Retinol is part of a group of vitamin-A-derived chemical compounds called retinoids. Retinoids boost the production of collagen , a protein that can improve the look of wrinkles.

Retinol also stimulates the production of collagen (a key protein that creates a scaffolding that keeps skin firm and elastic) and fibroblasts (cells that produce collagen and support skin structure).

Authors of the paper "CryoEM structure and small-angle X-ray scattering analyses of porcine retinol-binding protein 3": Vineeta Kaushik, Luca Gessa, Nelam Kumar, Matyáš Pinkas, Mariusz Czarnocki ...

Retinol benefits. A 2015 study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology concluded that "topical application of retinol significantly affects both cellular and molecular properties of the epidermis ...

Most dermatologists estimate that retinol is roughly 10 times less potent than tretinoin, meaning that when retinol undergoes the conversion process, only about 10 percent of it becomes retinoic acid.