Yes. It's perfectly safe to use a moisturizer with tretinoin. In fact, tretinoin without moisturizer is generally not recommended. Many dermatologists advise their patients to moisturize while using it to reduce their chance of developing dry, peeling skin.
Safety of combining skin care products
However, a 2019 study notes that using tretinoin with a moisturizer can help reduce its potential irritation and drying effects. However, while moisturizers may provide relief, combining other skin products with tretinoin could lead to further skin irritation or damage.
Just make sure you choose products without synthetic fragrances to keep irritation at bay. When starting out, apply moisturizer directly after applying tretinoin to minimize potential irritation. As your skin adjusts, you can leave tretinoin on for about 20 minutes before following up with a moisturizer.
Quick Tips for Incorporating Retinol into Your Beauty Routine. Mix your retinol with your moisturizer, or apply your moisturizer first and then your retinol. Always use sunscreen the morning after you apply retinol. Your skin will be especially sensitive to sunlight, so it's important to protect it.
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, it is especially important to avoid using the following skin products on the same area as tretinoin: Any other topical acne product or skin product containing a peeling agent (eg, benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, or sulfur).
Wait 20 to 30 minutes before applying this medicine to make sure the skin is completely dry. Applying tretinoin to wet skin can irritate it. To use the cream, gel, or lotion form of this medicine: Apply just enough medicine to very lightly cover the affected areas, and rub in gently but well.
“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.
Photoaging causes enlarged pores, fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation and uneven skin tone. Tretinoin is the only FDA-approved retinoid for photoaging. It can be drying, so it's crucial to use a moisturizer if your skincare routine includes a retinoid.
A pea-sized amount of tretinoin is sufficient for the entire face. Use at bedtime, after cleansing with a gentle non-soap cleanser such as Cetaphil or CeraVe. It is more readily absorbed by wet skin, so either dry using a blow dryer on a cool setting or wait 20 minutes post-cleansing.
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.
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.
Using a hyaluronic acid moisturizer at the same time as retinol or tretinoin can help your skin to stay hydrated and may prevent or lighten these side effects.
Sheila Krishna, it's totally fine to use vitamin C with over-the-counter retinol products or dermatologist-grade retinoids—which, BTW, is the broader term for vitamin A derivatives, including retinol, tretinoin, and adapalene, just to name a few.
No matter which form you choose to incorporate your hyaluronic acid, it should be close to the final step in your routine. If you are using it in serum form, you'll apply it immediately after your retinol. If it is part of your moisturizer, it will be your last step.
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.
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.
There are several skincare ingredients you can layer with retinol. Hydrating ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, squalene, and vitamin E are considered the best at neutralising the irritation associated with retinol.
"You can use tretinoin or [over-the-counter] retinols forever."
Remember because retinol boosts collagen production, it doesn't ever make sense to use them both together. Using retinol will give you better results than using just collagen products alone.
It's best to apply Vitamin C before Retinol, as Vitamin C has a lower pH than Retinol. Once your skin absorbs the Vitamin C serum, your skin will return to its regular pH levels after 30 minutes or so. (You want your skin to return to its normal pH levels so vitamin C doesn't lower the pH of retinol.)
Retinoid or Retinol and Salicylic Acid
But on its own, each can dry out the skin, so together they should be combined with caution. The risk is overdrying, which can lead to irritation and make the situation worse.
When using hyaluronic acid and retinol, apply retinol first, then hyaluronic acid.
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.