Vitamin A: It's role in cosmeceuticals for antiaging

Topical retinoids are among the most well-studied and widely used cosmeceutical ingredients. Topical retinoids have skin rejuvenating benefits and can soften fine lines and wrinkles, lighten mottled hyperpigmentation, improve skin roughness, sallowness, and overall appearance of photoaged skin. Retinoic acid or tretinoin remains favored among dermatologists because there are a plethora of well-designed clinical trials confirming its efficacy as a topical therapy for treating aging skin. In contrast, cosmeceutical retinoids are regulated as cosmetics and in general are not subjected to the same degree of scientific rigor as prescription retinoids. Despite this difference, there are studies confirming the antiaging benefits of cosmeceutical retinoids and studies comparing their efficacy and tolerability to tretinoin. This review will focus on over-the-counter retinoids including retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters, adapalene, and novel retinoid molecules. Studies on pharmacokinetics, mechanisms of action, clinical benefits, and tolerability will be reviewed.