Should I use hyaluronic acid before or after tretinoin?
When it comes to ingredient combinations in skincare, retinol and hyaluronic acid are the most effective. Because both deliver impressive skin results while they reduce the risk of retinol over-drying the skin while hyaluronic acid keeps the skin plump and hydrated all day long.
Now you might be wondering why I’m talking about retinol when the title of this blog post mentions tretinoin. Believe it or not, tretinoin is the name of the drug Retin-A and the active ingredient retinol. I know this all sounds very technical but don’t worry because everything will become easier to understand once we figure out whether you should use hyaluronic acid before or after tretinoin.
What does tretinoin do for your skin?
Retinoic acid is used to treat acne, rashes, and other skin problems like aging, hyperpigmentation, and loss of elasticity. Because it’s such a potent ingredient, it usually requires a prescription. Tretinoin does the same things to the skin as retinol does and therefore needs to be incorporated into your daily routine properly. This is because the skin becomes a little dry and flaky, which usually happens when you first apply retinol to your skin. Once tolerance is built up, you will notice less dryness and you will start to see results. For more information on tretinoin and its benefits for the skin, check out our blog.
Is there a difference between Retin-A and tretinoin?
Not really, it can be confusing, but Retin-A is the brand name for the drug tretinoin, and yes, like the Beckhams have a brand name. As it happens, the ingredient is primarily known as Retin-A or Retinol. They are both effective forms of vitamin A that, when used on the skin, can fight a variety of skin issues from acne to fine lines. As I mentioned before, it is important to use any form of retinol correctly and introduce it slowly into your daily routine. Start with once a week and slowly work your way up to three times a week. If you want to learn more, read our blog post on retinol and its skincare benefits.
Can I use a hyaluronic acid serum with Retin-A?
Absolutely! If anything, I highly recommend combining these two powerful ingredients. Not only does this help the skin’s protective barrier remain fully functional, but with the proper hydration level, it also allows it to fight off damage to the skin caused by daily exposure to free radicals, such as pollution, UV rays, and other environmental stressors. When you combine these ingredients, you’ll find that Retin-A can penetrate deep into the lower layers of the skin, reversing signs of aging and problematic breakouts without having to worry about the skin becoming too uncomfortable and dry, as its moisturizing properties as Hyaluronic Acid lock in moisture in the skin.
Should I apply Hyaluronic Acid before or after Retinol?
This is not the case, and many people prefer to use Retinoids over Hyaluronic Acid to avoid dryness. However, it’s important to follow the basic rule of thin to thick when applying skincare. This will obviously affect whether you apply Hyaluronic Acid before or after Retinol. However, if I recommend applying Hyaluronic Acid before a strong Retinol, you’ll find that your skin stays comfortable and happy. You’ll also notice that since the layers of the skin are fully moisturized, they act more like a wet sponge, soaking up any other products applied to the skin, allowing them to penetrate into the lower layers of the skin.
How to layer Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid?
As I mentioned earlier, applying skincare ingredients depends on their consistency, remember, from thin to thick. The easiest steps to remember are: serum, then oil, and finally moisturizer. When you apply skincare formulas in this way, you’ll find that they work on the skin and don’t fight the physical barrier created by thicker consistencies. If you don’t want to follow my advice in the last section, the best way to use retinol and hyaluronic acid is to apply retinol to dry skin first, then follow up with a serum rich in hyaluronic acid. This keeps the skin hydrated and fights possible dryness and flaking, which, as mentioned above, are common side effects when you first add retinol to your skincare routine.
Which is better, hyaluronic acid or retinol?
Both ingredients have great reputations and are popular. They are appreciated by beauty experts and enthusiasts. With that in mind, I’d say you’re missing out if you’re not using these two powerhouses in your daily routine.
Retinol has a ton of skincare properties that help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin texture, even out skin tone, and fight acne and breakouts. Retinol has a slight downside in that it can dry out the skin in the short term, but as I mentioned before, this won’t last long and if used correctly you’ll get the best complexion ever.
As for hyaluronic acid, this humectant is great for the skin because it retains moisture and moisturizes, making the skin look plumper and younger. This is important to remember because dehydration often causes not only the skin to look older and more fine lines on the surface, but it also causes the protective barrier to weaken significantly and the skin to become damaged by free radicals.
Ultimately it’s up to you and your skin concerns. However, since you can use both of these powerful ingredients together, you can benefit from both and give your skin the best possible care routine to keep it as healthy and happy as possible.
If you have any questions on this topic or anything else related to skin care, join us on Instagram for more expert advice, giveaways, and exclusive product launches.
