Chances are you’ve already heard about the skincare benefits of Vitamin C, Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid. These are some of the most popular names at the moment. A quick glance at the ingredient list of your favorite mask, serum or moisturizer will reveal that you’re probably already using at least one of these miracle workers to care for your skin. In today’s post I will tackle some of the questions I’m often asked here on the blog and on Instagram. Can all three ingredients be used together in a skincare routine? Is it a good idea to combine these ingredients? If so, what is the optimal order in which these ingredients should be used?
Read on for details on How To Combine Vitamin C, Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid In A Skincare Routine …
Can Vitamin C, Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid be used together in a skincare routine?
Each ingredient has its own incontestable skincare benefits. For instance:
- Vitamin C: brightens and helps with dark spots, improving skin tone and appearance
- Retinol: reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improving skin texture and tone
- Hyaluronic Acid: hydrates and plums the skin, improving the overall look of skin
Vitamin C, Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid can be combined and thus, used together in a skincare routine.
My favorite treatment trio at the moment is from Drunk Elephant Skincare. I have previously mentioned both the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum (a product jam-packed with Vitamin C and other ‘good for your skin’ nutrients) and the Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum (a sodium hyaluronate blended with ceramides and Vitamin B3) in a prior blog post here. The Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream is new in my skincare routine. Before, I was using the Sunday Riley Luna Oil reviewed in a post here. But what attracted me to the Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream is that it can be mixed in with other products before applying. That means you can completely control the amount used and allow your skin to adjust to it. A detailed review will be coming to the blog very soon. Stay tuned.
Is it a good idea to combine Vitamin C, Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid in a skincare routine?
Yes. These ingredients work well when used individually and even better when paired together.
What is the order in which Vitamin C, Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid can be used together?
Let me just state that I am not a dermatologist. I am a skincare enthusiast, passionate about beauty and avidly reading, researching and learning about ingredients. While the products I use change fairly frequently, I’ve been using the routine described below for several years now. It really seems to work well for my sensitive skin. I don’t always take the time to do Steps #1 thru #5 outlined below. But I cleanse, apply a serum and moisturizer daily without excuse.
Here’s how I combine Vitamin C, Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid in my morning and evening skincare routine on most days:
Step #1: Cleanse/Double Cleanse
Cleansing is a necessary step regardless of your routine. I’m always wary of over-cleansing because my skin is sensitive. In the morning, I only use a toner. In the evening, if I wear makeup or SPF during the day, I make sure to double cleanse. More on double cleansing, what it means and how to in a previous post here.
Step #2: Vitamin C (AM) and Retinol (PM)
I like to use a treatment product right after I cleanse and tone my skin. My favorites at the moment are the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum (reviewed here) in the morning and the Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream at night. I allow these products to sink onto the skin for 1-2 minutes before moving on to the next step.
Step #3: Hydrating/Hyaluronic Acid Serum
On most days, and especially when temperatures drop, I like to layer a hydrating serum on top of the Vitamin C or Retinol. The Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel (reviewed here) is one of my favorites, along with the Skinceuticals H.A. Intensifier (reviewed here). These serums lock in moisture, hydrating and illuminating the skin.
Step #4: Moisturizer
It’s absolutely necessary to moisturize the skin, especially as Retinols can be a bit drying. Use a cream suitable for your skin type and follow with an SPF during the day.
Step #5: Facial Oil
At night, I like to seal everything in with a facial oil. I adore facial oils and use them lots of different ways as described in a previous post here. Some of my favorite facial oils are the Elemis Superfood (reviewed here) and the Drunk Elephant Marula Oil (reviewed here). I like to press the oil into the skin using my fingers and then massage it in with my roller as described here.
Do you use Vitamin C, Retinol and/or Hyaluronic Acid in your skincare routine? Please share in the comments below.
This is NOT a sponsored post but it does contain referral links. Read my Disclaimer policy for more info.
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I love skincare articles, and yes I use every product type mentioned here though in different brands.
Just put my Drunken elephant order in so I can’t wait to try it.
Thank you Esnath for reading and of course, for your faith in my reviews and recommendations. Hope you enjoy Drunk Elephant products as much as I have. Please keep me posted and let’s compare notes! ~ Cat L.
I really enjoyed reading this post, it was very informative. I often ponder on this questions as to if its safe to use all these products together, but never thought about the order, i see its an important thing to know. I live in the northeast region of the US and as you can imagine the winters are rough on my skin period so I deal with a lot of dryness and some peeling on my face . I will definitely be trying your skin routine to see if I see any improvement . The drunk Elephant brand sounds like its doing wonders for your sensitive skin , I cant wait to put an order in for Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream and Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel along with my moisturizer, looking forward to it helping to seeing changes to my skin. Thanks for the suggestion Cat! As always great post.
Thank you Nina for stopping by. I cannot rave enough about Drunk Elephant! Their products have worked wonders on my skin. I highly suggest incorporating A-Passioni Retinol along with the B-Hydra serum in your routine. Please keep me posted and let me know how the new routine works out! ~ Cat L.
The Ordinary is an incredible line of serums, all vegan and incredible prices.
Thank you for the recommendation. They are on my list of things to try! ~ Cat L.
Thank you for sharing your advise. I plan to try Drunk Elephant products.
One question: I thought we should put hyaluronic acid serums before the creams?
Thank you for stopping by, Sally. You’re right. I use my Hyaluronic Acid Serum before my moisturizer. Serums usually go before moisturizers because they have a more concentrated formula, are lightweight and absorb faster. You can use your Hyaluronic Acid on its own (before your moisturizer or cream) or mix it in with your moisturizer. Hope this helps. ~ Cat L.
Whar about a toner? When do we use it before vitamin c / retinol or after that?
Hi Ally, thank you for stopping by. I typically cleanse my face, tone and then use a serum or retinol, followed by a moisturizer and then oil. Hope this helps. ~ Cat L.
Cat , when do u use retinol in a routine ?
can you use a retionol every day , some say not to do this but to alternate, im so confused?
Hi! I researched this topic to death(!), and I love this particular article. Very clear and helpful. The thing I’m having a really difficult time finding a clear answer on is this… What if my vitamin C serum is an oil? I have that brightening facial oil by beautycounter. I read an article that said even if it is called a serum that is pure oil it must go on last. Do you agree with this?
Hi Torrie, thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment. Now I am not a dermatologist, this is strictly based on my personal opinion and my understanding of skincare articles I’ve read over time. Usually treatment products such as Vitamin C and Retinol go right on the skin (before any other products), so that the high concentration of actives is absorbed easily by our skin. Oils by nature are heavier and are typically used to seal in the moisture and all the other products applied prior. So they go on last. I have read articles that suggest applying oils first, then spraying a mist or toner and carrying on with the rest of our skincare products. I have tried this method with different oils and personally, did not think it worked for my skin. I’m not familiar with the Vit C serum you mention. From your description, to me it sounds like it is a treatment Vit C Serum (meaning it has a higher concentration of Vit C) that comes in an oil format. Personally I would use it as a treatment serum, applied directly onto the cleansed skin and before your moisturizer and any other oil that you might be using. Of course, this is just my personal opinion. Ultimately, I would recommend you trying it both ways and paying attention to what your skin responds to. One thing i’ve learned over the years, is that skincare should be taken with a grain of salt. We are all so different. Hope this helps. ~ Cat L.
hello, am i right in using an essence first (Missha’s Time Rev Essence) then Vit C then HA serum followed by my day time moisturizer?
at night i do have the same order — cleansing-toner- essense- HA serum then last is retinol moisturizer wd niacinamide
am i doing it right? thanks!
Thank you for stopping by. I am not a dermatologist, only a skincare enthusiast, but this is the order I would use as well for the products you mention. If it’s working for your skin then you’re definitely on the right track. ~ Cat L.
Thanks Cat your postw was exactly what I was searching for! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.