Can You Use Salicylic Acid With Retinol?

Want to hear one of the terrible jokes in daily life? While you’re still coping with acne prone skin since your teenage years, you may start noticing the earliest indications of aging, such as wrinkles and clogged pores.

Fortunately, salicylic acid and Retinol are two skin-care compounds that can be helpful.

The other is a vitamin A derivative, whereas the first is a chemical exfoliant. They both have a lot of power, so you might have heard that using both simultaneously is dangerous or that you should pick one over the other.

But is it the case? In this article, we will go through the benefits of salicylic acid and Retinol to conclude whether can you use salicylic acid with retinol or not and different ways to apply them collectively.

The Basics Of Salicylic Acid 

A beta-hydroxy acid (BHA), salicylic acid, is used to exfoliate the skin. Salicylic acid is a substance derived from the willow tree’s bark, but it is typically created chemically in a laboratory.

It aids in breaking down the connections that hold the dead skin cells on the skin’s surface together when applied topically. Weaker bonds are much simpler to remove from the surface and pose less risk of accumulation.

Since dead cells or other detritus clog pores and trap bacteria inside, most breakouts are caused by this erythema effect. Your complexion will appear brighter and much more attractive with fewer dead skin cells hanging on the skin’s surface, and your face will be more even and lucid.

Salicylic acid is soluble in oils as well. Solubility refers to how quickly a product can disintegrate into another substance. In this instance, it is most conveniently dissolved in oil because salicylic acid is absorbed. Since oil (excess sebum) is one of the most prevalent components of the skin’s surface, this property makes the substance incredibly effective at what it does.

Salicylic acid can massage from within if it can go farther into the pores and travel there with the skin’s natural excess oil.

Uses Of Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid has many advantages, especially for people who frequently break out. These advantages could include the following:

1- Restoring skin’s health and avoiding further outbreaks

2- Lowering the number of whiteheads and blackheads

3- Scrubbing the skin

4- Defining a smooth complexion for oily skin types

5- Clearing blocked pores

6- Reducing too much oil

7- Products containing salicylic acid are typically sold without a prescription.

The Basics Of Retinol

One of the pinnacle products is Retinol, primarily for those worried about visible premature skin ageing. Although most people are familiar with the ingredient’s name, they are still determining what it is and where it originates from.

Vitamin A comes from Retinol, which the body needs for many different processes. When used topically, the chemical does, however, have additional cosmetic advantages.

The capacity of Retinol to accelerate the skin’s cell turnover rate is by far its most significant advantage. Generally speaking, the body spontaneously produces and replaces new skin cells every 30 days or so (although this depends on your age).

Instead of older, dead skin cells, when this process is sped up, you see those new, youthful skin cells. This means that you can even out your skin tone, minimize fine lines and wrinkles, and dark patches (hyperpigmentation), and enhance the general texture of your skin.

Uses Of Retinol

Similar to salicylic acid, Retinol has certain advantages for the skin.

1- Decreases the visibility of wrinkles and fine lines

2- Cleanse pores to reduce their size.

3- Lighten the skin tone

4- Skin tone uniformization

While some retinol creams can be purchased without a prescription, stronger versions necessitate a dermatologist consultation and a pharmaceutical.

Can Salicylic Acid Be Used With Retinol? 

Mostly, there are majority of skin concerns rather than simply one. Unfortunately, doing so necessitates combining components, which can be challenging if you need clarification on which ones work well together.

Combining salicylic acid with Retinol may be alluring if you are battling adult breakouts and apparent signs of premature ageing. Since each chemical treats a particular skin condition effectively, it is highly regarded in dermatology. Salicylic acid, however, can be used with Retinol.

Yes, if you are conscious of its tendency for dryness.

Combining the ingredients effectively doubles the chance that they will unduly dry or dehydrate the skin. But that shouldn’t prevent you from reaping their advantages.

Combine the usage of these products in your skin-care regimen to help lower the likelihood of dry skin. Apply your salicylic acid solution in the daytime and your retinol treatment at night to achieve this.

A high-quality moisturizer should also be a part of your same skincare routine. Your moisture skin barrier may be harmed due to how your skin responds to both salicylic acid and retinol. You may prevent problems from starting by keeping your skin as hydrated as you can by using moisturizer and consuming a lot of water.

What Else Should You Know? 

When using salicylic acid and Retinol combined, you should watch for extreme skin dryness and add one more skin care product to your regimen.

Regardless of which beauty products you use, everyone should wear sunscreen before going outside, but this is a must when Retinol is a part of your regimen. Retinol’s capacity to quicken skin cell turnover also renders the skin more vulnerable to UV damage. Therefore, you must incorporate sunscreen into your everyday skin care regimen.

However, Remember that not all SPFs are created equally.

There are a few essential things to consider when selecting sunscreen. Dermatologists recommend that a good sunscreen has broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays, is waterproof, and has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher.

Anything else may not be adequate to shield you from the damaging impacts of the sun over the long and short term.

Another potential negative consequence when you mix salicylic acid and Retinol is skin inflammation. Both solutions are so robust that the skin can first have trouble adjusting. The possibility of inflammation can be reduced by applying the treatments gradually and one at a time. Limit your use of salicylic acid to once or twice a week at most.

Retinol should be used in the same way once your skin has acclimated. Reduce or stop using it altogether if you have sensitive skin and you start to feel any skin irritation.

Skin care usually entails trying out many products unless you come across the most effective ones. There are other solutions if you gradually try to use salicylic acid and retinoic acid but discover they are also too harsh for your skin.

Try applying salicylic acid on its own first, followed by Retinol later once your skin has finally resolved.

How to Use Salicylic Acid and Retinol Together?

Following are the ways to use salicylic acid with retinol.

1- Apply Salicylic Acid in the Morning and Retinol at Night 

Applying salicylic acid and Retinol at various points throughout the day is the simplest method to include them in your routine.

The majority of dermatologists advise just using Retinol at night. According to Dr. Whitney Bowe, Retinol increases your skin’s sensitivity to UV radiation, and sunshine reduces a product’s effectiveness.

After that, you can use salicylic acid in the morning. It’s important to remember that salicylic acid is not photosensitizing and may have some photoprotective effects, even if midday sunscreen application is usually recommended.

2- Apply Salicylic Acid and Retinol on Alternate Nights 

Alternating between these active substances only at night is an additional possibility. So, one night after cleansing, you can use your salicylic acid on bare skin. You would instead use your retinol that night.

You can even alter the frequency to accommodate your skin’s tolerance and goals. So your daily schedule can resemble one of these:

• On alternate nights, use salicylic acid and Retinol.
• After two nights of salicylic acid, the third night was spent with Retinol.
• Salicylic acid on the third night after two nights of Retinol.
• Salicylic acid for one night, a second “night off,” Retinol for the third night, and a fourth “night off” are the recommended regiments.

If you have delicate skin or are just starting to use harsher products and need to build up a tolerance, this is the best way to approach active ingredients. Start with a small amount of each and gradually up the frequency or concentration.

3- Apply Salicylic Acid and Retinol 30 Minutes Apart

What if you want to wear both Retinol and salicylic acid simultaneously? It is possible, but only if you persevere in waiting between coats.

Start with your salicylic acid, which is the most acidic product, first. Wait a decent half an hour after applying it, as advised. The pH range it was designed to work at (between 3.0 and 4.0), where it permeates best, is where you want to give it enough time to work.

Apply your Retinol as soon as the timeframe is over. Your skin’s pH should now be back to its average, more neutral level, which is ideal for retinol conversion.

We do not advise trying this if your skin isn’t already accustomed to salicylic acid or Retinol because it may still increase the likelihood of discomfort. The essential advantage of including the cooling-off period is that it will maintain the potency of each ingredient without unintentionally lowering absorption or conversion.

Bottom Line

To sum up, it is okay to use Salicylic acid and Retinol together as long as you take preventive measures against inflammation and keep your skin hydrated. Both components are extraordinarily effective for your skin health and could yield long-lasting and gleaming results.

If you are still uncertain about incorporating them into your skin-care routine, we recommend talking to a dermatologist.