If you’ve been getting at all into skincare, you might be wondering about starting some sort of retinoid, be it retinol, retinal, adapalene or tretinoin. I will admit I was wary of using retinol for a long time, but now I use it nearly daily! Assuming you already know what’s what, jump right into the “How to Get Started” section. Otherwise, you might want to start with the “Frequently Asked Retinoid Questions”.

Retinoids are a go-to for many for acne (adapalene is recommended at age as young as 12 for this purpose) but become a more common occurrence in routines as the signs of aging start to rear their heads. It’s also a great way to fight hyperpigmentation concerns like post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and erythema, as well as melasma. Vitamin A, from which retinoids derive, is critical to cell growth, and topically applied has been shown to increase skin cell turnover.

How to Get Started

It’s not unusual to have some trepidation when starting your first retinoid, and that’s probably a good thing. Being cautious as you start will help you see better results than if you just YOLO your way through introducing these products. These steps are good to keep in mind any time you’re introducing a new retinoid, even if you’re an experienced user.

Step 1️⃣: Establish a baseline

Retinoids change your skin over the long-term, so it’s important to know how your skin is doing going into it. Consider taking a “before” picture, so you can see your progress over time. Even more importantly, make sure that your skincare routine is stable. It can be tempting to pick up ALL THE ACTIVES and start everything all at once, but you really want to be able to pinpoint how your skin is reacting to the retinol. Get your skincare routine nailed down so you know what your skin’s baseline is before starting a retinoid.

Step 2️⃣: Pick a product

Skincare enthusiasts can tend towards seeking higher and higher percentages (think niacinamide serums at 10 and 20 percent, when the studied values are between 2 and 5), and that inclination might be there with retinol. Don’t give in to it. You’ll get more benefits from something you can use more regularly with less irritation than something that will live in your drawer because it stings too much. I recommend looking for a low percentage retinol, particularly an encapsulated one. The encapsulation basically makes it “slow release”, which minimizes irritation. My usual recommendations for starter retinols are the ones from Versed and Stratia for this reason, and I did a comparison among them and Indeed Labs last summer in Face Off of the Starter Retinols: Versed vs Stratia vs Indeed Labs. I’m currently using the retinol from Good Molecules, pictured, which is a slightly higher percentage but still quite gentle. If you’re starting out with an adapalene or tretinoin because you’ve gotten a prescription, know that the next three steps are going to be pretty important.

Step 3️⃣: Ease in

Once you’ve picked your product and established your baseline, you can start using your retinoid. Directions on the package can be misleading, as your skin will go through a retinization process before you may be able to use as directed. I suggest a week by week approach:

• Week 1: Use once
• Week 2: Use twice (1 week after initial use, then halfway through the next week)
• Week 3: Use thrice

Repeat specific weeks for as long as needed based on how your skin reacts. After 2-6 weeks, your skin should be fairly through the retinization process, and you can use as often as the packaging dictates, or as often as your skin and routine can handle.

Step 4️⃣: Buffer or sandwich

It is a truth universally acknowledged that products applied first, especially if on damp skin, will penetrate the most. In the case of a retinoid, this may not be desirable. For this reason, many folks will buffer or sandwich their retinoid. Buffering is the process of applying moisturizer (or maybe just many moisturizing serums and emulsions) before applying the retinoid. It is also sometimes used to refer to mixing your retinoid with your moisturizer. I personally prefer not to mix, lest I wind up with an uneven application, but depending upon your routine that may work for you. Sandwiching can also work well, which is really just applying another layer of moisturizer (or oil or sleeping mask) over top of the retinoid. You may not want to slug with retinoid, however, since locking the retinoid in may not be desirable. I highly recommend doing it on “off” nights, though. One technique I use is to do my routine earlier in the evening, and then apply my retinoid and a sleeping pack relatively close to bed.

Step 5️⃣: Watch out for dryness and purging

There’s a good chance that your skin will get drier when starting a retinoid — this is one of the reasons some folks use it as a spot treatment for pimples. This isn’t necessarily a problem, but it can increase irritation, especially if your skin is dry in the first place. You may want to change out what you’re using before your retinoid, or take a closer look at Step 4. You may also start to experience purging, which is basically an increase in acne in spots that are already prone towards acne and clogged pores. Purging is NOT breaking out in brand-new areas — if that’s occurring, it might be a sign that your skin barrier is impaired or that the product is not for you. Both the dryness and the purging are indicative of your increased cell turnover, so stick with it, but I recommend slowing down if you experience either of these symptoms just so you’re not miserable and frustrated.

Frequently Asked Retinoid Questions

What is a retinoid?

“Retinoid” is a general term for derivatives of Vitamin A. For the purposes of this post, I’m specifically using the term of “retinoid” to refer to topical products, whether OTC or by prescription, that include retinol, retinal, or retinoic acid, though these are by no means all of the Vitamin A derivatives. Vitamin A is an antioxidant, and critical for cell growth. Many skincare users choose to introduce a retinoid in order to fight acne or signs of aging.

What is the difference between retinol, retinal, adapalene and tretinoin?

It is typically helpful to think of retinoids in terms of how far removed they are from being all-trans retinoic acid (atRA), which is used in cell growth. The more transformations it goes through, the gentler and weaker it is. All that to say, in layperson terms: retinol converts to retinal converts to retinoic acid (aka tretinoin). For this reason, retinol tends to be the weakest of the bunch, unless in particularly high percentages. Retinal is less common, though growing in popularity, as retinaldehyde is that much closer to being retinoic acid, and more bioavailable. Tretinoin, or retinoic acid itself, is only available by prescription in many countries for this reason, but is considered the gold standard for anti-aging. Adapalene, which was once also prescription-only, is not entirely on this conventional retinoid ladder because it is formulated to bond with different receptors, and in so doing gets many of the acne-fighting benefits without the drawbacks.

What is retinization? Should I expect to purge?

Retinization is the process of the skin getting accustomed to the retinoid (tautological, I know). It typically lasts 2 to 6 weeks, in keeping with the skin’s natural turnover cycle, and is characterized by dryness and an increase in inflammation and acne. For some folks, especially as you increase your frequency of use, you may expect this retinization period to last up to three months. If you’re acne-prone, you should definitely expect to purge — as your cell turnover increases, you can think of the retinol as pushing out all the current gunk in your skin. Even if you’re not acne prone, but, say, inclined to a few spots every month, it’s quite likely that these spots will arrive all at once.

When should I apply my retinoid? What can I use it with?

In the PM, and typically not with any other active, like exfoliating acids. Retinoids are not always photostable, so putting them on at night lets your skin really put them to work — plus that’s the routine when you’re probably focusing on skin barrier health anyway, so you’ll probably also face less irritation. This concern about irritation is also why it’s suggested to not use a retinoid in a routine with exfoliating acids — no reason to double down on the irritation if you don’t have to.

Can I put my retinoid on my neck and chest?

Ideally yes, but your neck and chest might not get along well with it. The neck and chest have fewer sebaceous glands, and can get more irritated from topical retinoids. If this is the case for you, you may look at getting a separate, gentler retinoid for your neck and chest, or being sure to buffer in those areas.

How long do I need to use my retinoid to see results?

The length of time it will take you to see results really varies depending on what results you’re hoping to see and how strong of a product you’re using. For my dermatitis, I noticed improvements after a month. For acne, you have to get through the purging process first. For aging and pigmentation concerns, you’re probably facing at least three months.

What is bakuchiol? What are phyto-retinols?

Bakuchiol is a compound derived from the babchi plant, and at a 1% level has been shown to potentially increase collagen synthesis while helping with skin tone and texture. For this reason, it’s considered to be a phytoretinol, as the effects are similar though less intense. Rosehip seed oil is also considered a phytoretinol due to its naturally high levels of Vitamin A.

Can I use retinoids while trying to conceive, pregnant or breastfeeding?

The research varies, and frequently includes non-topical retinoids, which you can’t really extrapolate to topical retinoids. I always recommend that you talk to your doctor if you’re not sure what to use. Many folks concerned about this opt to use a phyto-retinol rather than a retinoid.