🧴 Feeling confused by all the retinol talk? In this episode of Skin Talks, we demystify vitamin A, from its surprising origins in skin-cancer research to why your skin actually needs it every day.

💡 Hosts Beate and Natascha of Boutique Skin Envie sit down with Dr. Des Fernandes, pioneering plastic surgeon and founder of Environ Skin Care. Learn how vitamin A works at the cellular level, why sun exposure depletes your stores, how to choose true retinol products (and avoid the marketing hype), and exactly how to build a safe, effective routine, no more burning, peeling, or wasted dollars.

👇 Watch, subscribe & join the skincare conversation.

In this episode:

00:00:00 Podcast Introduction & Hosts  

00:01:44 Melanoma Case Sparks Prevention Focus  

00:03:23 1959 Vitamin A & Early Skin Cancer Paper  

00:05:07 First Harsh Retinoid Reaction  

00:10:05 Retinoid Forms & Skin Actions  

00:12:18 UV-Induced Vitamin A Deficiency  

00:17:28 Sunlight’s Cumulative Depletion  

00:19:02 Topical Vitamin A Restores Levels  

00:22:20 Daily Topical & Oral Recommendation  

00:23:20 Pregnancy & Vitamin A Dilemma  

00:29:08 Long-Term Users vs Non-Users  

00:36:47 IU vs Percentage Comparison  

00:38:10 Packaging & Manufacturing Tips  

00:44:50 Building Retinol Tolerance  

00:48:33 Retinol Benefits at Any Age  

00:50:59 Sun Sensitivity & Application Timing  

00:52:10 Start Low, Go Slow Frequency Guide  

00:54:50 Debunking Retinol Myths  

00:56:35 Signature Rapid-Fire Q&A  

01:00:09 Closing Remarks & Resources

Connect With Us  

Hosts:  

Beate → https://www.instagram.com/beatevonhuene/  

Natascha → https://www.instagram.com/nataschaschillinger/  

Our Website:  

🌐 https://bskinenvie.ca/  

Mentioned in This Episode  

Environ Skin Care → https://www.environskincare.com/ca/

Stay Connected  

New episodes every Wednesday  

📱 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/skintalkspod/