Hello, Queens!
This is Sia, editor at PiyoQueens.
Sound familiar? You use retinol for the first time and suddenly your skin feels drier and tighter, starts flaking or even stings a little?
Retinol belongs to the retinoids, a group of vitamin A derivatives, and is often used in routines for visible signs of skin ageing. In some people, however, retinol can cause skin irritation such as redness, flaking or dryness. That's why it's important to combine it with a moisturiser that suits your skin.
A review of several studies on stabilised 0.1 % retinol also showed that some participants experienced temporary redness and skin flaking.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38564380/
So which hydrating ingredients are worth looking at when you use retinol – and when should you apply your moisturiser?
Q. Why can retinol make the skin dry?
Especially at the beginning, retinol can cause skin irritation such as redness, flaking or a dry feeling. That's why it can help to give your skin plenty of moisture during the adjustment phase.
Although retinol is one of the milder retinoids, it can still trigger reactions of varying strength from person to person when applied to the skin. Skin irritation such as redness and superficial flaking has also been observed in studies on retinol. In more recent studies, these reactions were mostly mild to moderate and temporary.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14615068/
So this doesn't mean your skin has to burn badly or peel heavily for retinol to “work properly”. What matters much more is getting your skin used to retinol slowly and paying attention to how your own skin reacts.
Q. Which ingredients are suitable if I want to combine retinol with more moisture?
For example, you can look for hydrating ingredients such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid, as well as ceramides, which play a role as important lipids of the skin barrier.
Glycerin
Glycerin is a classic humectant that helps bind water in the skin.
In a randomised study of people with dry skin, a formulation containing glycerin showed a positive effect on the skin's moisture content.
So if your skin feels dry or tight after using retinol, glycerin is an ingredient you can look out for in your moisturiser.
Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is another well-known moisture booster that helps bind and hold water in the skin.
In a randomised controlled study with participants aged 60 to 80 with dry skin, using a moisturiser with low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid for four weeks led to a significantly higher skin moisture content than in the control group.
If your skin feels dry while using retinol, hyaluronic acid can therefore be an interesting addition.
Ceramides
Ceramides are among the most important lipids of the skin barrier.
Studies on dry skin showed that using a moisturiser containing ceramides can increase the skin's moisture content and reduce water loss through the skin.
Ceramides can therefore help keep moisture in the skin better – which makes them especially interesting if your skin feels dry after using retinol.
Q. When should I apply moisturiser – before or after retinol?
If your skin is already well used to retinol, you can apply moisturiser after the retinol. If your skin gets irritated easily, on the other hand, it can make sense to give it plenty of moisture and slowly adjust how much retinol you use and how often.
When using retinol, there isn't one single “right” order for all skin types. If your skin tolerates retinol well, you can try this order, for example:
Cleanse → Retinol → Moisturiser
If you've only just started using retinol or your skin gets dry quickly, you can also apply moisturiser before the retinol:
Cleanse → Moisturiser → Retinol
Another option is the so-called sandwich method, where you use moisturiser before and after the retinol.
Q. Which active combinations should I avoid with retinol?
Rather than banning certain ingredients from being combined at all, it makes more sense not to add several potentially irritating products to your routine at the same time.
Since retinol can cause redness or flaking, especially at the beginning, keeping your routine as simple as possible makes sense if your skin is sensitive.
Studies on reducing retinoid-related skin irritation also look at combining retinoids with ingredients that can support the skin barrier or increase the skin's moisture content.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39184919/
That's why it makes sense to keep your routine as uncomplicated as possible, especially at the start.
For example:
Cleanse → Retinol → Moisturiser
If your skin is sensitive:
Cleanse → Moisturiser → Retinol
This way you can first see how your skin reacts and then add other actives to your routine step by step.
Q. How do I find the right moisturiser for my retinol routine?
It's best to start by looking at which hydrating ingredients your skin needs.
If your skin feels tight or dry while using retinol, you can look for glycerin or hyaluronic acid, which help keep the skin hydrated. If you also want to support your skin barrier, you can consider a moisturiser with ceramides.
Even when you're looking for a K-beauty moisturiser at Piyonna, it's worth looking beyond the product name. Check the ingredient list instead and see whether it contains, for example, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid or Sodium Hyaluronate, or Ceramides.
In the end, a retinol routine isn't about adding more and more strong actives. What matters much more is giving your skin enough moisture so that you can fit retinol into your routine as comfortably as possible.
See you in the next post, Queens!
Until then, bye! ✨
Piyonna Global Beauty Supporters - PiyoQueens · Sua Jo
