How to Add Retinoids to Your Skincare Routine

How I Add Retinoids Into My Skincare Routine

I’ve been pretty open here on the blog about my rosacea. I haven’t always had it, but now that it’s here, I do need to be careful with the products I use on my skin. I easily develop redness, irritation and that leads to added blemishes for me. For most people with rosacea, using a retinoid is a big no-no. However, my rosacea is rather mild, and I’ve found that my skin can tolerate RoC’s Retinol Correxion line without any issues. I use a combination of the regular products (my AM lotion with SPF) and the Sensitive line.

What I currently use:
• RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® DEEP WRINKLE DAILY MOISTURIZER WITH SPF 30 (at Amazon)
• RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® Sensitive Eye Cream (at Amazon)
• RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® Sensitive Night Cream (at Amazon)

I’m currently using the Deep Wrinkle Daily Moisturizer and Sensitive Eye Cream each am right after I wash my face. I typically let them sink in a bit, and then apply a BB Cream over the top for added SPF coverage and as my foundation coverage. At night, I wash my face, apply my rosacea prescription medication, and then the Sensitive Eye Cream and Sensitive Night Cream. Once those have had a few minutes to absorb into my skin, I apply moisturizer over the top.

Because of my rosacea, I pay very close attention to the level of redness and irritation in my skin. There are a lot of things that can trigger a flare in my skin, such as too much time out in the sun. If I’m noticing that my skin is irritated, I back off on all of my RoC products to every other day, and within a day or two I’ve noticed that my skin is back to normal.

Key Things to Know About Using Retinoids in Skincare

There are a few additional points that I want you to know before you add retinoids to your skincare routine.

1) You need sunscreen: In the past, the traditional teaching was that retinoids make your skin more sensitive to the sun and you need to be sure to protect it by using a daily sunscreen. There have been a few studies that found this wasn’t the case, but many dermatologists still teach this to their patients. Because even if the retinoids aren’t making your skin more sensitive to the sun, you shouldn’t be using that as an excuse. You’re using the product to fight aging, and one of the best things you can do to prevent further aging is to use a sunscreen. So use one!

2) Retinoids aren’t just for anti-aging: Retinoids were actually first being studied to treat acne, and their anti-aging benefits were found somewhat by accident. According to Dr. Bhanusali, retinoids “help for hyperpigmentation, acne, and sometimes I have my patients with psoriasis mix it into their treatment plan to help improve recalcitrant lesions.” So, those retinoids have a lot of great benefits!

3) When to skip the retinoid: I just got done telling you how wonderful they are and how we should all use retinoids, but there are some times you shouldn’t be using them. If you’re pregnant, or trying to become pregnant, you should avoid them. If you’re undergoing laser treatments or if you’re waxing, you should skip retinoids before your treatments for a week or so.

4) Retinoids are fragile things: Retinoids are pretty easily inactivated. That’s actually one of the reasons I like RoC, it was created in France by a pharmacist and dermatologist, and they were the first create a stable retinoid and a package to keep it that way. Retinoids are inactivated by exposure to light, air, and temperature extremes. I always look for a tube to apply product rather than a jar, and it needs to block out all light. Be sure to replace your skincare after a year if you have any left, it likely is no longer active at that point and you need a fresh tube of retinoid cream.

5) One step isn’t better: I’m all for saving time, and whenever I can I will use 1 product that can multi-task and do a couple of tasks. The exception is my retinoid. Since my skin is sensitive, I do sometimes need to skip days with my retinoid. Especially in the spring and fall, when the change in season means I’m using my retinoid every other night or every third night, it is much easier to have my retinoid as a separate product from my nightly moisturizer. I use the retinoid or I don’t use the retinoid, I don’t need to readjust all of my other products.

Check out more anti-aging skincare information and reviews in my guide!

Product Sent for Review, Sponsored Post, I Bought It
Lots of disclosures were mentioned in the post, but I’m going to mention it again. I’m a RoC Ambassador (they send me products and I have access to education about skincare, I don’t get paid for this), and they’re sponsoring this post. But I also want to disclose that the reason I agreed to become a RoC Ambassador is that it’s the retinoid cream I use myself. I had already been buying their products for years, they were recommended to me by a dermatologist friend as a great over the counter retinoid, and it works great for my sensitive skin. So, I’ve been one of their Ambassadors for years, and yes, I do still spend my own money on their products!