If your skin can tolerate both ingredients with no dryness or irritation, you can eventually begin using one in the morning and one in the evening. Just take care to avoid applying any products containing active ingredients, like vitamin C, directly after using glycolic acid.
It's a common misconception that using glycolic acid and retinol together cancels out their benefits. If you want to use both products, you absolutely can. Just make sure to use them at alternating times of the day or days of the week. Using glycolic acid and retinol together can be great for treating acne.
Just take care to avoid using both ingredients at the same time of day, as this can easily lead to irritation. Instead, if your skin can handle both ingredients on the same day, you can try using an AHA in the morning and retinol at night, or vice versa.
Glycolic acid sloughs away dead skin cells on the surface, revealing fresher cells beneath. Whereas retinol works on a deeper level to encourage collagen and elastin production. Both help with cell renewal and provide many of the same benefits to the skin in different ways.
As for whether you should apply glycolic acid morning or night, we recommend applying it as part of your evening skincare routine. Glycolic acid can cause “photosensitivity,” which means it makes your skin more sensitive to the sun's UV rays, upping your chances of a sunburn or skin damage.
But overall, stick to using water-based products and serums together. AHAs and BHAs, such as glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids should never be used with Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an acid, too, and is unstable, so the pH balance will be thrown off by layering these ingredients together and might as well be useless.
Don't Mix: Vitamin C and Alpha Hydroxy Acids
When you use this kind of product along with an alpha hydroxy acid, like glycolic or lactic acid, you're essentially reducing the effectiveness of the vitamin C product.
Glycolic acid acts on the surface to help exfoliate skin. Retinol, on the other hand, works on a deeper level to help improve your skin's look and feel. If you've heard you shouldn't combine these two ingredients, we've got some good news for you: You don't, in fact, have to choose between them.
Used periodically in conjunction with retinol (at separate times of the day or on separate days), glycolic acid will help the penetration of the retinol into the deeper layers of the skin, allowing the retinol to do its work increasing collagen and elastin. The typical results: smoother and more radiant skin.
After using glycolic acid, apply a hydrating serum or gel (to hydrate your newly exfoliated skin) followed by a more occlusive moisturizer (to seal in all the moisture). Only use glycolic acid in your nighttime routine, and always apply sunscreen in the morning after glycolic acid treatment.
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.
Acids and retinol don't always work well together. But, you can use both in your skin care routine, as long as you apply them at the right times, in the right order, to minimise irritation and achieve the best results.
“AHA, BHA, retinol, and benzoyl peroxide can be mixed with moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and rosehip oil to get effective results — just ensure you are not using retinol as well as AHA or BHA's during the day," says Graf.
You can actually layer your glycolic acid and niacinamide together, at the same time of day—just 30 minutes apart. When layering products, start with the one that has the lowest pH first.
Yes, you absolutely can use hyaluronic acid and glycolic acid together in the same skincare routine! In fact, this combination may boost collagen production and reduce the irritation potential of glycolic acid.
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.
Glycolic acid should always be applied in the evening, as it makes your skin sensitive to sunlight. Applying it at night gives ample time for it to do its magic without a higher risk or damaging your skin in the sun.
Is Glycolic Acid okay for everyday use? Depending on the concentration, yes, you can use Glycolic Acid every day. If you're new to chemical exfoliants, you should work up to using it every day slowly rather than overdoing it at the beginning.
Use ideally in the PM, no more frequently than once per day. After cleaning, saturate a cotton pad with the formula and sweep across the face and neck. Avoid the eye contour and contact with eyes. This formula should not be used on sensitive, peeling or compromised skin.
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.
You can leave it on your face overnight and let it absorb into your skin. Wash it out the next day with water. However, remember that this can cause sun sensitivity and even aggravate acne in a few cases.
After using an exfoliating toner enriched with glycolic acid you should follow it with a nourishing and hydrating moisture. Opting for a formula that contains moisturising actives, such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide will help soothe and calm the skin counteracting the drying effects of the potent AHA.
Niacinamide and glycolic acid are both common ingredients in exfoliating products. Glycolic acid helps to break down the top layer of dead skin cells to encourage a smoother complexion. Niacinamide increases the skin's elasticity to help improve the appearance of fine wrinkles and lines.
A formula with retinol, like the L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Eye Treatment, should be applied after your serums and before moisturizer due to its consistency.