Salicylic acid and hydroxypinacolone retinoate
Keep them apart
Use them on alternate nights because they can cause too much dryness when layered together. Both ingredients speed up skin renewal, so using them together can lead to redness and peeling. The shopper can alternate nights or switch to a gentler formula.
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
Salicylic acid products
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Paula's Choice
Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
A$54.00
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Medicube
Zero Pore Pad
A$29.90
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CeraVe
Renewing SA Cleanser
A$23.99
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Dermalogica
Daily Microfoliant
A$179.95
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The Ordinary
Salicylic Acid 2% Solution
A$10.70
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Mario Badescu
Drying Lotion
A$50.81
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser
-
The Ordinary
AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
A$22.98
-
Paula's Choice
10% Azelaic Acid Booster
A$64.00
-
CeraVe
SA Lotion for Rough & Bumpy Skin
A$16.99
- COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid
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Hero Cosmetics
Mighty Patch
A$9.99
Hydroxypinacolone retinoate products
- The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion
- IOPE Retinol Super Bounce Serum
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BYOMA
Sensitive Retinol Oil
A$39.95
- Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum
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Sunday Riley
A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum
A$87.00
Questions and answers
Can you use salicylic acid and hydroxypinacolone retinoate together?
You should avoid combining salicylic acid and hydroxypinacolone retinoate in the same routine because both enhance cell turnover and layering them may cause irritation or peeling. Instead, alternate them by day, using salicylic acid in the morning or every other night and the retinoid on alternate evenings.
Which goes first, salicylic acid or hydroxypinacolone retinoate?
Keep salicylic acid and hydroxypinacolone retinoate apart by alternating them by day, using salicylic acid in the morning or every other night and the retinoid on alternate evenings, to help avoid irritation or peeling.
Are salicylic acid and hydroxypinacolone retinoate good for sensitive skin?
Salicylic acid and hydroxypinacolone retinoate should be kept apart in your routine because combining them may cause irritation or peeling, especially for sensitive skin. You can alternate them by day, using salicylic acid in the morning or every other night and applying your retinoid on alternate evenings.
Research on salicylic acid and hydroxypinacolone retinoate
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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sof铆a Perea P茅rez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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