True sensitive-skin sorts know the wrestle. It is the one the place you’re so tempted to attempt the most recent and biggest skin-care components, tendencies, and merchandise, however you’re pressured to stay to your boring, bland routine out of concern of creating your pores and skin extra delicate (hello, it’s me!). This temptation has develop into all of the tougher because of social media sharing a brand new sensitive-skin “treatment” each week. Working example: the “retinol sandwich” technique, which has gone viral for being the supposed remedy to all retinoid points, even for probably the most reactive of pores and skin sorts. Nonetheless, in relation to retinol, you gotta know what you are getting your self into first.
The retinol sandwich technique is an software method that is stated to be preferrred for delicate pores and skin. Earlier than you begin slathering, although, it is necessary to get the information straight earlier than you begin messing round with retinol. To higher perceive how the retinol sandwich can have an effect on your pores and skin, we spoke to board-certified dermatologists Kimberly Jerdan, MD, and Shari Marchbein, MD, for all the things to know concerning the skin-care pattern.
Specialists on this article
- Kimberly Jerdan, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and beauty and laser surgeon in Oklahoma
- Shari Marchbein, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York Metropolis
What’s retinol?
Retinol has develop into the go-to time period to reference retinoids, which is a compound derived from vitamin A, Dr. Jerdan explains. “For topical merchandise, there are numerous totally different types of retinoids,” she says, together with over-the-counter choices (just like the gentler retinol, the mid-tier retinaldehyde—aka retinal—and the acne-specific adapalene), together with prescription choices (like retinoic acid, tazarotene, and trifarotene).
Whereas all of those totally different types of retinoids work at numerous strengths, they basically do the identical factor: assist slough off your pores and skin sooner, leaving it feeling smoother and searching brighter. Your pores and skin naturally renews itself each 28 to 30 days (although it will get slower as you become older), however retinoids can considerably minimize down that turnover time, relying on the power of the components you utilize.
All pores and skin sorts can expertise sensitivity to retinoids, but when you have already got delicate pores and skin, happening a retinoid can heighten that sensitivity. Why? As a result of any kind of barrier or safety your pores and skin had gotten used to is now getting stripped away, because of that extra-fast mobile turnover. This disruption of the pores and skin barrier paired with its fast exfoliation can be why pores and skin tends to be extra dry and flaky, which may then exacerbate preexisting sensitive-skin points.
What’s a retinol sandwich?
A retinol sandwich makes use of moisturizer to create a buffer between the lively ingredient and your pores and skin to stop it from being as irritating. The top purpose? Much less dryness, peeling, and sensitivity. So, as a substitute of making use of retinol to scrub, dry pores and skin as you’d sometimes do, a retinol sandwich instructs you to “sandwich” it between two layers of moisturizer to assist buffer the depth.
When do you have to make a retinol sandwich?
Already utilizing retinol? You possibly can implement the retinol sandwich technique everytime you need to assist lower sensitivity. Simply getting began with retinol? You possibly can implement the 1-2-3 technique:
- Week 1: Apply your retinol (utilizing the retinol sandwich technique) only one night time this week.
- Week 2: Apply your retinol sandwich two nights this week.
- Week 3: Apply your retinol sandwich (you guessed it) three nights this week and proceed indefinitely.
What are the advantages of the retinol sandwich technique?
The advantages of the retinol sandwich embrace making a barrier between your pores and skin and your retinoid to assist cut back sensitivity. It additionally makes retinol extra tolerable for delicate pores and skin. Retinol (whereas highly effective) could make your pores and skin really feel dry and irritated earlier than you begin noticing vital adjustments. By sandwiching your retinol between moisturizer, you may assist cut back these reactions.
When you’ve got delicate pores and skin that hasn’t been capable of deal with retinol previously, the protecting barrier of the retinol sandwich technique helps “water down” the retinol’s efficiency, serving to to mitigate potential irritation and irritation. In the end, the retinol sandwich technique helps you to customise your retinol expertise and will help introduce your pores and skin to the ingredient in a extra tolerable method, which is right in case your pores and skin is of course delicate and reactive.
What sort of moisturizer do you have to use for the retinol sandwich technique?
In relation to selecting which moisturizer you need to sandwich your retinol between, Dr. Jerdan says, “the blander, the higher,” advising in opposition to something with lively components to keep away from irritating your pores and skin when mixed with retinoids. Dr. Marchbein says to search for moisturizers with glycerin (a hydrating humectant) and dimethicone (a protecting silicone) to assist hydrate and soothe the pores and skin in the event you’re utilizing a retinoid.
What components do you have to keep away from when utilizing retinol?
In case your pores and skin is delicate, the primary factor you need to steer clear of whereas introducing a retinol is every other exfoliating merchandise—whether or not that be manually, like a scrub, or chemically, like an acid. Retinol is already exfoliating your pores and skin, so something additional could make your pores and skin much more susceptible to irritation. In accordance with Dr. Jerdan, you don’t need to have every other components competing together with your retinoid, because it’s the (already highly effective) star of the present.
Different components that are inclined to trigger sensitivity embrace benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid (each of which may be drying and harsh) and vitamin C (one other lively that may irritate some pores and skin sorts). They’re often positive to make use of on the times whenever you’re not making use of retinol, however examine together with your dermatologist or take into account pausing them whilst you introduce retinol to your routine.
Does the retinol sandwich technique make the retinol much less efficient?
Whereas the retinol sandwich technique will help the ingredient be gentler in your pores and skin, the jury’s nonetheless out on whether or not it makes the ingredient much less efficient—and by how a lot. Nevertheless, in case your pores and skin is delicate, the purpose of the retinol sandwich is to water issues down a little bit, thereby making retinol extra tolerable. Most moisturizers (particularly these with oil) create a barrier that forestalls even absorption so, sure, it’s extremely attainable that in the event you’re utilizing a heavier moisturizer earlier than you apply your retinoid, it will be much less “efficient”—which is an effective factor, if in case you have delicate pores and skin.
Bear in mind: The purpose right here is to assist your delicate pores and skin construct a tolerance to retinoids, since any quantity of retinol (even watered-down) is extra helpful than no retinol in any respect. Nonetheless, to assist maximize absorption whereas limiting damaging results, consultants sometimes suggest making use of your moisturizer, ready quarter-hour earlier than making use of your retinol, then ready one other quarter-hour making use of your high layer of moisturizer.
Ultimate takeaway
Specialists sing the praises of retinol as a result of it really works. Positive traces? Retinol. Zits? Retinol. Darkish spots—you get the purpose. However if in case you have delicate pores and skin, retinol could make your pores and skin extra susceptible to irritation than not. Due to this, your retinol routine could require some tweaking to get the many of the ingredient with out compromising your pores and skin.
In the end, the retinol sandwich would possibly sound like simply one other buzzy time period, however it’s a easy idea that might work wonders for delicate pores and skin. Earlier than you alter your routine, the secret’s to know your pores and skin and its distinctive wants. In case you’re already utilizing retinol frequently and your pores and skin is managing simply positive, utilizing the sandwiching technique could not make an enormous distinction. Nevertheless, in case your pores and skin is reactive, it’s possible you’ll discover including a retinol sandwich into your skin-care routine helpful, and there’s nothing fallacious with that.
Hero Illustration by Janet Mac