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Retinol and niacinamide

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Retinol and niacinamide: depends on the strength

Depends on the strength

Use niacinamide in the morning and retinol at night, because this prevents redness and helps your skin adjust. Niacinamide calms irritation and strengthens your moisture barrier, while retinol boosts cell renewal. You can choose a gentler formula or wait longer between applications if your skin feels sensitive.

Retinoids: a journey from the molecular structures and mechanisms of action to clinical uses in dermatology and adverse effectsWhy Topical Retinoids Are Mainstay of Therapy for Acne

Retinol products

Niacinamide products

Questions and answers

Can you use retinol and niacinamide together?

Yes, you can use retinol and niacinamide together depending on the strength, and products like innisfree Retinol Cica Repair Ampoule and Alastin Skincare Restorative Skin Complex combine them. Niacinamide helps reduce the irritation and redness that retinol may cause while improving skin tolerance. You can use niacinamide in the morning and retinol at night, or choose products that combine them safely.

Antioxidants, 2021The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010

Which goes first, retinol or niacinamide?

Using niacinamide in the morning and retinol at night helps reduce irritation and improve skin tolerance. Products like innisfree Retinol Cica Repair Ampoule, Alastin Skincare Restorative Skin Complex, SkinMedica Retinol Complex, Olay Advanced Eye Cream, Palmer's Skin Success Anti-Dark Spot Fade Cream, and SHANI DARDEN Retinol Reform combine these ingredients.

Are retinol and niacinamide good for sensitive skin?

Yes, retinol and niacinamide are generally good for sensitive skin depending on the strength, because niacinamide helps reduce irritation and enhances barrier repair. Products like innisfree Retinol Cica Repair Ampoule, Alastin Skincare Restorative Skin Complex, SkinMedica Retinol Complex, Olay Advanced Eye Cream, Palmer's Skin Success Anti-Dark Spot Fade Cream, and SHANI DARDEN Retinol Reform combine these ingredients.

Antioxidants, 2021

Research on retinol and niacinamide

Behind this pairing advice

Lovi checks every pairing with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sof铆a Perea P茅rez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sof铆a Perea P茅rez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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