Can You Mix Niacinamide and Retinol?

**Can You Mix Niacinamide and Retinol?**

Yes, you **can** mix **niacinamide** and **retinol**, and in fact, combining them can be a very effective way to address multiple skin concerns, from fine lines and acne to pigmentation and uneven skin tone. While these two ingredients are often seen as *potent powerhouses* for your skin, the good news is that they complement each other quite well, and many dermatologists recommend using both in your skincare routine. Here’s everything you need to know about how to use them together effectively.

### What’s Niacinamide?

Niacinamide, also known as **vitamin B3**, is a multifunctional ingredient with many skin benefits, including:

– **Anti-aging**: It helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by boosting the skin’s moisture levels and enhancing elasticity.

– **Anti-inflammatory**: Niacinamide can calm the skin, making it ideal for those with conditions like **rosacea**, **eczema**, and other inflammatory skin concerns.

– **Improves skin texture**: It helps regulate the skin’s sebum production, reducing **acne** and **breakouts** while improving skin texture and tone.

– **Repairs sun damage**: Niacinamide helps to fade **hyperpigmentation** and **sun spots**, leaving skin looking more even and radiant.

– **Hydration boost**: It draws moisture into the skin and strengthens the skin’s natural barrier, preventing dehydration and improving overall skin health.

### What’s Retinol?

Retinol, a form of **vitamin A**, is another superstar ingredient, particularly known for its **anti-aging** and **acne-fighting** properties. Some of its main benefits include:

– **Promotes cell turnover**: Retinol speeds up the skin’s natural cell cycle, leading to fresher, smoother skin. This makes it excellent for **uneven texture** and **dullness**.

– **Reduces fine lines and wrinkles**: By stimulating collagen production, retinol can help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin over time.

– **Fights acne**: It helps to regulate **sebum production** and prevent clogged pores, which can result in acne breakouts.

– **Brightens the skin**: Retinol also works on **hyperpigmentation**, dark spots, and **sun damage**, promoting an even skin tone.

### How to Use Niacinamide and Retinol Together

While niacinamide and retinol offer complementary benefits, it’s important to layer them correctly to avoid irritation and make sure your skin gets the most out of both. Here’s how to effectively incorporate them into your routine:

#### **1. Use Niacinamide First, Then Retinol**

If you’re using both ingredients in separate products (rather than a pre-formulated combination), the general rule is to apply **niacinamide first**, followed by **retinol**. Here’s why:

– **Niacinamide first**: Niacinamide helps **protect the skin barrier**, which is especially important if you’re using retinol, as retinol can sometimes cause dryness or irritation, particularly for sensitive skin. Niacinamide helps soothe the skin, providing a barrier against these effects.

– **Retinol second**: Since retinol is a potent active ingredient that works deep within the skin, it should be applied after niacinamide. This allows it to penetrate effectively without being hindered by other ingredients on top.

#### **2. How Long to Wait Between Applications**

Many people ask, “How long after applying niacinamide can I apply retinol?” The good news is that you don’t need to wait long. **About 5 minutes** should be sufficient for niacinamide to absorb and prepare your skin for retinol. This small window ensures that both products can do their job without interfering with each other.

#### **3. Avoiding Irritation**

While niacinamide is generally well-tolerated by most skin types, retinol can sometimes cause dryness, redness, or irritation, especially when first introduced into your routine. To minimize irritation:

– Start with a **lower concentration** of retinol if you’re new to it. Gradually increase the concentration over time as your skin builds tolerance.

– If irritation persists, consider using **niacinamide in your morning routine** and **retinol at night**, giving your skin a chance to rest between applications.

You can also alternate days between using niacinamide and retinol (e.g., niacinamide one night, retinol the next) if you find that your skin gets too sensitive when layering both ingredients.

### What Can You Not Mix with Niacinamide?

While niacinamide is **very versatile** and can be used with most ingredients, there is **some outdated research** suggesting it shouldn’t be used with **vitamin C** (ascorbic acid) due to potential incompatibility in certain forms of vitamin C (mainly older, unstable formulations). This myth has largely been debunked with newer stable forms of vitamin C, but if you’re concerned about irritation, it might be best to use **vitamin C in the morning** and niacinamide in the evening.

### What Should You Not Mix with Retinol?

Retinol is **potent** and can be irritating when combined with certain other active ingredients. Here are some things you should avoid mixing with retinol:

– **Vitamin C**: It’s best to use **vitamin C in the morning** and **retinol at night**. Vitamin C has a low pH, and when combined with retinol, it can cause irritation and interfere with the effectiveness of both ingredients.

– **Benzoyl Peroxide**: This ingredient, commonly found in acne treatments, can cancel out the benefits of retinol and cause irritation. It’s best to use these on alternate days.

– **AHAs/BHAs (exfoliating acids)**: Both AHAs (like glycolic acid) and BHAs (like salicylic acid) are exfoliants that can increase skin sensitivity. Using them with retinol can result in excessive dryness and irritation. If you want to use them, try alternating days or using them at different times of day.

### Can I Use Niacinamide Every Day?

Absolutely! Niacinamide is **gentle** and can be used daily, both in the morning and evening. It’s great for keeping your skin hydrated, supporting your skin’s natural barrier, and reducing inflammation, so you can apply it as often as you like.

### How Long Does It Take for Niacinamide to Work?

With consistent use, you can expect to see improvements in your skin’s **hydration** and **texture** fairly quickly, often within a few days. For longer-term benefits, such as reducing pigmentation and fine lines, it may take **8-12 weeks** of consistent use to see noticeable results.

### How Do I Know If Retinol Is Working?

When first using retinol, you may experience some **dryness, flaking**, or **slight irritation**—this is normal and usually subsides as your skin builds tolerance. After a few weeks of consistent use, you should begin to notice **smoother skin**, **improved tone**, and **reduced fine lines**.

### Conclusion

In summary, **niacinamide and retinol** are a potent, complementary pairing that can significantly improve your skin’s texture, tone, and overall appearance. To use them together effectively:

– Apply **niacinamide first**, followed by **retinol**.

– Wait about **5 minutes** between applications if using them in the same routine.

– Consider using them on **alternate days** or at different times of the day if you experience irritation.

If you’re new to these ingredients, **start slowly** and gradually build up your tolerance. As always, if you have specific skin concerns or are unsure about how to introduce these into your routine, it’s a good idea to consult with a dermatologist or skincare professional.

Feel free to reach out to us for more skincare advice or check out our Instagram for daily tips and product recommendations!

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.

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