"Many of the most effective skin care ingredients like retinoids, salicyclic acid, and benzoyl peroxide tend to be very drying," says Dr. Bowe. So when you don't follow them up with moisturizer, you risk uncomfortable side effects like red, peeling skin.
Retinol activities may use up the moisture in your skin and make it dry. Dry is never good because that means a compromised skin barrier. So make sure to apply a generous amount of moisturiser right after. If you're of dry skin type, you can apply moisturiser right after washing your face.
Dr. Zein Obagi, a Beverly Hills-based dermatologist and founder of ZO Skin Health, says that using moisturizer could actually be detrimental to skin. “When you use moisturizer every day, you run the risk of making your skin older, not younger,” he said to Refinery29.
If you already have dry skin, using retinol can be a risky endeavor, but that doesn't mean you should skip it altogether. “Retinol is a vitamin A–derived molecule which is a tricky ingredient to use in people with dry and/or sensitive skin,” says Davie, FL dermatologist Marianna Blyumin-Karasik, MD.
Retinol (leave to absorb for 10-20 minutes)
Retinol is also an ingredient that should be left to absorb sufficiently into the skin before following up with another product.
STEP 4: WAIT UNTIL YOUR SKIN IS DRY
It's essential to make sure to wait until your skin is dehydrated before moving on to applying your retinol. If you use it on wet or even damp skin, there is a greater likelihood that you'll experience irritation. That is because cleansing the skin opens up the pores.
With diligent use, most users see visible improvement to their skin tone, smoothness, and breakouts within the first few weeks. Fine lines and small imperfections take several weeks to months to start to fade, while deeper lines and more significant hyperpigmentation may take several months.
The immediate side effects of retinol treatment can take the form of a surge in acne, blackheads, whiteheads, and rashes. This is termed retinol purging. It lasts for about 2-6 weeks depending on the quality of the skin, following which the positive effects ramp up.
Treat dry patches with extra moisturizer.
Dry patches and peeling will likely happen when you use retinoids. Dr. Shamban recommends applying aloe gel or 1 percent hydrocortisone cream like CeraVe Anti-Itch Cream ($9, Amazon.com) during the day to help with flakiness and irritation.
Moisturising prevents the skin's natural exfoliation by smoothing the skin cells and stopping them from sloughing off. So by stopping moisturising, this actually stimulates cell turnover and encourages natural desquamation (that's the shedding of the outer layers of the skin).
When your skin is dried out, chronic inflammation occurs. This leads to a breakdown of collagen and accelerated ageing, not to mention the wrinkles you already have will look even worse. Minor imperfections get even more noticeable on dry skin especially when muscles crease your skin.
More Texture, Bumps, or Tightness
Your skin can absorb only so much moisture, and once it takes all it needs, the extra moisturizer sits on your skin's surface until it clogs your pores. As a result, you may experience inflammation, unusual breakouts, tiny rash-like bumps, or a tight feeling.
Don't use retinol with Vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and glycolic acid, which are other common skincare ingredients. If you want to take advantage of the benefits of these ingredients, make sure you use them in the morning rather than at night when you apply retinol to avoid skin irritation and redness.
Dr. Schlessinger suggested that “Any topical vitamin C products should be used in the morning, opposite of nighttime retinol application.” Any professional skin resurfacing treatments—such as chemical peels—that provide deep exfoliation should never be combined with retinol, Dr. Schlessinger said.
(You'll want to apply your retinol product before applying your moisturizer, leaving around 10 to 20 minutes in between.) If you have dry skin, you can seal in your skincare products by topping them off with a facial oil.
Flare-ups typically last about 4-8 weeks, or 1-2 cell cycles. However, if yours lasts longer than this, this could mean something deeper is going on, you should talk to your dermatologist. Bear in mind that if you have sensitive or dry skin, you may experience worse retinol uglies for longer.
Applying retinol is a long-term treatment which promotes fresh skin, fewer blemishes and reduction in acne breakouts. Whereas in the short term, it can lead to acne breakouts, skin peeling, dryness, and a range of other frustrating temporary outcomes. The purge phase usually lasts for two to six weeks.
Use retinol once or twice a week at first to see how your skin reacts, and gradually work up to every other day or three times a week. Another key tip for using retinol is to incorporate it into your nighttime skincare routine only, as it makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight.
“You can use other products afterwards but leave a good gap to make sure your vitamin A has been given a chance to absorb. 20+ minutes is fine (unless stipulated otherwise),” she wrote on her blog. If you're adding retinol as the last step in your current regime, that means you're in the clear.
Apply the retinol product after cleansing. Let the retinol settle for about 20 minutes. Lightly mist your face with water, then immediately apply the hyaluronic acid. (Hyaluronic acid should always be applied to damp skin.)
Use retinol every other day rather than every day. Wait 30 minutes after washing your face before applying your retinol product. Avoid retinol products if you have a sunburn, broken skin or other skin irritations. Use SPF 30 and wear sun protective clothing and hats to reduce your exposure to the sun.
In fact, you can mix retinol with Hyaluronic Acid Serum and Ceramide Night Treatment, which is good for hydration, and SPF, which is even more important to use since Retinol can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
Since you don't have to wash the retinol off after you put it on, you can let it absorb into your skin overnight while you're sleeping.
A good rule of thumb is that you want to apply your lightest serums first, working your way up to the thickest. All you need is a pea-sized amount (or a ½ dropper, if using our Night Watch gentle retinol drops), applied in upward, outward strokes.