Don't Mix: AHA/BHA acids with retinol. "I strongly caution those also using retinoids for acne or anti-aging as the combination with various acids may cause excessive skin sensitivity, irritation, and redness. In fact, AHA and BHA should not typically be used together with retinoids on the same day," explains Dr.

What goes on first AHA or retinol?

If you have time, you can use hydroxy acids and retinol sequentially. After applying an AHA or BHA product, wait for 30 minutes to allow your skin's pH to return to normal, and then apply the retinol product.

Is AHA the same as retinol?

While having exfoliating properties, retinol works a bit differently from AHA's because the molecule also promotes cellular turnover inside the skin cell. Retinol protects the skin's fibroblasts and induces collagen production which can be seen by a thickening of the skin.

Can I use retinol and glycolic acid together?

Can you use retinol and glycolic acid at the same time? Yes and no. You can use them at different times on the same day if your skin can tolerate it, but generally speaking it's best to alternate days to avoid sensitivity.

Can you use retinol after exfoliating?

When first starting a retinol regimen, or if your skin is sensitive, it's best not to combine retinol with other potentially irritating ingredients, such as alpha or beta hydroxy acids or physical exfoliants and scrubs. The best product you can use in conjunction with retinol, according to Dr.

Actives: What Are They and How to Layer Them

26 related questions found

Can you use an exfoliator with retinol?

Q: Why do I need an additional exfoliant with my Retin-A or retinol serum? A: Because retinol and tretinoin (the active ingredient in Retin-A and Renova) do not exfoliate. A common misconception of retinol is that it exfoliates your skin. Vitamin A/retinol in any of its forms does not do the same thing as AHAs or BHA.

Can I use AHA in the morning and retinol at night?

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.

Can I use AHA BHA with niacinamide?

The short answer is yes you certainly can! The longer, more detailed answer, is there are a couple of ways to truly benefit from using niacinamide after using AHA and BHA. To avoid any redness or irritation from overusing potent skincare ingredients you can alternate which time of day you use them.

Can you use BHA and AHA together?

Can you use an AHA or a BHA together? “It is indeed safe to use AHAs and BHAs together. ... In essence, BHAs disrupt the connections between dead cells whilst AHAs cause dead cells to detach and slough away. In this way they can work really well together, synergistically.

Can I use retinol in the morning?

"I recommend using both a vitamin C serum and retinoid daily, since they serve different purposes and work synergistically to help your skin look its best." Since vitamin C protects your skin from free radical damage caused by the sun and pollution, your serum should be applied in the morning, whereas retinoids build ...

Can I use retinol every night?

FACT: Retinol can be used both during the night and the day (just do this one extra thing, too). Most people only apply their retinol at night because it makes the skin more sensitive to light. “Retinol can actually be used both during the day and at night,” explains Dr.

Does retinol go on before or after 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.

Can I use AHA and retinol same day?

Don't Mix: AHA/BHA acids with retinol. "I strongly caution those also using retinoids for acne or anti-aging as the combination with various acids may cause excessive skin sensitivity, irritation, and redness. In fact, AHA and BHA should not typically be used together with retinoids on the same day," explains Dr.

Can you use AHA and hyaluronic acid together?

Can I Combine AHA/BHA With Hyaluronic Acid? Yes! ... Hyaluronic acid doesn't function like an AHA or BHA in that it does not strip your skin — it's actually highly nourishing and hydrating, so having “acid” in the name is a bit misleading. Hyaluronic acid is great for applying after any exfoliating acids.

Should you use AHA everyday?

To reduce your risk of irritation, the Cleveland Clinic recommends using AHA products every other day. As your skin gets used to them, you can then start applying AHAs every day. Also use extra caution when going out in the sun.

When do you use niacinamide and retinol?

But they're also available as separate products. 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.

Can I use niacinamide everyday?

As it's well tolerated by most people, niacinamide can be used twice a day everyday. ... Try using it directly before the retinol or use your retinol product at night and niacinamide during the day.

Can I use niacinamide with hyaluronic acid?

Can you layer niacinamide and hyaluronic acid? Absolutely! ... When teaming both these ingredients together it is considered best to apply hyaluronic acid first due to the fact it can bind high volume of water which will keep the skin hydrated continuously throughout the day.

Do and don'ts with retinol?

Retinoid Do's and Don'ts

• Use only at night! Variations of retinoids make your skin extra susceptible to sun damage, so it's important to also use an SPF during the day. ...
• Make sure your face is completely dry before applying. ...
• Only use a pea-size amount for the entire face. ...
• Ease into it.

Can you combine retinol and vitamin C?

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

How do you use retinol AHA and vitamin C?

Try applying a BHA or AHA to your skin in the morning, and apply a natural Retinol serum at night to avoid skin sensitivity from sun exposure. Or, try a staggered approach; use a BHA one night and retinol the next. The same goes with vitamin C; try alternating vitamin C with BHAs and AHAs to avoid skin irritation.

Do I need both AHA and BHA?

When choosing between AHA and BHA, it comes down to the way in which you want the products to work along with your skin concerns. If your issues are deeper, like cystic acne or just acne in general, you'll want to use either BHA or an AHA/BHA combination, as it will likely be able to better penetrate the issue.

When should I exfoliate with retinol?

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.

How often should you exfoliate when using retinol?

If you want to use both, try exfoliating and using your retinoid on alternating evenings, or exfoliating in the morning and using the retinoid at night. Also, because retinoids increase your sensitivity to the sun, make sure you're always using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least 30 SPF, Dr. Lipner says.