When to use retinol (and when not to)
Retinol variations are available across different types of skincare products. While some stronger formulas are only available via prescription, you'll still find quite a few available from brands at your local drugstore. The most common types of retinol you'll encounter are:
Retinyl palmitate. This is the weakest of the retinoids, and it's what you'll find in a basic drugstore-brand anti-aging cream.
Retinol is the standard for OTC retinoid products and is a mid-level strength.
Retinaldehyde is also on the drugstore shelf, but it's more powerful than retinol.
Adapalene is the strongest retinol you can get without a prescription. It's only recently been made available OTC and is popular for treating acne.