“I don't advise using retinol and vitamin C in the same AM or PM skincare routine, as they are both powerful ingredients, which when together, can irritate the skin,” explains Dr. Hartman. It's easy to separate them, so doing so will ensure you get the maximum benefit without risking irritation, he adds.
The combination of Vitamin C and Retinol in a skincare regimen can help you achieve glowing, healthy-looking skin, while improving the look of dark spots and uneven skin tone, as well as visibly improving signs of skin aging including fine lines, wrinkles and loss of firmness.
Adding Vitamin C (water-soluble) to retinol (oil-soluble) results in the non-absorption of Vitamin C, thus no skin benefits. So, you see how mixing the two is a waste of skincare products, money, and time.
Apply your vitamin C first, since it has the lower pH of the two. Then, wait half an hour before you apply your retinol. Incorporating the waiting period allows your skin's pH to return to normal, so each ingredient can work at its intended pH.
Another recipe for major irritation is retinol mixed with alpha hydroxy acids, like glycolic, lactic, and citric. "Both of these ingredients disrupt the skin barrier," Chan explains. If you double team your complexion with them, excessive dryness, redness, sensitivity, or a rash are very possible results.
You can — and should — combine all three skincare ingredients in your routine, Dr. Gilbert says. By using vitamin C, retinol and hyaluronic acid together, you'll receive all of the benefits detailed above. That being said, introducing new skincare products and ingredients into your routine isn't always easy.
To give your routine an anti-aging one-two punch, try first applying a vitamin C serum in the morning. In your nighttime routine, use a layer of a hydrating, retinol-based cream or a lightweight retinol oil.
Well, when it comes right down to it, the choice is really in what you're looking to do for your skin. While vitamin C is incredible for the skin because of its ability to help brighten and improve hyperpigmentation, the best active ingredient for wrinkles is retinol.
In fact, retinoids work best if you use them daily. Specifically, try to use them at night because light and air deactivate some types. If you experience any side effects — like skin redness or dryness — then it's a good idea to back down to once every 2 or 3 nights.
They are safe to layer or blend together, and the great thing about using retinol and hyaluronic acid together is that hyaluronic acid helps calm the skin down after retinol use. As mentioned above, retinol can often take some time to get used to — you might even see some peeling at first.
If your skincare goals include anti-aging and treating acne, then niacinamide is a great ingredient to pair with retinol. Niacinamide can also help improve skin barrier function, thereby reducing the likelihood of irritation caused by retinol use.
You can definitely use retinol and vitamin C in your skincare routine, but it's probably best not to use them at the same time if you want to avoid irritating your skin. Consider applying retinol in the evenings and vitamin C in the mornings.
Use retinol serums if you want to get rid of your acne scars and improve your skin texture. On the other hand, vitamin C serums are perfect if you want to enhance your skin tone, improve your collagen production, and boost your overall skin health.
You should always apply retinol at night, after cleansing, and before your nighttime moisturizer. Five minutes is enough to wait for your retinol to sink in before applying moisturizer; you want to layer them, not mix them.
If you have dull and dry skin then you should try Vitamin C first. If your problem is fine lines and wrinkles then you should start incorporating Retinol into your daily skincare routine. Using both of these products together can work significantly fast in improving your skin and its texture.
Both skincare ingredients improve skin tone, brighten the complexion, and enhance skin texture. However, vitamin C has other properties that retinol may not have, such as protection from harmful UV rays.
While vitamin C can be helpful for preventing future wrinkles, if you're dealing with lines that have already set in, a retinol eye cream may be a better option.
While vitamin C is most notable for helping to brighten and improve hyperpigmentation, retinol is typically considered best-in-class for wrinkles and fine lines. And if you really want to give your skin a one-two punch to get noticeably healthier, you can certainly try incorporating both into your routine.
However, if you want specific treatment products like retinol to work to their full effect, it's better to use it before the moisturizer step than after, and if you want to reduce the strength of specific treatment products like retinol, It is better to use retinol after moisturizer.
Nearly across the board, dermatologists recommend incorporating vitamin C serum into your morning routine (as opposed to using it at night). The reason for this recommendation relates to its ability to protect the skin.
Specifically, it's best to use vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night. The reason for that has a lot to do with how each ingredient works. Vitamin C is an effective antioxidant and may have sun-protective properties, so using it in the morning can boost your ability to limit potential damage from UV radiation.
In the morning, after applying your vitamin C serum, follow it with a layer of hydrating hyaluronic acid. In your nightly routine, apply hyaluronic acid serum before retinol, as it can increase its effectiveness while also helping to lock moisture in for maximum hydration.