Can You Use Retinol and Niacinamide at The Same Time?

Believe it or not, you can find skincare products containing both niacinamide and retinol combined in one formulation. This is ideal for ensuring you reap the rewards of each powerhouse active in the quickest and most effective way. If you’d prefer to use each ingredient in separate products, try using niacinamide first following it with retinol.

By applying the ingredients this way, you are ensuring that niacinamide is able to keep the complexion plumped and hydrated allowing other ingredients to absorb rapidly into the lower layers.

If you are wanting to know more about these clever ingredients, you’re in luck as there are dedicated blog posts about them which you can find below.

What are the skincare benefits of niacinamide?

What are the skincare benefits of retinol?

How long after using niacinamide can I apply retinol?

The ideal amount of time to leave in between product applications is the minimum of 30 minutes. This allows enough time to pass to help the pH levels of the skin to become rebalanced and ready for the next formulation to be applied.

When using various skincare products that contain actives that contain different pH levels in the formulas. The skin naturally has a more acidic pH level and can often become imbalanced when you perform you daily skincare routine. Many are unaware that this imbalance of pH levels is one of the main causes of irritation, redness, and allergies.

Another way of using niacinamide and retinol together is by alternating the time of day you apply them. It's considered best to apply retinol in the evening, after using niacinamide during your morning routine.

What can you not mix with niacinamide?

It is considered that you shouldn’t mix niacinamide with vitamin C. Both active ingredients are packed with antioxidants and deliver impressive results, but if used together result in them cancelling each other out rendering them both useless. Having said that, many want to use both niacinamide and vitamin C in their daily skincare routine. To really reap the rewards and avoid any unwanted allergic reactions or irritation you can alternate the days you apply each ingredient onto the skin. You can also try applying vitamin C in the morning and leaving niacinamide for the evenings, this will result in your skin receiving a continuous boost of antioxidants to help keep the skin barrier protected throughout the day and repairing any damage in the evening.  

Don’t forget, if you wanted to know more about what can you not mix with niacinamide, you can check out the dedicated blog post about it over on The Beauty Insiders blog.

How do you use niacinamide and retinol?

As I have already mentioned, there are some skincare products available that contain both niacinamide and retinol combined in the formula. This is usually the most popular option when using these powerhouse ingredients together as its most covenant. You’ll find that niacinamide is able to counteract the drying results of retinol and help draw moisture into the skin barrier keeping it plumped and hydrated. With the fact that niacinamide is also packed with antioxidants it can help combat any damage caused by exposure to free radicals, such as pollution, UV rays, central heating, and other environmental aggressors. Whilst niacinamide works effectively at keeping the skin barrier in its healthiest state, retinol can penetrate the lower layers and boost collagen production, reducing the appearance of fine line and wrinkles and helping to even out the skin tone by fading pigmentation.

Can I use hyaluronic acid with niacinamide and retinol?

Yes, you can, these three actives are highly effective for almost all skin types. The trick to gain optimal results is to layer these powerhouses in the correct order.

You can use hyaluronic acid and niacinamide twice a day if required. Start by applying hyaluronic acid first allowing the humectant traits of the acid lock in moisture into the skin. Follow this with niacinamide which has its own unique trait of regulating the sebum (the natural oil found on the skin surface). You can then finish this off in the evenings with your retinol product. Applying your retinol to a fully hydrated skin will ensure it penetrates deeply into the skin and the common drying side effects are counteracted leaving your skin comfortable and looking its best.

Can I use retinol and retinoid together?

You can if you must. However, the downside would be that using both retinol and retinoid can make the skin feel tight, dry, uncomfortable, and suffer from a flare-up in flaking and redness.

Retinol and retinoid are near enough the same thing, the latter is usually a more potent form of vitamin A found in medical grade or prescription only products. When it comes to using any type of retinol it’s very important you understand how to introduce it into your night-time routine. Start by applying it once a week and slowly build the skin’s tolerance, you must also check the instructions found on the packaging as every retinol/retinoid product formulation is different.

Does retinol go on before or after moisturiser?

This is very much dependant on which product it is that contains retinol, by this I mean if it’s a serum or has a thinner consistency of a moisturiser it should be applied before. You may also find that applying a moisturiser after retinol will help form a protective physical layer on the skin that can help combat exposure to free radicals such as UV rays and other environmental aggressors.

Should I wait 2 to 3 days before switching to a new skincare product?

Yes, you can wait about 2 to 3 days before switching to a new skincare product. Even if the formula contains active ingredients you use already it is still possible to suffer from a flare-up and skin irritation due to the pH levels causing an imbalance.

When switching skincare products, you should also be prepared for the skin to suffer from mild purging, this won’t last long but if signs of irritation persist, stop using the product and seek the advice of a doctor or dermatologist.

There you have a little more information about using niacinamide and retinol at the same time. Don’t forget if you have any skincare questions come and find us over on Instagram!