In skincare, retinol is the closest thing to actual magic. The powerful ingredient (also known as vitamin A) is used to treat a long list of common skincare issues, such as fine lines, wrinkles, acne, dullness, and large pores.
Retinoids are basically an umbrella term for derivatives of vitamin A. "Retinoids work by increasing collagen production as well as increasing the rate of skin cell turnover. They are highly effective at improving the texture of the skin and giving it a glow, minimizing fine lines and wrinkles, evening out skin tone, and even decreasing pore size," says Dr. Marchbein
What I now know about skin rejuvenation, I learned by reading Loren Pickart's GHKcu copper peptide book. Vtamin A's main role in "increasing the rte of skin cell turnover" is getting rid of the old cells and debris, so stem cells can make pretty brand new cells. Vitamin A exercises a similar role in bones, helping with the removal of old bone cells, before vitamin D and other "bone builders" can do their magic making more young cells, thus making our bones strong.
Pickart's knowledge and research tells us that you want to use vitamin A away from the GHKcu peptides that stimulate skin stem cells. You are always going to look a little worse before you look much better.