2 days Ago By Emily Orofino
Love retinol but wish it worked harder? A tretinoin skin-care routine is just what the doctor ordered. Tretinoin, also known as all-trans retinoic acid, is a type of retinoid, a group of vitamin A derivatives that includes retinol. “Tretinoin is much more effective than retinol,” says board-certified dermatologist Richard Bottiglione .
“Retinol can’t do what tretinoin can do.” And tretinoin can do a lot , offering the benefits of multiple products in just one step. It’s why so many skin experts prescribe regimens centered around the potent active.
How to Curate a Tretinoin Skin-Care Routine: “Tretinoin works by influencing the way skin cells grow and shed, which makes it an effective treatment for a range of skin issues, including acne, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and sun damage,” explains board-certified dermatologist Anetta Reszko . Tretinoin kicks cellular turnover into high gear, sloughing away dead skin and revealing the fresh, healthy skin below, while helping prevent clogged pores and breakouts and fading discoloration and uneven texture like fine lines. It also boosts collagen production, promoting firmer, smoother skin over time.
In This Story: True, these benefits sound similar to those of retinol, but tretinoin differs in that the ingredient is in its most potent, active form right out of the tube. Other vitamin A derivatives like retinol are weaker because your skin must convert them before they’re recognizable as retinoic acid. Tretinoin’s strength translates into glowier, healthier-looking skin faster, but the ingredient is not without its weaknesses.
“Tretinoin often causes dryness, peeling, and redness due to increased skin-cell turnover,” says double-board-certified facial plastic surgeon Babak Azizzadeh . “Many people wrongly think they are allergic or stop using it for these reasons.” These side effects are often known as the retinoid uglies, and they can be challenging, but they’re not insurmountable.
The key to succeeding when using all-star all-trans retinoic acid is consistency, patience, and caution—and following a tretinoin skin-care routine designed to support your skin as it adjusts to the potent active. With these steps and our expert tips, you’ll be well on your way to revealing your freshest, brightest skin yet. Your Evening Tretinoin Skin-Care Routine Essentials Tretinoin can make your skin more sensitive, especially to sun exposure, so you’ll want to apply it as part of your evening routine.
Dr. Reszko recommends following an evening routine focusing on repair, hydration, and supporting the skin’s overnight regenerative processes. “Combining tretinoin with growth factors, reparative ingredients, and gentle hydration will help restore the skin barrier, minimize irritation, and promote healthy skin renewal,” she says.
PM Step 1 : Prep the Skin With Cleanser Always start with a fresh canvas. By washing your face, you’ll be removing any makeup, sunscreen , or other residues that will prevent the tretinoin from fully absorbing into your skin. Our experts recommend using a gentle, hydrating formula that won’t strip the skin barrier and leave you dry but fully removes any grime.
Ideally, it’ll also be fragrance-free to avoid irritation; you’ll want your skin to be as comfortable as possible before applying tretinoin. PM Step 2 : Apply a Pea-Size Amount of Tretinoin Once you’ve patted your skin dry post-cleanse, apply a pea-size amount of tretinoin to your face, avoiding your eyes, mouth, and any broken skin. A pea-size amount may sound like a comically small dab of product, but we promise that is truly all you need to get the benefits of tretinoin.
“Be careful not to over-apply, as more product doesn’t necessarily mean better results,” warns Dr. Reszko. Allow the tretinoin to absorb for a few minutes before you move on to the next step, which will give it time to penetrate into deeper layers of the skin and get to work.
PM Step 3 : Use a Skin-Renewing Serum While you’re getting your beauty rest, your body is hard at work fixing any damage from the day. Make the most of it by using a repair serum after your tretinoin. A product like this will support the work of your retinoid by further promoting skin renewal while also helping to soothe any irritation or sensitivity.
PM Step 4 : Support the Skin Barrier With a Rich Moisturizer Because tretinoin can dry and irritate the skin, you’ll want to lock in hydration and support the skin barrier with a solid moisturizer. “Look for ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and fatty acids to enhance skin hydration and barrier repair, all of which are crucial for skin recovery after tretinoin use,” says Dr. Reszko.
Your Morning Tretinoin Skin-Care-Routine Essentials According to Dr. Reszko, your morning regimen should incorporate gentle cleansing, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and strong sun protection to help nourish and protect the skin. It’ll look similar to any derm-recommended morning skin-care routine but with a focus on mild formulas.
AM Step 1 : Gently Cleanse Again Aside from some excess sebum and any residue from your skin-care routine the night prior, you won’t have much to wash off your face. You can use the same cleanser from your evening routine or another formula (like micellar water ) so long as it’s gentle and hydrating. AM Step 2 : Soothe and Protect With Antioxidant Serums Free-radical defense is a cornerstone of any morning routine, but it’s especially important when using tretinoin, as the active can make your skin more sensitive to environmental stressors like UV damage and pollution.
AM Step 3 : Nourish With a Lightweight Moisturizer To further help your skin adjust to the drying effects of tretinoin, Dr. Azizzadeh recommends applying a fragrance-free, lightweight moisturizer with ceramides, peptides, and squalane in your morning routine. AM Step 4 : Shield Yourself From the Sun with SPF It’s possible that you’re using tretinoin to undo years of SPF neglect.
No matter your reason for using a retinoid, don’t have it in your regimen if you’re not going to use sunscreen too. “Sun protection is crucial while using tretinoin since it increases sun sensitivity and makes your skin more prone to burning and damage,” warns Dr. Reszko, who recommends seeking out a broad-spectrum formula (which will protect you from both UVA and UVB rays) that’s at least SPF 30, if not greater for added protection.
Dr. Azizzadeh recommends mineral SPF in particular, as it’s gentler on the skin than chemical filters. Everything You Need to Know.
