Should Retinol Come Before or After Moisturizer?

RoC Retinol Correction One Smoothing Eye Cream

As far as major skin care questions go, most things concerning retinol products, like when to use retinol or how to use retinol are at the top of the list. There are many different answers to these questions because skin care is so personal and your skin type really determines how and when you should use a product.

Retinol has many well-researched and reported benefits, but in order to reap them, you have to use it correctly and that can mean different things for different people. To understand how to use retinol in your skin care routine, we’re sharing how to use all the different forms in your routine.

How Often Should I Use Retinol?
Retinol is a powerhouse ingredient, but it can be irritating to the skin, per the Cleveland Clinic. Because of this, it should be introduced into your routine and built up as your skin can tolerate it. This means using it once a week and bumping up the usage every few weeks based on how your skin reacts. While you may want fast results, retinol works quickly at the surface, but it takes time to see visible results. Typically with retinol, you should expect to see results around the three-month mark with consistent use. It’s tempting but avoid amping up the usage in favor of quicker results because this can do more harm than good to your skin.

Is Retinol Good for Your Skin?
When used correctly, topical retinol can bring tons of benefits to the skin. Those include exfoliation, minimizing fine lines and wrinkles, a brighter complexion and increased collagen and elastin production, which helps to strengthen the skin, per the Cleveland Clinic. If your retinol is not causing significant irritation, it can do a lot of good for the skin. If it’s causing irritation, then you need to decrease usage and get to a place where it’s not irritating to see its benefits. 

When to Use Retinol in Your Skin Care Routine
Retinol is typically applied at night, but it can be safely applied in the morning if the formula was made for that. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), shares that retinol can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Because of this, you have to add an SPF to your morning routine if you use it. You should be using SPF daily regardless, but if you’re using retinol, consider it of paramount importance. At night, apply your retinol after washing your face, onto clean skin. In the morning, apply an ample layer of SPF.

Is It Best to Apply Retinol Before or After Moisturizer?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, if your retinol is irritating your skin, you should apply a thin layer of moisturizer before applying it to give your skin a little barrier. If your retinol is not irritating your skin, then depending on the formula, you can apply it before your moisturizer. But ultimately, there is no hard and fast rule about using retinol or moisturizer first and the order you should apply it depends on the actual product you’re using. Retinol can be included in all sorts of different formulas, such as retinol creams and retinol serums, and how you apply them will vary. 

A good rule to follow is to apply retinol products in the same way you would any other skin care product — from the thinnest consistency to the thickest. While we can’t give you a foolproof answer as to whether you should always apply retinol before or after moisturizer, what we can do is break down when to apply retinol, based on the type of product it is.  

When to Apply Retinol Serum 
To apply a serum with retinol correctly, smooth it onto clean skin after you cleanse and before your moisturizer. Your serum will have a thinner consistency than your moisturizer, which is what determines the application order. 

When to Apply a Moisturizer With Retinol
If you’re using a moisturizer formulated with retinol, application will be similar to your normal moisturizer. Cleanse, apply any serums in your routine, then layer your moisturizer. In this case, you don’t have separate retinol and moisturizer steps — you’re knocking out two steps in one.

Using a moisturizer with retinol is a great way to get the anti-aging effects of the ingredient without the common dryness and irritation that some experience. Keep in mind that if you’re moisturizing with a retinol cream, you don’t need to apply an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) or any other type of active serum before your moisturizer as this could lead to irritation.

When to Apply an Eye Cream With Retinol
An eye cream or eye treatment is typically applied before or after moisturizer depending on the consistency.  Apply it in small dots around your eyes. Then, tap gently with your ring finger (because it has the gentlest touch) until it’s thoroughly absorbed into the skin. You want to treat your eye area delicately, as being too rough can contribute to fine lines, which is probably one of the reasons you’ve reached for an eye cream with retinol in the first place. 

Editor’s tip: If your routine consists of more than one serum, again, apply from the thinnest to the thickest formula. To ensure the skin is hydrated, apply the hyaluronic acid serum first, then, layer on the retinol serum before moisturizer.

Can You Use Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol Together? We Asked Dermatologists
When it comes to skincare fame, hyaluronic acid and retinol pretty much take the cake for most iconic ingredients—but what happens when you use them together? Can two powerhouses work together? Or will they fight for the spotlight and wreak havoc on your face? While many of us obsess over the basics—the cleansing, moisturizing, and protecting of the skin—determining how the ingredients you’re using interact is equally as important.

We asked board-certified dermatologists Jeremy Fenton and Ivy DeRosa to help us investigate how hyaluronic acid and retinol work (or don't) as a pair. Keep reading to learn more.

What Is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a hydrating ingredient that moisturizes skin, reduces the appearance of wrinkles, replenishes cell moisture, and speeds wound healing. To get more scientific about it, as DeRosa explains, "Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a molecule in a class called humectants. Their job is to help retain water in your skin." And, as we know, hydration gives skin that dewy, glowy effect we all strive for.

Hyaluronic acid "comes in many different forms over the counter, like serums or lotions and help to fill the nooks and crannies our skin develops over time due to pollution, sun damage and the normal aging process," DeRosa says, adding: "HAs dont change the architecture of your skin in the long run, as retinoids do, but they can help for a temporary improvement in the look and feel of your skin."

It’s generally safe for all skin types and has no known side effects (at least when applied topically).

And Retinol?
If hyaluronic acid is the popular girl who’s nice to everyone, think of retinol as her equally popular but very intimidating best friend. According to Fenton, retinol is an antioxidant that increases cell turnover, boosts collagen production, and regulates oil production—it’s regularly lauded as a godsend for anyone looking to address texture, acne, or signs of aging. It can also work synergistically, with other topicals. "Retinol may be helpful in combination with other topical treatments because it exfoliates the skin and can allow ingredients to penetrate deeper, making them more effective," says Fenton.

But retinol also comes with some serious side effects (both doctors note dryness, peeling, and irritation) and the potential for intense, prolonged purging. Hence the intimidation.

Can You Use Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol Together?
Much like the girls in our high school analogy, hyaluronic acid and retinol are a match made in heaven. Where retinol is rough, hyaluronic acid is soft; where hyaluronic acid is weak, retinol is strong. Together, they balance each other out without compromising the things that make them unique. It’s exactly what makes the combination one of the most popular across all skincare ingredients.

Benefits of Using Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol Together
Like we said, hyaluronic acid and retinol are the ultimate duo. Together, they have a sort of synergistic effect, making it easier to reap the benefits of retinol without suffering any of the usual dryness thanks to the moisture boost from hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid helps keep retinol in check, increasing the permeability of the skin. So when combined, the two ingredients can leave your skin clearer, smoother, and more hydrated and moisturized. What more could you ask for?

Not to mention it’s a combination you might already be using: many moisturizers contain hyaluronic acid anyway. Likewise, she says many high-quality, over-the-counter retinol products are formulated with hydrating and calming ingredients to help mitigate irritation, so there’s a chance your retinol even contains some hyaluronic acid.

Potential Side Effects
As is the case with all skincare ingredients, there’s always some sort of potential for irritation. That potential is fairly high with retinol and very low with hyaluronic acid. So, yes, there is still a chance of irritation but it is a very, very small one—and that irritation would likely be caused not by the combination of retinol and hyaluronic acid but by the retinol itself.

How to Use Hyaluronic Acid With Retinol
DeRosa provides the following timeline for application of HA and retinol products: "If dealing with sensitive or dry skin, a great way to tolerate a retinol is by first cleansing with a gentle wash; no scrubs, toners or physical exfoliants. Then apply a pea size amount (that's right- just a pea, more is not better) of retinol to the face, apply a small amount of a hyaluronic acid serum followed by a moisturizer cream. The moisturizer helps to lock in the HA so it can amplify the helpfulness of your moisturizer."

Try applying a moisturizer or hyaluronic acid in gel form around 30 minutes after applying retinol so that the treatment can dry and soak into the skin before moisturizing. For those with dry or sensitive skin, try usinga hyaluronic acid serum prior to retinol. Then, once the retinol has dried, apply a moisturizer.

How to Minimize Irritation
An important note: the importance of proper application methods when it comes to retinol and hyaluronic acid cannot be overstates. Be sure to give your retinol time to dry and seep into the skin before moving on to the next steps. This will minimize irritation.