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Retinol

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Retinol

Retinol softens fine lines, smooths the look of wrinkles, lessens dark spots, and helps the skin feel thicker, firmer, and well-hydrated. It suits dry skin and oily skin best, and it comes in serums, creams, and eye creams, usually at strengths of 0.3%, 0.5%, and 1%. It works well in a routine with green tea, ceramide-building complex, and coenzyme q10, while it should be kept apart from glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and vitamin C.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017

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Retinol serums

What reviewers say about popular retinol products

The highlight reviewers mention most for each popular retinol product on Lovi.

Retinol creams

Retinol eye creams

Other retinol products

Retinol for dry skin

Retinol for oily skin

Retinol for combination skin

All retinol products

See all 143 retinol products

What to combine retinol with

IngredientTogetherHow to use them
Green tea Works well Apply green tea first, and then retinol, because this combination helps keep your skin smooth and protected. Retinol and green tea
Ceramide-building complex Works well Use them together in your night routine, applying the ceramide product first to prep your skin for the retinol. Retinol and ceramide-building complex
Coenzyme Q10 Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying the antioxidant first and the retinol second, because they boost each other's performance. Retinol and coenzyme q10
Vitamin E Works well Use them together by applying Vitamin E first and Retinol second, because antioxidants help stabilize retinol on the skin. Retinol and vitamin E
Bakuchiol Works well Use them together at night, applying the retinol first and following with the bakuchiol and a moisturizer for the best anti-aging results. Retinol and bakuchiol
Tri-ceramide complex Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying retinol first and following with the ceramide cream, because ceramides help soothe and protect dry skin. Retinol and tri-ceramide complex
Niacinamide Depends Use niacinamide in the morning and retinol at night, because this prevents redness and helps your skin adjust. Retinol and niacinamide
Bio-placenta peptides Depends Use them at different times of day with retinol at night and peptides in the morning because strong ingredients can cause skin irritation. Retinol and bio-placenta peptides
Hexapeptide Depends Use them at different times of day with peptides in the morning and retinol at night, because combining them all at once can irritate skin. Retinol and hexapeptide
Acetyl hexapeptide-3 Depends Use them at different times of day with retinol at night and peptides in the morning, because combining strong retinoids and peptides can cause irritation. Retinol and acetyl hexapeptide-3
Collagen peptide Depends Use them at different times of day, applying retinol at night and peptides in the morning, to get the best anti-aging results safely. Retinol and collagen peptide
Copper peptide Depends Use them at different times of day with peptides in the morning and retinol at night, because combining them can cause skin irritation. Retinol and copper peptide
Hexapeptide-9 Depends Use them at different times of day with the peptide serum in the morning and the retinol at night, because combining them in the exact same routine can cause irritation. Retinol and hexapeptide-9
Peptide-rich plasma Depends Use them at different times of day, applying peptides in the morning and retinol at night, to prevent extra skin irritation. Retinol and peptide-rich plasma
Triple peptide blend Depends Use them at different times of day with retinol at night and peptides in the morning to prevent skin irritation. Retinol and triple peptide blend
Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 Depends Use them at different times of day, applying the peptide cream in the morning and the retinol at night, because strong retinoids can clash. Retinol and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4
Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 Depends Use them at different times of day with retinol at night and peptides in the morning, because combining strong retinoids can cause irritation. Retinol and palmitoyl tripeptide-1
Glycolic acid Keep apart Use them on alternate nights to avoid skin irritation from layering strong ingredients. Retinol and glycolic acid
Benzoyl peroxide Keep apart Use them at different times of day by applying benzoyl peroxide in the morning and retinol at night, because they cancel each other out. Retinol and benzoyl peroxide
Vitamin C Keep apart Use them at different times of day with Vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night, because combining them causes skin irritation. Retinol and vitamin C
AHA blend glycolic and citric acids Keep apart Use them on alternate nights because combining them can cause severe skin irritation and redness. Retinol and aha blend glycolic and citric acids
Salicylic acid Keep apart Use retinol and salicylic acid on alternate nights, because combining them causes severe dryness and irritation. Retinol and salicylic acid
Lactic acid Keep apart Use them on alternate nights because they are too strong to use together. Retinol and lactic acid
Mandelic acid Keep apart Use retinol and mandelic acid on alternate nights to prevent skin irritation. Retinol and mandelic acid
Citric acid Keep apart Use them on alternate nights, applying citric acid first and retinol next, to prevent skin irritation and over-exfoliation. Retinol and citric acid
Isopropyl alcohol Keep apart Use them on alternate nights because they clash. Retinol and isopropyl alcohol
Sodium lauryl sulfate Keep apart Use them on alternate nights, applying retinol on one night and sodium lauryl sulfate on the other, because combining them causes skin irritation. Retinol and sodium lauryl sulfate

From the ingredient rules behind the "Works well with" and "Don't mix with" notes on every product in the Lovi app.

Questions and answers

What does retinol do for the skin?

Retinol helps stimulate collagen production and increases cell turnover, which significantly reduces fine wrinkles and improves skin texture. It may also increase epidermal thickness and extracellular matrix production to help reverse signs of aging.

How do you use retinol?

You use retinol at night, applying it carefully to help smooth your skin and reduce fine lines over time. Topical retinol helps stimulate collagen production and can improve the appearance of aging skin.

Should you use retinol in the morning or at night?

You should use retinol at night to help your skin adjust safely and avoid irritation from daytime sun exposure.

Can you use retinol every day?

Yes, you can use retinol daily, though some pairings require alternating nights or different times of day to prevent irritation. Topical retinol helps reduce fine wrinkles and supports collagen production in aging skin.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017

Does retinol cause purging or irritation?

Retinol may cause skin irritation and scaling. Using it alongside ingredients like bakuchiol can help achieve anti-aging results, though users sometimes report stinging.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019

Which skin types is retinol best for?

Retinol is well-suited for all major skin types when the right products are chosen. For example, Lovi rates Dermalogica Retinol Clearing Oil as a superior fit for oily and combination skin, and Pixi Retinol Tonic as a superior fit for sensitive and mature skin.

Can you use retinol with green tea?

Yes, you can use retinol with green tea by applying the green tea first and then the retinol, because this combination helps keep your skin smooth and protected.

Can you use retinol with glycolic acid?

You should keep glycolic acid and retinol apart and use them on alternate nights to avoid skin irritation from layering strong ingredients.

Research on retinol

Behind this ingredient guide

Lovi checks every ingredient 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. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, 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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