Can Retinol Be Used with Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid?
With so many skincare products containing retinol, hyaluronic acid, or niacinamide, it’s hard not to use a product that contains one of these ingredients, whether you notice it or not. The only problem is how confusing these ingredients are and when to apply them to your skin.
Today we’re focusing on how to use retinol, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid together, and hopefully by the end of today’s blog post, you’ll have a better understanding of how they work together and what results you can expect for your skin.
Can I Mix Hyaluronic Acid with Retinol and Niacinamide?
When mixing skincare ingredients, there’s often a risk of irritation or an allergic reaction. Luckily, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid work well with other ingredients, especially retinol, which is known to cause dryness and flaking in certain areas of the skin. This is completely normal and part of the process of introducing retinol into your daily routine and combining it with hydrating ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to reduce dryness.
Retinol: A form of vitamin A, it’s one of the most potent ingredients in skincare. It must be added to your daily routine in the right way to avoid over-drying and skin irritation. It is a multifunctional ingredient with a range of benefits to combat breakouts, signs of aging and uneven skin tone. It does this by speeding up the skin cell renewal process, leaving the complexion looking youthful and resilient, with fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots visibly reduced.
Niacinamide: Also known as B3, it is a highly effective skin regenerating ingredient. It acts as a humectant, allowing water to penetrate the skin and remain on the surface, keeping your face hydrated and moisturized all day long. It combats fine lines and wrinkles by ensuring that the skin’s protective barrier is fully functioning with the right amount of moisture. This ensures that the skin can protect itself from damage caused by pollution, the sun’s UV rays and other environmental influences.
Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the body and is one of the most hydrating ingredients in skincare. One gram can hold the equivalent of six litres of water. Due to its hydrating properties, the skin’s protective barrier remains fully functional, repairing any damage caused by free radicals and preventing further damage.
If you mix all three together, it’s best to start with retinol, then hyaluronic acid and finally niacinamide in the order of use. Apply retinol first to completely cleansed skin, allowing the ingredients to penetrate into the underlying layers. Using hyaluronic acid afterward can combat dryness and irritation, which are common side effects of using retinol. Hyaluronic acid moisturizes the skin, allowing niacinamide to regulate sebum production and minimize pore formation while keeping the skin hydrated.
Can I use retinol after niacinamide?
As I mentioned, for best results, it’s best to use retinol first and then niacinamide. As a result, these ingredients target signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles, reduce dark spots and hyperpigmentation, while ensuring that the skin remains healthy and hydrated. There’s an added benefit to using these ingredients: some formulas combine retinol and niacinamide in one product. This is an easier and more convenient way to get the benefits of both ingredients.
How soon after using niacinamide can you use retinol?
This may seem like a simple question, but one thing to remember when using skincare products is that they change based on the pH level in the formula. Often, an imbalanced pH is the cause of skin irritation. So make sure the products you apply to your skin work well together and don’t disrupt the skin’s natural pH. For retinol, this value varies between 5.5 and 6, while niacinamide is most effective between 5.0 and 7.0. This means that both together or with a delay of about 5 to 15 minutes between them can be applied without affecting the skin.
Can niacinamide be used with hyaluronic acid?
Yes, you indeed can. You may even find that your skin loves this hydrating combo! Since the skin is the largest organ, but not the most vital, you will find that any amount of water you consume throughout the day will hydrate all other organs first before helping the skin. This often leads to dehydration, which is often confused with signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles becoming more visible. On the surface of the skin, due to the lack of sufficient water for it to function properly, the barrier is compromised, and further damage occurs. In this case, both hyaluronic acid and niacinamide step in to support hydration and keep the skin in its healthiest state, allowing it to protect itself and act like a moist sponge to fully absorb any skincare formula applied to the skin.
Should I use hyaluronic acid before or after retinol?
Due to the hydrating properties of hyaluronic acid, many people experience the best results when using the ingredient as the last step in their daily regimen. You’ll find that it’s best to apply a serum containing hyaluronic acid to the skin after using retinol, as this helps to counteract the dryness caused by the powerful vitamin A. With hyaluronic acid, any form of moisture is locked into the skin, keeping the barrier strong and healthy and able to avoid long-term damage caused by free radical exposure.
Which came first, niacinamide or hyaluronic acid?
You now know that both ingredients are water-based and have amazing hydrating properties that keep the skin constantly hydrated. If you want to use it in your daily routine, I recommend using hyaluronic acid first, as it replenishes the moisture in the protective barrier and provides hydration. When you follow up with niacinamide, you’ll find that the skin’s sebum production is regulated, helping to keep the balance as well as the microbiome supple and healthy.If you want to learn more about how these moisturizers work together, read our blog post on using hyaluronic acid and niacinamide together.
I hope today we’ve learned a little bit about mixing three of the most popular skincare ingredients and the results you can expect. Don’t forget to visit us on Instagram for new product launches, exclusive giveaways, and discount codes!
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.
