Your Evening Retinol Routine, Step by Step
The right order for smoother, firmer-looking skin by morning.
Cleanse, dry, retinol, hydrate, moisturise. The exact order to layer retinol at night, how much to use, what not to mix it with, and how to protect your results.
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Written by Jasmin | Years of skincare know-how & all things Dermaworks
4 min read
Quick answer
Cleanse, let your skin dry, apply a few drops of retinol serum, then lock in moisture with hyaluronic acid and a moisturiser. Start every other night, build up to every night, keep vitamin C for the morning and wear SPF every day.
Night-time is when retinol really earns its place. While you sleep, it gets to work boosting collagen and speeding up your skin's renewal, so you wake up to smoother, fresher, more radiant-looking skin. Get the order right and you get every bit of that power, without the dryness. The perfect evening routine is four simple steps: cleanse, let your skin dry, apply a few drops of retinol serum, then lock in moisture with hyaluronic acid and a moisturiser. If you're new to retinol or have very sensitive skin, start every other night, build up to every night, and wear SPF every morning. Here's exactly how to do it.
Your evening retinol routine, in order
- Cleanse. Wash away make-up, SPF and the day's grime with a gentle cleanser, so retinol goes straight onto clean skin.
- Pat dry and wait a minute. Retinol goes on best over completely dry skin, which keeps it comfortable.
- Apply a few drops of our 2.5% Retinol Night Serum. Smooth it over your face, neck and décolletage, avoiding the delicate skin right around your eyes and lips.
- Hydrate with our Hyaluronic Acid Serum. A hit of moisture that leaves skin plump, smooth and comfortable while retinol does its thing.
- Seal it in with a moisturiser such as Pure Radiance or our Men's Daily Moisturiser. Then off to bed.
That's it. A few simple steps at the sink, and your skin works on itself all night long.
What retinol does while you sleep
Boosts collagen for firmer-looking skin
Our retinol is clinically proven to increase collagen production by up to 5x. Collagen is the protein that keeps skin firm and bouncy, so night after night, skin looks firmer, smoother and more youthful.
Softens fine lines and wrinkles
This is what retinol is famous for. With regular use, fine lines around your eyes and mouth look softer and less noticeable.
Smooths rough texture
Retinol speeds up your skin's natural renewal, clearing away dull surface cells. Wake up to skin that feels softer and looks fresher.
Evens out your skin tone
Dark spots, sun spots and post-blemish marks fade, and pores look tighter, for a clearer, more even complexion.
How much retinol to use, and how often
A few drops is all you need for your face, neck and décolletage. Using more won't speed up your results, it just makes dryness more likely. Our serum has a dropper, so it's easy to get it right every time.
New to retinol? Start every other night for the first couple of weeks, then add more nights as your skin gets used to it, until you're using it every night. A little dryness or flaking at the start is normal and settles within a few days. If your skin feels sore or stings, drop back a night or two and focus on hydration.
Got sensitive skin? Try the "retinol sandwich": a thin layer of moisturiser, then retinol, then moisturiser again. It softens the start without stopping retinol working.
What not to use with retinol at night
Vitamin C. We love vitamin C, but it belongs in your morning routine. Use our 20% Vitamin C Serum by day and retinol by night, and you get the best of both.
Exfoliating acids (AHAs and BHAs). Layered with retinol, they can leave skin red and tight. Use them on different nights instead.
Benzoyl peroxide. A common spot treatment that can leave skin irritated when used with retinol. Keep them on separate nights.
What retinol loves: hyaluronic acid and a good moisturiser. They keep your skin plump and comfortable, so you can use retinol every night and see results faster.
The morning after: protect your results
Wear SPF every single morning. Retinol makes skin more sensitive to the sun, and daily SPF protects all your hard work.
Add vitamin C under your SPF. It brightens and protects by day while retinol renews by night. Together they're one of the most powerful pairings in skincare.
Hyaluronic acid works morning and night. A few drops after your vitamin C keeps skin hydrated and plump all day.
Get the whole routine in one box
The 3 Serum Set. Our 3 Serum Set brings together retinol, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C: everything for your evening and morning routine for £34.95, saving you £9.90 on buying them separately.
Mix & Match. Prefer to choose your own? Mix and match any of our serums and save up to 15%.
Try it risk-free. We created our retinol to be a formula we'd be proud to use ourselves every evening, with every ingredient chosen for a purpose. It's rated 4.6 out of 5 by our customers and backed by our 30-day money-back guarantee.
Complete the routine
Complete the routine
FAQs
Your questions, answered
Do I apply retinol before or after moisturiser?
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Every evening
Wake up tosmoother, fresher-looking skin.
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