Purging, dryness, flakiness, and light peeling are basically inevitable with the stronger retinoid products. (Although retinoids are commonly thought to exfoliate your skin, they’re doing something else, not just acting on the surface level of your skin.) But these undesirable side effects are temporary. It might take a few weeks for your skin to get used to your retinoid, but it most likely will.
Best practices for using retinoid: 7 Tips and Tricks
- Stick with it!
- Now is a good time to try it.
- Be patient.
- Use a retinoid at night, a few times a week.
- Use sunscreen during the day.
- Always use a moisturizer
- There are a few products you shouldn’t use in a nighttime routine while using a retinoid.
1. Stick with it!
Stick with your retinoid product through the purging/dry/flaky/peeling phase. This phase will eventually end, unless your product is really too strong for you.
2. Now is a good time to try it.
Now, in the time of COVID, is a good time to try a retinoid if you’re quarantining and working from home—no one (or very few people) will witness your purge phase!
3. Be patient.
Be patient—it may take a few weeks or even months to see results. After all, your product is working at the cellular level.
4. Use a retinoid at night, a few times a week.
Use your retinoid at night. Sun exposure breaks retinoic acid down and make it less effective. Start by using a new retinoid product a few times a week—ideally once or twice—and work your way up to daily use if your skin can handle it. Listen to your skin!
5. Use sunscreen during the day.
You’ve still got to use sunscreen! Protecting your skin during the day using sunscreen is the way to make your retinoid work—if you don’t, you’re undoing all of its benefits and damaging your skin.
6. Always use a moisturizer afterwards.
Always use moisturizer after using your retinoid. Moisturizer can help with the dryness and flakiness caused by retinoid. You can also mix your retinoid with your moisturizer, if you prefer. See which method you prefer!
7. There are a few products you shouldn’t use in a nighttime routine while using a retinoid.
Products with key ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and alpha hydroxy acids (such as glycolic acid), when used in the same routine as your retinoid, can deactivate some retinoids and be really harsh on your skin.
If you still want to use a product with one of these ingredients, you can, but you should use it on a night when you’re not using your retinoid. Actually, a chemical exfoliant can help support your retinoid’s effectiveness when you use the chemical exfoliant first in one night routine, followed by your retinoid the next night.
Retinoids have powerful skincare benefits, and we highly recommend exploring their effect on your skin!