Quick question · 3 min read

SPF and Retinol: Can You Use Them Together?

and how to use them in the right order.

Yes, and if you use retinol, you should. Here's why retinol and SPF are the perfect partnership, how to use retinol in summer, and the simple morning and evening routine.

Written by Jasmin | Years of skincare know-how & all things Dermaworks
3 min read

SPF and Retinol: Can You Use Them Together?

The short answer

Yes.Retinol at night, SPF every morning.

Yes, you can use SPF and retinol together, and you should. Use retinol at night, when it works best, and wear SPF every morning to protect the fresh, smoother skin it reveals. Retinol makes skin more sensitive to the sun, so daily SPF protects both your skin and your results.

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Retinol and SPF aren't rivals, they're the perfect partnership. Yes, you can use SPF and retinol together: use your retinol at night, when it gets to work smoothing fine lines and renewing your skin, then wear SPF every single morning to protect the fresh, smoother skin it reveals. Here's why the two belong together, how to use retinol in summer, and the simple routine that keeps your results coming.

Can you use SPF and retinol together?

Absolutely, and if you use retinol, you should. They just work different shifts. Retinol is a night-time ingredient: it breaks down in sunlight, so it does its best work while you sleep, boosting collagen and speeding up your skin's renewal. SPF is your daytime bodyguard, protecting that fresh new skin from UV. Retinol at night and SPF in the morning gives you the best of both.

Why SPF matters so much when you use retinol

Retinol reveals fresh new skin

Retinol brings smoother, newer skin cells to the surface, and that fresh skin is more sensitive to the sun. SPF keeps it protected while retinol does its best work.

UV undoes retinol's hard work

Sun exposure breaks down collagen, the very thing retinol works so hard to boost. Daily SPF protects your results, so the smoother, firmer skin you've built stays that way.

Dark spots can come back

Retinol helps fade sun spots and post-blemish marks, but without SPF, new ones can form as fast as the old ones fade.

It keeps your skin comfortable

Skin that's adjusting to retinol is more prone to burning. Protecting it from the sun helps you avoid redness and sunburn, so you can keep going night after night.

Can you use retinol in summer?

Yes, and there's no need to stop. Keep retinol for the night, wear SPF every morning (reapplying when you're out in the sun all day), and add extra hydration if heat and air conditioning leave your skin feeling dry. Heading off on a beach holiday? You can take a few nights off retinol while you're away, then start again 2–3 nights a week when you're home.

Your morning and evening routine

Retinol by night, SPF by day. Here's how it looks:

Your routine at a glance

What to use, and when

Morning

Cleanse
20% Vitamin C Serum
Hyaluronic acid
Moisturiser
SPF 30 or higher

Evening

Cleanse
2.5% Retinol Serum (start 2–3 nights a week)
Hyaluronic acid
Moisturiser

Retinol and SPF myths

"Retinol cancels out SPF." False. They work at different times of day and do completely different jobs.

"You can't use retinol in summer." You can. Keep it for the night and be extra diligent with SPF.

"SPF makes retinol less effective." The opposite: SPF protects the new skin retinol reveals. Think of it as the bodyguard for your results.

"You need SPF at night too." No. Retinol works while you sleep, so there's no sun to protect against. Save your SPF for the morning.

The bottom line

Retinol and SPF are the ultimate skincare duo. Use our 2.5% Retinol Night Serum, clinically proven to increase collagen production by up to 5x, every evening, and protect your results with SPF every morning. For the complete routine, our 3 Serum Set adds our 20% Vitamin C Serum for the morning and Hyaluronic Acid Serum for both, for £34.95, saving you £9.90, and every product is backed by our 60-day money-back guarantee.

FAQs

Your questions, answered

Do I need SPF if I only use retinol at night?

Yes. Retinol makes your skin more sensitive to the sun for the whole day, not just while it's on your skin. Wear SPF every morning, whatever the weather.

Can I use retinol in the summer?

Yes. Keep it for the night, wear SPF every morning and reapply when you're out in the sun, and add extra hydration if your skin feels dry.

Can I wear retinol under SPF in the morning?

We don't recommend it. Retinol breaks down in sunlight, so it works best at night. In the morning, use vitamin C under your SPF instead.

Should I stop retinol before a beach holiday?

You can take a few nights off while you're away in strong sun. When you're home, start again 2–3 nights a week and build back up.

Written by Jasmin, Marketing Manager. Jasmin has been part of the Dermaworks team since 2021. She writes our skincare guides and helps our customers with their skincare questions, so she knows our products inside out, and what you really want to know. About us

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