Always apply Retinol products at night, as sunlight can diminish their power. If you're a prescription-strength user, use Retinol as the first layer on your skin after washing your face with a cleansing cream and before applying your anti-aging moisturizer.
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.
To help your retinoid work better, some dermatologists recommend applying it directly after cleansing before any other treatment serum or moisturizer.
She also says to stick with gentle cleansers (she likes CeraVe), and to always follow your retinol with a moisturizer, especially those with hyaluronic acid and ceramides. If your skin is really irritated, you can try buffering, where you apply moisturizer before retinol to reduce side effects.
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.
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 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.
Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide
These water-based treatments are a great pair and are made for all skin types — especially babes with dry, acne-prone skin. You'll find niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3, in my Rewind Retinol Serum. Use hyaluronic acid first, followed by my retinol for the best results.
I basically cleanse, tone and wait for the toner to dry. Then I apply the Retinol 0.2% in Squalane all over my face (avoiding the sensitive eye area), my neck, decollete and the backs of my hands. I leave it for about 5 mins and then apply a mixture of oil and/or cream to my face.
Retinoids and serums can be used together, especially if the serum is soothing or hydrating. Be careful using very aggressive face oil serums with retinoids.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
A combination of retinoids and humectants such as niacinamide, panthenol, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid can help slow down TEWLs during application of retinoid. Hyaluronic Acid is an excellent ingredient to alleviate some of these concerns.
When it comes to mixing all three together, the best order to apply them is by starting with retinol, followed by hyaluronic acid, and finally niacinamide. By applying retinol first onto a fully cleansed skin the ingredient can penetrate into the lower layers.
In order to get the best effects, Dr. Tareen recommends not diluting your retinol by mixing it with lotion. If you need to, she recommends applying layers of moisturizer instead. "It's not wrong to mix in moisturizer, just less effective."
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.
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.
These two anti-aging ingredients aren't entirely different. In fact, retinol is a type of retinoid. However, retinoid most often describes more powerful prescription products, while retinol generally refers to weaker over-the-counter (OTC) formulas. As board certified dermatologist Dr.
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 you use niacinamide with retinol and vitamin C? You can indeed use all three of these ingredients together, but the order in which you layer them play an important role when avoiding skin irritation. To gain optimal results I would suggest using a serum enriched in vitamin C during your morning routine.