The best product you can use in conjunction with retinol, according to Dr. Zeichner, is a moisturizer, which can help hydrate skin and reduce the risk of irritation from retinol. “Some people even prefer to mix their retinol with a moisturizing cream to dilute it out,” he says.
Mix It Up. One tip to help your skin adjust to retinol is to mix your retinol with your face moisturizer and then apply it to your skin. This allows the retinol to be a little gentler on your skin, which is great if you have sensitive skin.
And now another rule to keep in mind: Many prescription-strength retinoids suggest users wait upwards of 20 minutes post-cleansing before putting retinol on their skin and 20 more minutes before putting anything else on, according to Reddit.
To apply a serum with retinol correctly, Smooth it onto clean skin before your moisturizer. Your serum will have a thinner consistency than your moisturizer, which is what determines the application order.
Don't Mix: Retinol with vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and AHA/BHA acids. AHA and BHA acids are exfoliating, which can dry out skin and cause further irritation if your skincare routine already includes retinol. As for benzoyl peroxide and retinol, they cancel each other out.
Regardless of your skin type or which product you use first, a layer of moisturizer should always be applied after retinoids.
Goldenberg's go-to recommendation for timing between serums and moisturizers is about one minute. This wait has the same reasoning: Sixty seconds — give or take — gives each product a moment to delve into your pores.
Rouleau says the best time to use a scrub is in the morning. Overnight you've loosened up dead skin cells with your glycolic acid or retinol products, making the morning a perfect time to brush them off.
However, if the product makes your skin red and flaky, she suggests mixing the retinol formula with your moisturizer. Use retinol once or twice a week at first to see how your skin reacts, and gradually work up to every other day or three times a week.
Retinoids work best if you use them daily. Specifically, they should be used at night because some types are deactivated by light and air. It's important to start slowly and allow your skin time to adjust. Using too much too quickly can cause redness, dryness, and irritation.
Retinol (leave to absorb for 10-20 minutes)
Retinol is also an ingredient that should be left to absorb sufficiently into the skin before following up with another product. “It is important to leave a 10-20 minute wait time before applying the next product.
Use Exfoliants Sparingly After the Adjustment Period
After two to six weeks of using tretinoin, it's usually okay to start using an exfoliant. However, it's best to use exfoliating products as sparingly as possible while using tretinoin to avoid potentially irritating your skin.
Can you use retinol every day? Start slow. If you're a new user, your skin may only be able to tolerate retinol once every other day or so. As your skin gets used to retinol, you can apply it more often.
Should you use retinol under your eyes? Yes, definitely. While it is true that retinol – a form of vitamin A – is a powerful ingredient and the skin under your eyes is delicate, there's no reason why you should miss out on the amazing benefits of retinol.
The truth: You can use vitamin C with retinol and retinoids. Get them as separate products so you can tailor the concentration of each and use them at the right time of day. Although vitamin C can be used day or night, it is ideal for daytime use, while retinol and retinoids should be applied at night.
“If you're overusing your retinol, or if you're using a retinol that's too strong for you, it can lead to peeling, irritation, and excessive dryness, which may have led to retinol's association with skin thinning,” she says.
Research from 2015 also suggests that combining retinol and an AHA exfoliant together can be an effective combination for hyperpigmentation caused by acne. However, experts generally advise not using the two ingredients at the exact same time, since this can lead to dryness and irritation.
What Are the Benefits of Combining the Two? Good news: Retinol and hyaluronic acid actually have a synergistic effect. “They can be combined so that the benefits of retinol can be achieved more easily with concomitant use of hyaluronic acid, which helps to prevent retinol irritation,” says Hartman.
Pairing the two ingredients is safe and can make retinol easier to use. Niacinamide helps hydrate the skin, which reduces the risk of irritation caused by retinol. Niacinamide and retinol can be combined in one product or used as separate products.
Apply topical retinoids
Retinoids, which are topical vitamin A-based derivatives, may help reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing collagen production. If you use retinoids on your face, extend the treatment area to your neck and chest at night. Retinoid products are available by prescription or over the counter.
While Vitamin C serum predominantly protects your skin from damage, retinol serum actively heals the damage on your skin. Vitamin C serum protects the collagens while the Retinol serum helps in cell turn over thereby creating new collagens.
Generally speaking, I recommend most people start using retinol in their mid to late-20s, anywhere from 25-30. This is when collagen and elastin production starts to slow down, so it's the perfect time to start reaping the preventative-aging benefits retinol has to offer.
Hyaluronic acid is best if they're looking to moisturize dry skin, while retinol works better by encouraging better skin by boosting collagen production. They have several benefits that can work in tandem for better results, though patients need to be careful with the exact formulations they use.
The best product you can use in conjunction with retinol, according to Dr. Zeichner, is a moisturizer, which can help hydrate skin and reduce the risk of irritation from retinol. “Some people even prefer to mix their retinol with a moisturizing cream to dilute it out,” he says.
The problem is, retinol can be irritating when applied straight to the lips (so keep your prescription-strength cream off your mouth for the time being). But Verso's formula contains a gentle derivative, called retinol 8, which can reduce the appearance of fine lines around the mouth overtime.