wait before applying other moisturizers. 

Our formula is designed to optimize the retinol activation process within the skin. Retinol must be converted to isotretinoin by enzymes called retinyl ester hydrolases in order to become active within the skin. Our formulation is designed to increase the efficiency of this process with an optimized delivery system and conditions.

Our retinol is also microencapsulated, targeting retinoid receptors in the skin for a full eight hours. This makes FutureDerm Time-Release Retinol 0.5 ideal for nighttime use.

I'm not even going to pretend that I understand the scientific gobbledigouck, but what I do understand is that my skin looks and feels better, and that's all the proof that I need. FutureDerm's Time-Release Retinol 0.5 retails for $54.95 and is available on the FutureDerm website. Until next time...