Do you put vitamin C on before or after retinol?

Author: Makenna Ankunding  |  Last update: Tuesday, May 3, 2022

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.)

Can I use vitamin C and retinol together?

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.

How long should I wait to apply retinol after vitamin C?

Apply your vitamin C first, since it has the lower pH of the two. Then, wait half an hour before you apply your retinol. Incorporating the waiting period allows your skin's pH to return to normal, so each ingredient can work at its intended pH.

Can I use vitamin C in morning and retinol at night?

In short: yes, you can use vitamin C and retinol together; try retinol at night and vitamin C during the day—always with sunscreen.

Can I use vitamin C and hyaluronic acid and retinol together?

Is it a good idea to combine Vitamin C, Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid in a skincare routine? Yes. These ingredients work well when used individually and even better when paired together.

How To Use Retinol And Vitamin C Together

When should I apply vitamin C to skin care routine?

Vitamin C absorbs into skin most effectively after cleansing.
  1. AM: after cleansing, allow to absorb before applying a moisture lotion/SPF.
  2. PM: add a dose to your go-to night moisturizer, or layer a Vitamin C serum beneath it for a boost.

When should vitamin C serum be used in routine?

We all have different skin needs and routines, but as a general rule, we recommend incorporating vitamin C into your skincare regime every—or every other—morning. We specify morning, because the antioxidant helps to protect from things like pollution and UV light, which you're typically exposed to throughout the day.

When do you take retinol and niacinamide with vitamin C?

Evening Routine

Due to how potent they are it is best to avoid using vitamin C and retinol together, but instead opt for applying vitamin C in your morning routine followed with retinol in the evening.

Should I use vitamin C or niacinamide first?

1. Use your vitamin C serum first, and let it dry. Since vitamin C is notoriously unstable, you always want to apply it on clean, dry skin. Then "Let vitamin C completely dry prior to placing niacinamide," says Lamm.

What comes first niacinamide or vitamin C?

When layering these powerful ingredients applying vitamin C first and leaving about 15 minutes in between applying your niacinamide product will give the skin enough time to absorb and remain comfortable before using niacinamide to lock moisture into the skin.

Can I use vitamin C in the morning and niacinamide at night?

Now that we know it's a perfectly safe combination, feel free to mix niacinamide and vitamin C to your heart's content. However, if you still feel nervous about combining the two ingredients on your sensitive skin, you can always use niacinamide in the morning and vitamin C at night, or even alternate days.

Do you apply vitamin C before hyaluronic acid?

A thick moisturizer with hyaluronic acid would be applied after a vitamin C serum, but a hyaluronic acid serum will come before a face cream with vitamin C in its formula. In the case that you have two separate serums, it still comes down to thickness. Apply whichever is thinner first.

Should you apply vitamin C or hyaluronic acid first?

If you are applying a Vitamin C serum and hyaluronic acid separately, it's suggested that you apply the Vitamin C first, and then add the hyaluronic acid afterward in order to help fortify the skin barrier and lock in the moisture.

What should I apply after Vitamin C serum?

How to Use Vitamin C Serum The Right Way
  1. Step 1: Wash your face.
  2. Step 2: If you're a toner person, use a toner. ...
  3. Step 3: Apply Vitamin C serum. ...
  4. Step 4: Apply a moisturizer (Yes, your moisturizer should come after your Vitamin C serum — remember the “thinnest to thickest” rule.)
  5. Step 5: Apply your favorite eye cream.

Do you put vitamin C on before or after moisturizer?

We recommend that beauty lovers use our Vitamin C Serum after cleansing, exfoliating, masking, and/or toning — but always before moisturizing. All you have to do is apply a couple pumps of serum to clean fingers, and gently press the product evenly over damp skin.

Is vitamin C better in the morning or night?

Vitamin C is used for its anti-ageing benefits as it boosts collagen, improves elasticity and repairs damaged cells. Using it before bed is safer and has far more beauty benefits and thus, we totally recommend you to use it in the night, before hitting the sack.

What should you not mix with vitamin C?

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.

What goes on first retinol or hyaluronic acid?

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.

What goes first hyaluronic acid or vitamin C or retinol?

In the morning, after applying your Vitamin C serum, follow this brightening ingredient with a layer of hydrating Hyaluronic acid. In your nightly routine, apply Hyaluronic acid before Retinol as it can increase its effectiveness while also helping to lock moisture in for maximum hydration.

What goes first hyaluronic acid or retinol?

You should use hyaluronic acid after retinol. And to maximise the benefits, you should use retinol first and then wait at least 30 minutes before applying hyaluronic acid.

Can I layer hyaluronic acid with retinol?

It's perfectly safe and okay to use hyaluronic acid and retinol together. Using skin care products that contain these ingredients together shouldn't cause any interactions or side effects. Hyaluronic acid and retinol are one of the most popular skin care combinations.

Can you combine vitamin C and hyaluronic acid?

Combining the two makes for a great all-in-one skin care step. “Hyaluronic acid and vitamin C are commonly used together because they complement each other to hydrate, protect, and repair aging skin,” says Zeichner.

Should I use niacinamide before or after retinol?

If you're using these ingredients in separate products, it's recommended to apply niacinamide first and to then follow with retinol. Applying niacinamide first can help protect your skin from the effects of retinol.

Do niacinamide and vitamin C work together?

Now that you know the benefits of each, you're probably asking “can you use niacinamide with vitamin C?” In short, the answer is yes. In fact, the many vitamin C and niacinamide skin benefits complement each other and create a powerful combination that targets fine lines.

Is it OK to use niacinamide and vitamin C together?

Niacinamide With Vitamin C Are a Winning Combination

This means that you're safe to use both niacinamide and vitamin C, either together in the same product, or combined from different products that you layer one over the other.

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