Whenever someone compliments my skin , I tend to give the same reply, Thank you, it’s a lot of work. Not because I’m addicted to cosmetic procedures (not yet, at least—I have started researching surgeons for the inevitable facelift) but because good skin really does take time, effort, and a routine that works. When it comes to products for skin-care beginners , you should always start with two essentials: sunscreen (no surprises there) and the elusive, famously tricky-to-master retinol.

Retinol is one of those skin-care ingredients that’s both legendary and a little intimidating. It’s a derivative of vitamin A, part of the broader family known as retinoids, a group that includes everything from over-the-counter retinol serums to prescription-strength tretinoin.

What it does,

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