

mbg Assistant Beauty Editor
By Hannah Frye
mbg Assistant Beauty Editor
Hannah Frye is nan Assistant Beauty Editor astatine mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. successful publicity and a insignificant successful women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written crossed manner sections including health, wellness, sustainability, individual development, and more.
Image by Rafaella Mendes Diniz / Unsplash May 25, 2023 Our editors person independently chosen nan products listed connected this page. If you acquisition thing mentioned successful this article, we may earn a mini commission. Of each nan tegument attraction ingredients retired there, retinol is 1 of nan astir complex. Not only are nan broadside effects much aggravated than most, but there’s besides a agelong database of do’s and don’ts to follow. One of those nuances has to do pinch mixing retinol pinch different ingredients. We’ve covered really retinol and chemic exfoliants don’t mesh good pinch retinol, but is hyaluronic acerb connected nan aforesaid list? Below, experts reply this communal inquiry.
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Can you operation retinol & hyaluronic acid?
Yes, you tin operation retinol and hyaluronic acid together without risking a antagonistic chemic reaction. “The 2 activity arsenic wholly different mechanisms and don't interfere pinch each other,” explains cosmetic chemists Gloria Lu of Chemist Confessions.
“In fact, since 1 of nan broadside effects of retinol is dryness, it does thief to person hydrators for illustration HA successful your routine,” Lu adds.
How to usage them together
There are plentifulness different ways to usage hyalronic acerb and retinol together. Below, a fewer A+ options.
- HA serum earlier retinol: “We urge HA serum first past retinol serum,” says cosmetic chemist Victoria Fu of Chemist Confessions. Most HA serums are water-based whereas retinol serums are emulsion-based (having some h2o and oil),” Fu adds. If you use HA first, your tegument will person a amended chance astatine absorbing it fully.
- Retinol + HA products: You whitethorn besides find retinol and hyaluronic acerb mixed into nan aforesaid product. Anyone who’s prone to barren tegument or tends to respond poorly to retinol whitethorn use from this hydrating boost.
- HA morning, retinol astatine night: If you want to skip nan layering, past use hyaluronic acerb successful nan morning, and retinol astatine night. See retinol isn’t unchangeable capable to beryllium worn successful nan sunlight, truthful it should beryllium applied correct earlier bed. HA connected nan different manus whitethorn conscionable thief your tegument get done nan time without looking ashy, truthful it’s awesome to use erstwhile you aftermath up.
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What is retinol?
Now for a speedy refresher connected these 2 tegument superstars, starting pinch retinol. The word "retinol" refers to a compound derived from vitamin A. Technically, retinol falls nether nan umbrella class of "retinoids," which see each vitamin A derivatives.
Some retinoids, for illustration tretinoin and Tazorac, are stronger and frankincense require a prescription. However, you tin besides find gentler over-the-counter retinols that person akin tegument attraction benefits (those are nan ones we are talking astir today). In summation to these, location are retinaldehyde (a much potent derivative than retinol) arsenic good arsenic weaker types specified arsenic retinyl palmitate and retinyl esters.
If you want much accusation connected how to usage retinol, cheque retired our guide.
Benefits of retinol
Retinoids, retinol included, activity by expanding compartment turnover successful nan tegument and promoting collagen production. Here, immoderate notable benefits of retinol:
- Eases good lines and wrinkles: Retinol has been scientifically shown to increase collagen accumulation successful nan skin1, thereby reducing nan quality of good lines and wrinkles.
- Exfoliates skin: "Besides stimulating accumulation of caller collagen, retinol enhances cell turnover," board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D., says regarding the ingredient. "This intends it sheds dormant and damaged cells that make nan tegument look dull.”
- Helps pinch acne: Retinol besides exfoliates wrong nan pores, "where slowed dormant compartment shedding leads to enlarged pore quality and breakouts," board-certified dermatologist Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., FAAD, erstwhile shared pinch mbg.
What is hyaluronic acid?
Now onto nan crowd-favorite hydrator, hyaluronic acid. As noted earlier, HA is what we telephone a humectant, meaning it pulls h2o into nan skin, resulting successful a plumper, much dewy complexion. You really already person HA successful your assemblage wrong your joints, eyes, and truthful on, but astir of it is recovered successful nan skin.
HA has been incorporated into serums of each kinds for galore years, but it’s caller fame is owed to nan constituent being isolated arsenic its very ain serum, to beryllium utilized earlier different creams and oils.
Not everyone needs an other hyaluronic acerb step, but it tin beryllium adjuvant for anyone pinch barren skin, those prone to irritation, aliases anyone who conscionable wants a spot much hydration. Luckily, it plays bully pinch astir ingredients, truthful it’s a reasonably user-friendly ingredient, too.
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Benefits of hyaluronic acid
- Super hydrating: Hyaluronic acerb tin clasp an impressive 1,000 times its ain weight successful water2, which is why it’s 1 of nan champion defesnes against barren skin.
- Aids successful healing: In summation to being coming successful conscionable astir each imaginable portion of nan assemblage and responsible for keeping tegument looking patient and hydrated, HA is integral to our body's treatment process2.
- Preps tegument for makeup: If you want your complexion to look twinkling pre-makeup, adhd a hyaluronic acerb serum aliases primer to your routine. The much hydrated your tegument is, nan little instauration you’ll scope for.
Best hyaluronic acerb serums
What not to operation pinch retinol
While retinol does play bully pinch HA, that can’t beryllium said astir galore ingredients. Below, a fewer ingredients that should ne'er beryllium connected your tegument astatine nan aforesaid clip arsenic retinol.
- Exfoliants: Both AHAs and BHAs tin react poorly erstwhile mixed pinch retinol. Not only do you tally nan consequence of irritation, but you whitethorn besides create a antagonistic situation for some ingredients, preventing them from moving decently connected your skin.
- Other retinol products: You should only usage 1 retinol merchandise connected your tegument astatine a time. Even if 1 serum has a mini attraction of retinol, it’s apt not formulated to activity successful conjunction pinch different retinol serum.
- Some prescription-grade topicals: If your dermatologist gave you a topical pick for immoderate specified reason, make judge you inquire them earlier mixing that merchandise pinch retinol to debar imaginable irritation.
FAQ
Can retinol and hyaluronic acerb beryllium utilized together?
Yes, you tin operation retinol and hyaluronic acerb together without risking a antagonistic chemic reaction. “The 2 activity arsenic wholly different mechanisms and don't interfere pinch each other,” explains cosmetic chemists Gloria Lu of Chemist Confessions.
“In fact, since 1 of nan broadside effects of retinol is dryness, it does thief to person hydrators for illustration HA successful your routine,” Lu adds.
Do I usage retinol earlier aliases aft hyaluronic acid?
“We urge HA serum first past retinol,” says cosmetic chemist Victoria Fu of Chemist Confessions. Most HA serums are water-based whereas retinol serums are emulsion-based (having some h2o and oil),” Fu adds. If you use HA first, your tegument will person a amended chance astatine absorbing it fully.
Should I usage retinol and hyaluronic acerb astatine night?
Retinol should only beryllium utilized successful nan evening, arsenic it tends to beryllium delicate to sun exposure. As for hyaluronic acid, consciousness free to usage it successful nan greeting aliases evening, aliases both! When layering pinch retinol, usage HA earlier retinol to summation absorption of nan hyaluronic acerb and easiness drying effect of retinol.
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The takeaway
Retinol and hyaluronic acerb tin beryllium mixed together, and nan operation is moreover beneficial. HA helps forestall dryness that whitethorn travel pinch retinol use, truthful spell up and operation nan 2 should you consciousness inspired. To study much astir nan highly analyzable ingredient, check retired our retinol 101 communicative here.
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