Retinol

What it does

Vitamin A derivative that accelerates cell turnover and stimulates collagen.

Commonly found in: Anti-aging serums, night creams

• Oily skin — Helps regulate oil and clear pores.
• Dry skin — Can cause peeling — introduce slowly with moisturizer.
• Acne-prone skin — Gold standard for stubborn acne.

• Sensitive skin — High irritation risk; start 1–2x/week.

Common conflicts & pairings

Click any pairing to see the full compatibility report.

• Caution
  Retinol + AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) — Retinol accelerates cell turnover; AHAs chemically exfoliate the top skin layer. Stacking them on the same night can compromise the barrier, cause flaking, redness, and stinging.
• Caution
  Retinol + Benzoyl Peroxide — Benzoyl peroxide can oxidize and deactivate retinol molecules on contact. It's also very drying — combining them same-time can cause severe irritation and negate the retinol's efficacy.
• No label conflict found
  Retinol + Niacinamide — Despite an old internet myth, modern research shows retinol and niacinamide are highly compatible. Niacinamide actually reduces the irritation retinol is known for, and both target different pathways — retinol accelerates skin turnover whil