Can You Use Vitamin C and Retinol Together?
Vitamin C and retinol are popular and efficacious ingredients within quality skincare products and routines. Each ingredient is potent and features a variety of benefits, and there are a few important factors to consider when adding them to your skincare routine.
Incorporating potent combinations like retinol and vitamin C into your skincare regime can require planning and attention. But, if done right, the skincare benefits are great and can result in visibly clearer, more balanced and firm skin. Below, we will explore how to use retinol and vitamin C together, clearing up any questions or concerns along the way.
The difference between vitamin C and retinol
Retinol and vitamin C are both powerful ingredients that are also antioxidants. Once we understand the differences in each ingredient, we can learn how to best use them to complement each other.
Retinol
Retinol supports the skin cell cycle by promoting skin cell turnover. In your skincare routine, retinol can play a key role in refining your complexion by encouraging fresh skin cells to surface. In turn, this can help unclog pores, increase collagen production and reduce signs of aging such as wrinkles and fine lines.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C delivers antioxidant protection, neutralising environmental stressors that may come in contact with your skin. It stabilises free radicals and reduces long term oxidative stress from UV radiation. Regular application of vitamin C can help visibly reduce blemishes, dark spots and discolouration.
How to use vitamin C and retinol in your skincare routine
If you have especially sensitive skin, we suggest using one ingredient at a time. Because of their potency, layering vitamin C and retinol products directly is not recommended – read our guide on how to layer retinol serum to learn more. To get the most out of each, we recommend using vitamin C then retinol separately, during different parts of the day or on different days.
It's best to use vitamin C serum in the morning and retinol serum at night. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, meaning it can support the protective effects of sunscreen when used in the morning. On the other hand, retinol should be applied at night because it increases your skin’s photosensitivity. Always use a broad-spectrum SPF in the morning and apply both products onto clean and dry skin.
Let’s dive further into where to add vitamin C and retinol serums into your routine.
1.Begin with a cleanser
Cleansers remove impurities from your skin such as debris, oil and sweat. Both vitamin C and retinol serum must be applied to clean skin to support absorption and comfort, so the first step to using this duo is to create a clean canvas.
To encourage the skin brightening effects of vitamin C, a gentle cleanser like the Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser should be used in the morning to remove impurities. At night, the nourishing formula of our Ultra Facial Cleanser can help balance the drying effects of retinol, with squalane, apricot kernel oil and vitamin E.
2.Morning and night: Vitamin C and retinol serum
Remember, it’s best to use vitamin C serum in the morning, as it provides another line of defence against environmental stress. After your morning cleanse, apply Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution to boost skin clarity and radiance. It’s formulated with a form of vitamin C called ‘activated C’. Activated C is fast-acting and is a recommended ingredient for reducing discolouration. Salicylic acid is included to help unclog pores and remove remaining dead skin cells.
At night, apply Retinol Fast Release Wrinkle-Reducing Night Serum to experience its powerful anti-aging benefits. The concentrated formula of this serum promotes skin cell renewal to visibly smooth and firm complexions. To optimise the anti-aging benefits, complete your night skincare routine with complementary Super Multi-Corrective Eye Zone Treatment.
3.Always moisturise
Moisturisers deliver that final bit of hydration while sealing the valuable benefits of your vitamin C and retinol serum. Within your morning routine, use a lightweight moisturiser after your vitamin C serum. Kiehl’s best-selling Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane easily absorbs into the skin, providing hydration and balance.
The moisturiser for your nighttime routine may have a thicker formula. This is so the enriching ingredients can absorb into your skin as you sleep. Midnight Recovery Omega Rich Cloud Cream visibly plumps and supports the skin’s protective lipid barrier..
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Retinol Fast Release Wrinkle-Reducing Night Serum
The Kiehl's wrinkle-reducing night serum with Retinol helps to advance skin surface cell renewal. As our most concentrated dose of retinol to date, our innovative powder-to-serum technology allows a fresh, highly concentrated formula to sink into the skin.
Super Multi-Corrective Eye Zone Treatment
All Skin Types, including Sensitive Skin
Midnight Recovery Omega Rich Cloud Cream
A 98.6% natural night cream that visibly plumps and restores radiance by morning
