ALWAYS HYDRATE YOUR SKIN
To function correctly, the skin needs moisture and regular hydration. Without the correct amount of water, you can't expect healthy, firm skin.

Retinol serum can cause your skin to become quite dry, especially when you first start using it in your skincare routine. It's common for your skin to react in dry, flaky skin cells as it tries to acclimate to this potent substance. Retinol also causes old skin cells to flake away at the surface as it purges your skin of old skin cells to make place for new skin cells. This dehydration side effect can affect anyone, regardless of skin type (dry, oily, sensitive, or mixed skin). You can avoid it if you use natural, plant-based retinol alternative. Most important is retinol vs bakuchiol, bakuchiol being natural, vegan alternative to a lab-produced retinol.

COMBINE INGREDIENTS CAUTIOUSLY
Retinoic Acid is the active ingredient in Retinol, whereas L-ascorbic acid is the active ingredient in Vitamin C. Active ingredients are great for your skin, but if you use too many of them in your routine, they might irritate or inflame it. When an element is active (including phyto-actives), it changes the structure of cells and reprograms them to behave in a certain way. On a cellular level, active substances permeate the skin and repair it. That’s why it’s important to know the difference between retinol vs tretinoin and to know how to properly use each.

To get the most out of their skincare routine, many people combine BHAs and AHAs with Retinol and Vitamin C. AHAs (the class of acids that includes Lactic acid and Glycolic acid) and BHAs (the class of acids that includes Salicylic acid) are natural skin exfoliants that are generated from natural ingredients.

The skin's sensitivity is increased by each of these potent compounds (retinol, vitamin C, BHAs, and AHAs). When you use all of them at once, your skin will be bombarded and irritated. To avoid skin irritation from sun exposure or skin purging, apply a BHA or AHA to your skin in the morning and a natural Retinol serum at night. Alternatively, try using a BHA one night and retinol the next. The same can be said for vitamin C.

WEAR SUNSCREEN AT ALL TIMES
While the specific chemicals in your skincare routine will likely differ depending on your skin conditions, sunscreen should always be included. Sun exposure is linked to 90% of nonmelanoma skin malignancies and 90% of skin aging.

Vitamin A weakens our skin's barrier and makes it more vulnerable to UV radiation. Because retinol and retinoids intensify the impact of the sun on the skin, it's critical to use sunscreen when using them. Tretinoin vs retinol can also contribute differently to your sun sensitivity. Although Vitamin C's antioxidative characteristics allow it to form a skin barrier that protects against UV rays, you should still apply a layer of sunscreen to your skin for added protection. No matter how foggy or wet it is, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you wear sunscreen every day.

You must be patient to notice effects with any new skincare product or ingredient you incorporate into your routine. When it comes to trying out a new product, many consumers give up too soon. Before removing any new products from your routine, give your skin time to adjust. The time it takes for findings to appear can range from a week to many months. According to dermatologists, it might take up to three months for your skin to get the full advantages of substances like retinol and vitamin C, which modify cell behavior.