How to Apply Retinol in Your Skincare Routine

Heralded as one of the most powerful skincare ingredients, retinol can deliver myriad potent anti-aging and anti-blemish benefits. However, you shouldn’t enter into a relationship with retinol lightly – and knowing how to apply retinol is integral to its compatibility with your skin.

That’s why, before introducing this ingredient into your skincare routine, we recommend studying up on when and how often to use retinol for your skin type.

Below, we’ve curated our expert retinol guidance so you can utilise this star ingredient without impacting your skin moisture barrier.

The Ultimate Anti-aging Skincare Routine

What is retinol?

Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A known for its capacity to stimulate skin cell turnover and collagen synthesis. In skincare, retinol is commonly formulated into serums and moisturisers so it can be applied topically to the skin.

Retinol concentrations range from low strength (0.1% to 0.3%) through medium strength (0.5%), all the way to high strength (1.0%). The concentration that’s right for your skin will depend on your skin type and tolerance to retinol.

What are the benefits of using retinol

Retinol has become a fixture in blemish-prone and anti-aging skincare routines thanks to some of its notable benefits. Retinol:

Targets blemishes by encouraging skin cell turnover and regulating oil production
Stimulates collagen production, which helps diminish fine lines, wrinkles, reduced elasticity and other textural concerns
Amplifies radiance and reduces the appearance of hyperpigmentation (including post-blemish marks)

Determining when and how often to use retinol should be dictated by your age and skin concerns. For example, collagen production begins to slow down in your mid-twenties, so this might be a good time to start using retinol.

How often to use retinol

As a general guide, you can start using retinol once or twice per week before gradually increasing usage after a few weeks. Some people can use retinol as often as every other night – but this is built up slowly over time. Because it’s important to remember that, even with a litany of benefits, retinol is still a very potent ingredient, and determining how often to use retinol will depend on your skin type. For instance, retinol is often too harsh for sensitive skin types – but can work effectively for oily, blemish-prone skin types.

As your skin becomes accustomed to retinol, it’s common to experience some visible side effects like redness, flakiness and dryness.

As Brittany Hanchard, Lancôme’s national skincare expert, explains:

Skincare Expert Tip:

"You’ve probably heard of the term ‘retinol uglies’, which is basically like the skin’s ‘purge’ process. However, it’s important to distinguish between natural purging and extreme sensitivity – as persistent discomfort might be a sign that you need to slow down or stop usage"

How to apply retinol: a step-by-step guide

The most important thing to remember about how to apply retinol is to only ever apply it at night. This is because retinol increases photosensitivity, which makes the skin more prone to sun damage. As such, it’s essential that you consistently apply SPF in your morning skincare routine before any sun exposure – and reapply throughout the day as needed.

Given retinol’s potency, it’s best to simplify your skincare routine (especially when you first start out) and focus on cleansing and hydrating for your other skincare steps. Now, read our guided routine for how to use retinol at night.

1. Cleanse your face

Your routine for how to use retinol at night should always start with cleansing your face. This will remove any impurities and give you a fresh canvas to apply retinol to.

Your choice of face cleanser should be influenced by your skin type. For instance, oily skin types might benefit from Clarifique Cleansing Foam, a pore-refining and brightening cleanser that’s formulated with exfoliating ingredients to gently purify the skin. Conversely, drier skin types might favour our Galatée Confort Rich Creamy Cleanser, which comforts and softens the skin while melting away impurities.

2. Apply retinol to dry skin

After cleansing, pat the skin with a towel until fully dry. It’s essential to wait until your skin is completely dry before applying any retinol. This will help mitigate potential sensitivity and prevent disruption to the skin moisture barrier.

Apply three to four drops of retinol serum over your face and neck, gently pressing the product into the skin. Wait at least 10 minutes before applying any other skincare products; this will allow the skin time to fully absorb the retinol.

3. Follow with a hydrating serum

Mastering how to apply retinol means following the ‘thickest to thinnest’ serum rule. Your heaviest serum – so, retinol – should be applied first, followed by a lightweight hydrating serum. Since retinol is known for drying out the skin and heightening sensitivity, this can be managed with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid.

Our Génifique Ultimate Serum is formulated with a blend of nourishing ingredients: hyaluronic acid to boost hydration; seven prebiotic and probiotic fractions to support the skin microbiome; liquorice extract to diminish visible redness; and 98% pure beta glucan-cm to promote skin repair. To apply, dispense a full dropper into your hands and massage over your face and neck.

4. Nourish skin with moisturiser

We couldn’t impart advice on how to apply retinol without including this final nourishing step. Nighttime is especially important for sealing in moisture, as this is when the skin is in renewal mode.

Formulated for all skin types and ages, the Absolue Soft Cream softens, plumps, smooths and brightens the skin. This moisturiser is designed to target visible signs of aging, so you can start forming nourishing habits from any age. As for our beloved Rénergie Multi-Lift Night Cream, it’s formulated with hyaluronic acid, French linseed extract, and six different lipids to smooth and plump skin overnight. This moisturiser is designed for women aged 50 and over, making it the perfect denouement to a mature skincare ritual.

Now that we’ve explored how to apply retinol, we suggest turning your attention to the benefits of prebiotic and probiotic skincare for more anti-aging effects.