When you first start using a retinol product —even a retinol moisturizer —you can expect to have dry, flaky, maybe even slightly red skin during the first one or two weeks until it starts to adapt. This is especially true around your nose, mouth, and eyes.
While you’d typically apply around a dime-sized amount of a traditional moisturizer, with retinol moisturizer, start with a pea-sized amount every other night. Avoid using the product too close to your lips and eyes.
If that frequency seems like it’s too much (as in you see too many adverse effects), drop it back to every third night. Eventually, the goal would be to work up to the nightly application (and use a normal amount of product) —but don’t rush. Patience is vital when using retinol.
Suppose you’re using a retinol cream that isn’t a moisturizer. In that case, you should wait 20 minutes for the vitamin A to fully absorb into your skin before applying your moisturizer or lotion, so plan your nighttime routine accordingly. With other skincare products like serums, you only need to wait a few minutes before moving on to the next step.
Don’t Mix Too Many Active Ingredients
Read your product labels carefully to ensure you clearly understand what ingredients are in your routine — mainly if you’re using a combination of anti-aging and acne products.
Like retinol, alpha and beta hydroxy acids can dry out the skin, so using them all at once can cause excessive dryness and irritation. Also, keep in mind that benzoyl peroxide and retinol cancel one another out. If you’re at all in question about which products and ingredients you can —and cannot —mix, speak to a licensed esthetician or dermatologist.
Don’t Forget to Use Sunscreen
While some retinol creams are formulated for daytime use because they contain sunscreen, a safer approach is to wear your retinol cream at night and a traditional broad-spectrum sunscreen (a minimum SPF of 30 during the day) since retinol increases photosensitivity.
Opt for antioxidants during the day, as they help neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals like sun exposure and pollution.