Salicylic acid and retinal
Keep them apart
Use them on alternate nights because they are both too strong to use at the same time. Using both together can dry out and irritate your skin. You can switch to a gentler strength or leave more time between applications.
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
SAR 263.52
-
Medicube
Zero Pore Pad
SAR 64.80
-
CeraVe
Renewing SA Cleanser
SAR 42.85
-
Dermalogica
Daily Microfoliant
SAR 157.51
- The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution
-
Mario Badescu
Drying Lotion
SAR 159.99
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser
-
The Ordinary
AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
SAR 86.23
-
Paula's Choice
10% Azelaic Acid Booster
SAR 275.52
- CeraVe SA Lotion for Rough & Bumpy Skin
-
COSRX
BHA Blackhead Power Liquid
SAR 328.00
-
Hero Cosmetics
Mighty Patch
SAR 55.00
Retinal products
-
Beauty of Joseon
Revive Eye Serum
SAR 87.00
- The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion
-
Medik8
CRYSTAL RETINAL 3
SAR 272.46
-
Murad
Retinal ReSculpt Overnight Treatment
SAR 347.76
-
celimax
RETINAL SHOT
SAR 79.68
-
Some By Mi
Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum
SAR 65.55
-
NATURIUM
Retinaldehyde Cream Serum 0.05%
SAR 81.35
- Av猫ne RetrinAL EYES
- Murad Retinal ReSculpt Body Treatment
-
K-SECRET
SEOUl 1988 EYE CREAM
SAR 39.90
-
Geek & Gorgeous
A-Game 5
SAR 116.15
-
Peach & Lily
Retinal For All Renewing Serum
SAR 272.27
Questions and answers
Can you use salicylic acid and retinal together?
No, you should avoid combining salicylic acid and retinal in the same routine because both enhance cell turnover and may cause irritation or peeling when layered. Instead, alternate them by day, such as using salicylic acid in the morning or every other night, and your retinoid on alternate evenings.
Which goes first, salicylic acid or retinal?
Keep salicylic acid and retinal apart by using them in separate routines to help avoid irritation or peeling. You can alternate them by day, using salicylic acid in the morning or every other night and retinal on the alternate evenings.
Are salicylic acid and retinal good for sensitive skin?
No, salicylic acid and retinal should be kept apart in your routine because combining them may cause irritation or peeling. Instead, alternate them by day or use salicylic acid in the morning and retinal on alternate nights.
Research on salicylic acid and retinal
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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Dr. Sof铆a Perea P茅rez, MD, MSc
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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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