Case in point: vitamin C and retinol. Both of these ingredients offer wonderful and unique skin-related benefits, but can (and should) they be used together? We asked the pros to find the answer. Oxidative stress can lead to a plethora of skin-related troubles, including the loss of collagen fibers resulting in skin sagging, fine lines and wrinkles, and texture changes. Luckily, vitamin C can be of assistance. Here, a quick list of benefits, according to Koestline: Some retinoids, like tretinoin and Tazorac, are stronger and thus require a prescription. However, you can also find gentler over-the-counter retinols that have similar skin care benefits (those are the ones we are talking about today). Retinoids, retinol included, work by increasing cell turnover in the skin and promoting collagen production. Here, some notable benefits of retinol: Board-certified dermatologist and YouTube content creator Andrea Suarez, M.D., FAAD, cautions against using the two at the same time. “The two ingredients and their respective formulations can sometimes be very irritating if used together,” she says. Not to mention, layering them one after the other might render them ineffective. As a general rule of thumb: Use retinol at night and vitamin C in the morning. “To get the most benefit from vitamin C, you want to use it during the day to protect the skin while exposed to environmental stressors such as the sun and pollution,” celebrity esthetician and skin expert Shani Darden tells mbg. On the flip side, retinol can promote cell turnover while you snooze. Not to mention, it’s much safer to apply retinol in the evening, as it can sensitize your skin to sun exposure. Here’s a quick breakdown, if you’d like to see the routine all planned out:
