Banish Every Skin Woe With This One Product

Well, actually, it’s the natural form of Vitamin A. And that Vitamin A is known to have brilliant benefits for the skin, from erasing signs of aging to fading skin discoloration to declogging pores. When applied topically, retinol instructs the skin cells to behave “normally,” boosting the natural functions of the skin. Basically, retinol encourages skin cell turnover, increasing the shedding of old skin cells to reveal a fresher, younger appearance.

“It is used to increase cell turnover to help smooth skin, retard collagen breakdown to reduce fine lines, and unclog pores,” says New York plastic surgeon Dr. Melissa Doft. “It tightens pores, improves skin tone by increasing elasticity, decreases fine lines by increasing skin thickness, lowers collagen breakdown, improves texture, and evens skin color by lightening brown spots.” (Wow!)