What You Need to Know About Retinol and Dry Skin

There’s no doubt that retinol (and all other vitamin A derivatives) have incredible age-defying benefits. But, due to its potency, it does have the potential to cause dryness and irritation - especially for those who have dry or sensitive skin. Not to be confused with dehydrated skin (a temporary skin condition), dry skin is a skin type that means that your skin doesn’t produce enough oil to keep it moisturised - resulting in a dull, uneven appearance that can feel flaky and rough to the touch.

However, if you have a dry skin type, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to completely avoid using vitamin A altogether. Despite popular belief, retinol can actually benefit those with drier skin types as it can help to improve the appearance of skin texture, brightness and firmness.

Keep on reading to discover our expert tips on how to use retinol on dry skin types for a visibly brighter, smoother and more youthful-looking complexion overall.

Is it safe to use retinoids on dry skin?

Yes, it is completely safe to use retinoids (vitamin A) on dry skin types, just as long as you ensure that you are using it correctly. At Medik8, we use 3 types of retinoids - retinol, retinaldehyde (retinal) and retinyl retinoate. If you’re completely new to retinoids, it is important that you begin by using a low concentration of vitamin A, as retinoids may cause your skin to experience some mild irritation, redness or exacerbate symptoms associated with drier skin types such as flaking and roughness - especially if you apply it too frequently or use too much.

Low and slow is our advice. Begin by using it twice a week for the first 2 weeks, every other night for the next 2 weeks, then every night. This way, you are allowing your skin to gradually become used to the vitamin A molecule. For those with dry skin, we recommend that you use a nourishing moisturiser such as Advanced Night Restore, which has been expertly designed to be used after vitamin A and contains hydrating ingredients including ceramides and our Midnight Antioxidant Complex to intensely nourish, restore and repair your skin while you sleep.

Potential challenges

Retinoids may have the potential to cause sensitivity and dryness when applied to skin that isn’t used to it. Therefore, we always recommend to introduce retinoid products into your skincare routine slowly; gradually increasing the strength over time. This helps to reduce the potential for irritation, and allows your skin to naturally adapt to the molecule.

At Medik8, all of our retinoid formulas have been carefully formulated to reduce the potential for any discomfort, irritation and sensitivity. Our Time Release and stabilisation technologies ensure that retinol or retinal is gradually released into the skin throughout the night, for minimal irritation while prolonging the effects overnight. Available in a variety of progressive strengths, whether you’re a beginner, expert or advanced vitamin A user, our groundbreaking formulations allow you to work your way up for progressive visible youth-renewing results.

Retinoids can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun’s harmful UV rays. Therefore, it is important to remember to always use sunscreen every morning after vitamin A use. The sun itself is also one of the main causes of visible signs of ageing. Using one of our advanced sunscreen formulations helps to preserve your vitamin A results with powerful, all-encompassing sun protection.

9 tips on how to use retinol for dry skin

As with any new skincare ingredient or product, it’s important that you introduce it into your regime slowly to avoid overwhelming your skin and potentially causing irritation. If you’re a vitamin A beginner, start by using it twice a week for the first 2 weeks, every other night for the next 2 weeks, then every night.

2. Avoid additional sensitising skincare products

While using vitamin A, it is important to avoid using other skincare products that also contain vitamin A at the same time, as this could trigger sensitivity and irritation. Additionally, if your skin is very sensitive, we recommend not using exfoliating toners that contain potent exfoliating ingredients such as salicylic acid and glycolic acid, as vitamin A already has skin renewing benefits and you could be overloading your skin with too many exfoliating ingredients.

If your skin is dry and dehydrated, you can use hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid alongside vitamin A to enhance your skin’s hydration levels for a radiant, healthy and plumper-looking complexion. By keeping the skin hydrated and moisturised, hyaluronic acid helps your skin to be able to better tolerate vitamin A which helps to minimise any dryness, flaking or sensitivity that is often associated when you first begin using it.

4. Choose your retinol product with care

Nowadays, there are a lot of retinol products to choose from and not all formulas are created equal, which can make it difficult to find the right product for you. At Medik8, we always recommend that everyone uses retinal instead of retinol as it is a more potent form of vitamin A for faster and better visible results (retinal acts 11x faster than retinol^[1]). Although it is closer to the active form of vitamin A (retinoic acid), retinal is proven to have the same low irritation potential as retinol - meaning that you can have a more powerful product without compromising on your skin’s comfort. This therefore makes retinal a better option for those with sensitive skin.

Our groundbreaking Crystal Retinal serum reinvented retinoid skincare. Formulated with our patented retinal stabilisation technology to ensure optimal potency for visible age-defying results, all while remaining gentle on even the most sensitive skin types. Available in an impressive choice of 5 progressive strengths (0.01%-2% retinaldehyde), this next-generation vitamin A formula allows you to work your way up for increased youth-boosting results and no irritation. The only reason we would recommend using one of our Intelligent Retinol serums is if you prefer a silky, oil-based liquid texture.

Here’s how to select the best retinal-based skincare, so that you can protect yourself from buying ineffective products:

✓ Look for products that are available in a choice of strengths so that you can build up your skin’s tolerance
✓ Have proven retinal stability to ensure effectiveness
✓ Have been tested on real people with proven results
✓ Contain hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or plant oils
✓ Come in air-tight pump dispensers that are NOT transparent to protect the retinal’s stability

Retinol alternatives for dry skin

Why do I have dry skin after using retinol?

Retinoids are potent ingredients, therefore it is common to experience some mild dryness when you first begin using them - especially if you already have dry skin. However, if this persists then it is likely that your chosen product isn’t suitable for your skin type, you’re using it too frequently or applying too much.

^{[1]G. Siegenthaler et al., Retinol and retinal metabolism, Biochemical Journal, 1990, 268, pp 371-378}