“Can I Use Retinol And Vitamin C Together?” Here’s The Truth!
No, but really, can I? Will it hurt my skin? Let’s find out once and for all.
Researched, written by 
Amber & The Team
Updated on December 16, 2022
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Are you super into skincare lately? If so, you’re probably stocked up on Retinol creams for anti-aging and Vitamin C serums to get that radiant glow.
But hey, with skincare it can get quite complicated. Different products act differently on your skin, therefore it’s important to layer your skincare the right way.
But can all skincare products be used together, even if you do layer them correctly? How about your serums and Retinol?
In this Quick Q&A, I’m going to finally answer that burning question!
“Can I use Retinol and Vitamin C Together?”
And thankfully, the answer is simple! If you’ve been trying to maximize your skincare results, it’s best that you don’t use Retinol and Vitamin C at the same time.
Why? Because both of them need different PH levels to successfully penetrate your skin.
Retinol needs PH 5.0-6.0 while Vitamin C requires PH 3.5 or lower. Therefore, if you’re applying both of these actives together, you’re simply making both of them less effective than they could be if used separately.
To get the best skin care results for both of these actives, use them in different times of the day. Retinol makes your skin sensitive to the sun anyway, so it’s best to use it at night.
Vitamin C does not increase skin sensitivity to UV rays as much, so you can apply it in the morning (+ benefit from the radiance boost after an all-nighter!).
And if you don’t want to separate these ingredients to different times of the day, make sure to at least wait 30-60 minutes after you applied each of them, before using another!
As with anything in skincare, if you notice signs of skin irritation, it can’t hurt to give your skin a few days of rest. Skincare actives like Retinol and Vitamin C are only useful if they help, not hurt your skin.
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