Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and other popular skincare ingredients make it tempting to want to take advantage of them all. But as many beauty enthusiasts know, layering skin care products is challenging, particularly when working with incredibly unstable actives. Consider retinol and vitamin C as an example.
These two chemicals both have amazing and distinctive skin-related advantages, but can they be used in tandem? To find the answer, we turned to the experts.
Vitamin C: What is it?
Let’s take a look at what each of these items is capable of first. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant capable of counteracting oxidative stress brought on by pollution, ultraviolet light, as well as other environmental stressors, according to clean cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline.
Oxidative stress can cause a wide range of issues with the skin, such as collagen fiber loss that results in changes in texture, drooping skin, fine lines, and wrinkles. Fortunately, vitamin C can be helpful.
Retinol: what is it?
Retinol is the name of a substance that is derived from vitamin A. Retinol technically belongs to the group of substances known as “retinoids,” which also includes all derivatives of vitamin A.
Retinoids that are stronger must be prescribed, such as tretinoin and Tazorac. However, there is milder over-the-counter retinol available that offers comparable skin care advantages. Retinoids, such as retinol, function by boosting collagen formation and skin cell turnover.
Can you combine them?
Now that you are aware of what vitamin C and retinol individually do for the skin, can you combine them? By combining the strength of both products, you might just win the jackpot in terms of skincare, but it’s crucial to do it properly.
When combined, the two components and their individual formulas can occasionally be quite unpleasant. Not to mention that stacking them one on top of the other might make them useless.
Apply vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night as a general rule. Use vitamin C during the day to safeguard your skin from environmental stresses like pollution and the sun to get the greatest benefit from it.
On the other hand, as you sleep, retinol can encourage cell turnover. Not to add, applying retinol at night is safer because doing so during the day can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.