As for retinol, it’s slightly more complicated. “Retinol is more targeted,” details Dr. Zamani. “I would consider it for someone wanting to address early photoaging, fine lines, uneven texture, pigmentation, or acne. The important thing is not to use the strongest product possible. The best retinol is one that your skin can tolerate consistently.”
On the oft-asked question of when you should start using it, Dr. Haus advises that you can start introducing it “from the mid-to-late twenties as a preventative measure, and at any adult age where acne, texture, pigmentation, or aging are a concern.” But he wants to make it clear that there are exceptions: “It should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and anyone with a compromised barrier or an active inflammatory flare should stabilize the skin first. If you’re having a resurfacing procedure or laser treatment, your practitioner will usually ask you to pause it beforehand.”
Can hyaluronic acid and retinol be used in the same skin-care routine?
Not only can hyaluronic acid and retinol be used in the same skin-care routine, but they may be useful when paired. Hyaluronic acid can help combat potential irritation and dryness caused by retinol. “They can work very well together,” Dr. Zamani says, while Dr. Haus wants to make clear that “They aren’t in competition; they solve different problems.” Dr. Zamani expands, “Retinol can initially cause dryness, scaling, redness, or sensitivity, particularly when it is first introduced. Supporting the skin barrier and maintaining hydration can make the experience much more comfortable.”
It may even mean that you get better results. Dr Haus reveals why. “Most people who abandon retinol do so because of the dryness, tightness, and flaking in the first few weeks, and hydration directly reduces that. It doesn’t blunt the retinol’s effectiveness; it makes it possible to stay consistent with it, which is the thing that actually determines results.” It is best used as part of a nourishing multi-step skincare routine that includes a ceramide-rich moisturiser, but more on that below.
What is the best order to apply these ingredients?
The general rule, when it comes to skin-care layering, is to apply the thinnest formula and then the thickest, or the lightest texture to the richest. Retinol should always be applied in the PM as part of an evening routine, which, according to Dr. Zamani, should begin with cleansing, then the hydrating serum, retinol, then moisturizer. Dr Haus stresses that the hyaluronic acid serum should be applied to “slightly damp skin and allow it to settle for a minute or two.” This is crucial, he tells us. “The one detail people miss is that timing gap. Applying retinol to genuinely wet skin increases penetration and, with it, irritation. Let the hyaluronic acid absorb until the skin feels touch-dry.” If your skin is struggling with retinol, try a sandwich approach, which consists of “a layer of moisturizer first, then retinol, then moisturiser again. It slows absorption and improves comfort without meaningfully compromising results,” Dr. Haus tells us.
Dr Zamani emphasizes that when retinol is in the equation, a simple skin-care routine is crucial. “There is no prize for using five active ingredients in one evening. Introducing one new active at a time allows you to understand how your skin responds.”
In the morning, cleanse, use hyaluronic acid, moisturizer, and SPF.
What should beginners know about retinol?
There are five factors to consider when starting on a retinol journey: strength, frequency, side effects, mistakes and SPF.
- Strength: Go low and slow. “A 0.1 to 0.3 percent retinol is more than enough to begin with, and there’s no advantage in jumping to the highest concentration you can find,” says Dr. Haus. “Consistency at a low strength will always outperform an aggressive product used sporadically because the skin can’t tolerate it.” However, Dr. Zamani wants to make clear that the concentration isn’t all you need to consider. “The formulation, stability, delivery system, and type of retinoid all influence both efficacy and tolerability.” Look also at the ingredients that retinol is paired with.
- Frequency: As part of the aforementioned slow approach, twice a week is a good starting point for retinol usage, building up as the skin’s tolerance increases. “Twice a week to begin with, building to alternate nights and then nightly over roughly eight to twelve weeks, guided by how the skin responds rather than by the calendar,” confirms Dr. Haus.
- Side Effects: Dryness, flaking, redness, and purging are common when retinol is introduced into a routine and happen “typically over the first two to six weeks,” says Dr. Haus. But he wants to differentiate between this “normal adjustment” and “persistent burning, swelling, or significant irritation,” which is not normal, and that’s the point to stop and consult your practitioner.
- Mistakes: “The most common mistakes I see are using too much product, starting every night, combining retinol immediately with several other potentially irritating actives, and assuming that significant redness or peeling means the product is working better,” says Dr. Zamani. Instead, use just a pea-sized amount of product, avoid strong acids and be consistent. Dr Haus says one of the things he notices in patients is that they give up at week three “just before it starts working.” This is typically under the assumption of instant results. “Texture and tone shift at around 12 weeks, but collagen change takes around six months and beyond.”
- SPF: The experts stress that SPF is a non-negotiable. “If you are investing in a retinol routine to improve photoaging and pigmentation, you also need to protect the skin from the UV exposure that drives those concerns,” explains Dr. Zamani. “I recommend a broad-spectrum SPF every morning, regardless of whether you use retinol at night.” This is also important because retinol makes the skin more sensitive to sunlight, and thus more prone to burning.
