@samanthaschneidermd

If retinol is leaving you irritated, flaky, or ready to quit, it’s usually not the retinol itself—it’s what you’re pairing it with. When using retinoids, I stick with simple, barrier-supportive moisturizers. My go-tos are Neutrogena Hydro Boost, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, and Vanicream. A few key rules: avoid moisturizers with added actives like acids or exfoliants, focus on protecting the skin barrier rather than competing with the retinoid and make sure your face is super dry before applying (yes, you do need to wait). For layering, the open-faced sandwich means moisturizer first, then retinol (or vice versa, the order doesn’t matter here). A full sandwich is moisturizer, retinol, then moisturizer again. If you need to start with the full sandwich, that’s fine—just know it dilutes the retinol. The goal over time is to work your way to the open-faced sandwich as your skin tolerates it. Save this for your retinol nights, and let me know which moisturizer works best for you.

♬ original sound - Samantha Schneider, MD

When starting retinol, many people immediately begin searching for the perfect moisturizer to pair with it. But the secret may be much simpler than you think:

The best moisturizer to use with retinol is the one you actually like and will use consistently.

Retinol can be one of the most effective skincare ingredients for concerns like fine lines, acne, uneven skin tone, and skin texture, but dryness and irritation can make people give up before they see results. A good moisturizer can help make retinol easier to tolerate and keep your skin barrier happy.

What Makes a Good Moisturizer for Retinol?

You don't necessarily need an expensive or complicated product. In fact, many simple moisturizers work extremely well.

Some commonly recommended options include:

• Neutrogena Hydro Boost
• CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
• Vanicream

The goal is to find something hydrating and gentle that you enjoy using regularly.

Traditional moisturizers generally don't contain many ingredients that interfere with retinol, so keeping it simple often works well.

The "Open-Faced Sandwich" Method

One of the easiest ways to reduce irritation while still getting the benefits of retinol is by using what some dermatologists call an open-faced sandwich approach.

Think of it like a sandwich missing one piece of bread:

You can do either:

• Retinol first → moisturizer second
  or
• Moisturizer first → retinol second

There isn't one universally correct order. Some people prefer putting moisturizer on after retinol, while others find a light layer beforehand helps decrease irritation.

What If Retinol Still Irritates Your Skin?

If your skin is very sensitive and even the open-faced method feels too harsh, you can try the full sandwich method:

Moisturizer → Retinol → Moisturizer

Adding moisturizer both before and after retinol can create a buffer that makes treatment easier to tolerate.

However, there is a tradeoff.

Using the full sandwich method may slightly reduce how effectively retinol penetrates the skin. That doesn't mean it won't work—it simply may lessen some of retinol's strength.

Progress Over Perfection

If you are very retinol-sensitive, don't worry about getting it perfect immediately.

Sometimes the goal is simply helping your skin gradually adjust. If the full sandwich method allows you to consistently use retinol now, you can always work toward the open-faced approach over time as your skin becomes more tolerant.

Consistency matters much more than trying to force a routine your skin can't handle.

Your skin doesn't need perfection—it needs something you'll stick with.

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Want the transcript for this video instead?  

Is the secret the best moisturizer to use with your retinol? Is
the one that you like that you're going to use all of the time. Now, of course, there are certain ingredients that you should avoid, but many of them are not going to be in a traditional moisturizer. Some of my favorites are the Neutrogena Hydro Boost line, CeraVe moisturizing cream, and vana cream. The best way to use them together is in an open-faced sandwich. Now, if you are extremely retinol intolerant, and like even doing an open-faced sandwich, meaning retinol and then moisturizer, or moisturizer and then retinol, you get to pick which side of the bread you want. If you're still really intolerant, you can do the full sandwich moisturizer, retinol moisturizer, but it does decrease how effective your retinol is. So, if you can tolerate doing open phased, even if it means you know several months from now, that's the best way to handle using a moisturizer with your retinol. Which moisturizers do you like the best? Let me know in the comments.