Can I use vitamin C with retinol?

The truth: You can use vitamin C with retinol and retinoids. Get them as separate products so you can tailor the concentration of each and use them at the right time of day. Although vitamin C can be used day or night, it is ideal for daytime use, while retinol and retinoids should be applied at night.

Do you put vitamin C on before or after retinol?

It's best to apply Vitamin C before Retinol, as Vitamin C has a lower pH than Retinol. Once your skin absorbs the Vitamin C serum, your skin will return to its regular pH levels after 30 minutes or so. (You want your skin to return to its normal pH levels so vitamin C doesn't lower the pH of retinol.)

How long after vitamin C can I use retinol?

Apply your vitamin C first, since it has the lower pH of the two. Then, wait half an hour before you apply your retinol. Incorporating the waiting period allows your skin's pH to return to normal, so each ingredient can work at its intended pH.

Why can't you use retinol and vitamin C together?

It only seems right that you should use two powerful ingredients in tandem, but that's not quite the case — not only because retinol and vitamin C increase skin irritation if used on top of one another, but also the effectiveness of the products can become compromised if layered together.

Can I use vitamin C and retinol at night?

The truth: You can use vitamin C with retinol and retinoids. Get them as separate products so you can tailor the concentration of each and use them at the right time of day. Although vitamin C can be used day or night, it is ideal for daytime use, while retinol and retinoids should be applied at night.

How to LAYER Skincare

Can I use vitamin C in morning and retinol at night?

In short: yes, you can use vitamin C and retinol together; try retinol at night and vitamin C during the day—always with sunscreen.

What should you not use retinol with?

Don't Mix: Retinol with vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and AHA/BHA acids. AHA and BHA acids are exfoliating, which can dry out skin and cause further irritation if your skincare routine already includes retinol.

Can you use niacinamide with retinol and vitamin C?

Can you use niacinamide with retinol and vitamin C? You can indeed use all three of these ingredients together, but the order in which you layer them play an important role when avoiding skin irritation. To gain optimal results I would suggest using a serum enriched in vitamin C during your morning routine.

What works well with retinol?

A combination of retinoids and humectants such as niacinamide, panthenol, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid can help slow down TEWLs during application of retinoid. Hyaluronic Acid is an excellent ingredient to alleviate some of these concerns.

Can I use retinol vitamin C and hyaluronic acid together?

Is it a good idea to combine Vitamin C, Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid in a skincare routine? Yes. These ingredients work well when used individually and even better when paired together.

Can I use retinol every night?

Retinol is best applied at night since it can increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun. When you do go outside, be sure to use sunscreen to protect your face. It's worth noting that you don't need to use retinol on a daily basis for it to effectively treat your acne. Even two to three times per week might be enough.

Can I use vitamin C at night?

Many people wonder when the best time is to use their Vitamin C products. While some associate Vitamin C with daytime, others believe nights and evenings are best to use their Vitamin C-infused products. The truth is, Vitamin C can work effectively in the days or evenings.

What can you not mix with vitamin C?

AHAs and BHAs, such as glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids should never be used with Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an acid, too, and is unstable, so the pH balance will be thrown off by layering these ingredients together and might as well be useless.

Is retinol or vitamin C better for dark spots?

First, vitamin C works to help improve the look of dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin. Then, retinol steps in to help improve skin's elasticity. The result is that retinol and other retinoids may help improve skin's texture while helping to minimize the look of fine lines.

How do you apply vitamin C serum at night?

A Vitamin C serum should be used in your bedtime routine and a couple of drops of it should suffice. Tap it on your skin using your fingertips and leave it on overnight. Wash your face in the morning and apply SPF to avoid any skin irritation.

What goes first niacinamide or vitamin C?

Use your vitamin C serum first, and let it dry.

Then "Let vitamin C completely dry prior to placing niacinamide," says Lamm. That way, the ascorbic acid has a chance to settle into the skin, and there's a smaller chance of combining the two actives.

Which comes first niacinamide or retinol?

Niacinamide and retinol can be combined in one product, which may be easier and more convenient. But they're also available as separate products. If you're using these ingredients in separate products, it's recommended to apply niacinamide first and to then follow with retinol.

Should I use retinol everyday?

Retinol can be used every day but needs time to work

After you've built up your skin's tolerance to retinol, it's perfectly safe to use every day. Even users in their 20s can see improvements to their skin when retinol is part of their daily routine.

Should I use retinol on my neck?

Retinoids, which are topical vitamin A-based derivatives, may help reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing collagen production. If you use retinoids on your face, extend the treatment area to your neck and chest at night. Retinoid products are available by prescription or over the counter.

What happens when I stop using retinol?

You see, retinol impacts your skin's normal function, and when you stop it your skin has to re-learn how to regulate itself properly again. So typically when people stop using it they experience either bad acne or bad dryness for a few weeks afterwards.

Can I mix retinol and niacinamide?

Using niacinamide before retinol works well. So does combining them into one product. A 2016 study found that a product containing retinol, niacinamide, hexylresorcinol, and resveratrol improved fine lines, sallowness, wrinkling, hyperpigmentation, and skin tone.

Can you use niacinamide and vitamin C together?

You can absolutely use vitamin C and niacinamide together, Singh goes on to emphasize. That said, if you ever have any doubts as to whether it's safe to mix two skin care ingredients, a dermatologist can always offer advice.

When should vitamin C serum be used in routine?

We all have different skin needs and routines, but as a general rule, we recommend incorporating vitamin C into your skincare regime every—or every other—morning. We specify morning, because the antioxidant helps to protect from things like pollution and UV light, which you're typically exposed to throughout the day.

What comes first vitamin C or hyaluronic acid?

A thick moisturizer with hyaluronic acid would be applied after a vitamin C serum, but a hyaluronic acid serum will come before a face cream with vitamin C in its formula. In the case that you have two separate serums, it still comes down to thickness. Apply whichever is thinner first.