Can Peptides and Retinol Be Applied Together?
It’s easy to think of skin care as a simple task when you don’t know what exactly it is. If you’re new to beauty, the idea of layering skin care products can be quite intimidating, especially when they have unusual names like
There are peptides and retinol.
But don’t panic, everything will become clearer after today’s blog post, so let’s dive into how to layer peptides and retinol.
Before we get started, here’s a quick summary of the skin care benefits of peptides and retinol and what you can expect.
What are the benefits of peptides for skin care?
Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Helps strengthen the skin barrier. Provides anti-inflammatory properties to the skin. Helps the skin feel and look firmer. Increases collagen production
Repairs damage to the skin barrier. What are the benefits of retinol for skin care? Fights signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. Brightens the complexion for a radiant look
Regulates oily skin types. Reduces the frequency of breakouts and acne. Lightens dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Can peptides and retinol be used together? Yes, it is actually possible. Using peptides and retinol together requires some time and consideration due to the high potency of both ingredients.
Many skin experts believe that while peptides are very effective for the skin, they tend to penetrate too deeply into the underlying layers. This helps many people with oily or combination skin, but can cause skin irritation and severe dryness in dry or sensitive skin.
If you are unsure whether to use peptides and retinol together, you can use the two ingredients interchangeably. Ideally, you should use retinol as part of your evening routine, as UV radiation renders the powerful vitamin A useless and ineffective.
If you want to learn more about using peptides and retinol together, read our dedicated blog post. What belongs first, peptide or retinol? If you choose to layer peptides and retinol, you will get the best results with the retinol applied first.
This means that your skin can benefit from the many benefits of retinol as well as the care of the peptide. This can counteract over-drying of the skin and keep the protective barrier fully functioning.
If using the two ingredients separately, it is best to use the peptide in the morning and the retinol in the evening. It’s not just because retinol needs to be applied overnight, but because our skin has a daily circadian rhythm, meaning its needs change every 24 hours between morning and evening.
In the morning, your skin needs help protecting itself from UV rays, pollution, and other free radicals, while at night, you need help repairing existing damage.
Can I use peptides in the morning and retinol at night?
By using peptides in the morning and retinol at night, you can absolutely ensure that your skin is getting the most out of these powerful substances.
Even if you’ve built up a tolerance to the benefits of retinol, you could still be inadvertently irritating your skin. By applying peptides in the morning, you’re nourishing your skin while ensuring that the peptides are boosting collagen production. You can then repair damage caused by daily exposure to free radicals.
If I may add, retinol increases your skin’s sensitivity to light. So wear an SPF 30+ sunscreen every day, even on cloudy and rainy days.
Are peptides good for wrinkles?
Yes, peptides are very effective for reducing wrinkles. Peptides are short chains of amino acids that form the building blocks of collagen and elastin in the lower layers of the skin.
Are peptides good for wrinkles?
Yes, peptides are very effective for reducing wrinkles. Peptides are short chains of amino acids that form the building blocks of collagen and elastin in the lower layers of the skin.
When applied topically to the skin in a serum or moisturizing formula, peptides act as messengers, stimulating collagen compounds to produce more collagen. As a result, skin looks and feels firmer, retaining youthful elasticity and a healthy complexion.
What can peptides be combined with?
While peptides are generally considered very effective and well tolerated with other skin ingredients, it is best to avoid using vitamin C with peptides.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant with a variety of benefits: from reducing hyperpigmentation and dark spots to fighting fine lines and wrinkles. The problem with mixing peptides is that they counteract each other, making them useless for the skin and often causing irritation and dryness in some cases.
Can serums be applied over retinol?
Yes and no, as the consistency of the retinol-rich product plays a role. As a general skin rule, skincare is best applied from thinnest to thickest layers.
Because serums typically have a lightweight, watery or gel-like consistency, they absorb quickly into the skin, allowing you to apply thicker moisturizers and oils. That’s it. Retinol formulas can be found in serums, oils, and moisturizers that you apply as the last step in your routine. If you want my opinion, I recommend two serums, one with retinol and one with hyaluronic acid. That way you avoid severe dryness or irritation while still benefiting from retinol’s skin-renewing properties.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
