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.
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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.
