Picture this, scrolling through your Instagram feed, you are bombarded with images of celebrities and influencers who seem to have discovered the elixir of youth. Their flawless, youthful skin defies reality, almost. The term "aging gracefully" pops into your mind as you admire these individuals who appear unravaged by time.

Yet, over the years, I've come to realize that this perception of aging gracefully is, more often than not, a glorified mirage. Yes, it's a hard pill to swallow, but that's the truth.

When I first heard of retinol, I was struggling with major bouts of adult acne that wrinkles and pre-mature signs of aging were the farthest thing from my mind. Even as I was pushing 30, I was fixated on my hormonal imbalance and how I can make my skin smooth and problem-free again. What got me to finally take the plunge and try out this ingredient was an article I found online that said it can also help me when it comes to my breakouts.