Can you use Benzoyl peroxide with Retinol? Let’s find out

Benzoyl Peroxide and Retinol both have one important thing in common i.e., They are both acne killers! & that’s why we love them, but does that mean you can use both ingredients one after the other & treat your acne at double speed? Sadly NO, Benzoyl peroxide can oxidize & degrade most of the forms of Retinoids except just one i.e., Adapalene. It is the only form of Retinoid that stays stable in the presence of Benzoyl peroxide.

Hence, don’t mix Benzoyl Peroxide and Retinol together unless you wish to get severely irritated & dessert-like dry skin. Don’t do that.

What is Benzoyl Peroxide & its benefits?

Benzoyl Peroxide is a globally recommended topical antiseptic that kills & reduces the acne-causing bacteria on the skin & treats inflammatory acne, known as Cuti bacterium acne.
It has comedolytic properties which means it helps break down clogged up pores & exfoliates dead skin cells.
It takes care of any inflammation & redness of the skin because of its superb anti-inflammatory properties.
It is used to treat not only acne but black/white heads too.
Benzoyl Peroxide treats mild to moderate acne.

A comparison picture of a girl showing difference with consistent usage of Benzoyl peroxide — **Consistent usage of Benzoyl Peroxide**

What are the side effects of Benzoyl Peroxide?

Dryness, peeling, and redness are the most common & reported side effects
If Benzoyl peroxide touches any fabrics or even your hair, it can bleach them

Any tips before starting to use Benzoyl Peroxide in your skincare routine? (Don’t miss these)

Start off with 5% of the concentration, and gradually increase to 10%. Let the skin take it slowly.
Avoid contact with eyes, nose, and mouth.
Benzoyl Peroxide increases the photosensitivity of the skin, hence don’t forget to load up on sunscreen in the daylight.
You can pair it with Hyaluronic acid, Squalene, or shea butter to balance the dryness.
If you’re pregnant/Nursing. Don’t use Benzoyl peroxide.
Product Suggestions- PanOxyl-Benzoyl Peroxide has incredible reviews and results.
Benzoyl Peroxide doesn’t gel up with most ingredients, especially mixing with another topical acne medication can severely irritate the skin.
If you wish to avoid any bleaching of the fabric, use Benzoyl Peroxide in wash forms. Face washes will be equally effective as other forms & are the safest form to avoid any chances of irritation or bleaching.

How to use Benzoyl Peroxide?

Use your normal cleanser first
Then use Benzoyl peroxide face wash, away from your eyes, nose, lips
Massage it carefully & in circular motions for 2-3 mins
Wash it thoroughly
Pat dry
Apply moisturizer

History Of Benzoyl Peroxide

The History of benzoyl Peroxide can be traced back to 1900s, when it was first synthesized by chemists. One of the earliest known publications on Benzoyl peroxide was a paper by J.B Tuttle published in the journal of American Chemical society in 1904. The paper had the description of the synthesis and properties of peroxide like its effectiveness in treating acne. The writer referred to it as ” Benzoyl Dioxide”.

It was further studied and in the 1930s, it was discovered that Benzoyl peroxide contains anti-bacterial properties which made it an effective treatment for acne.

In 1952, a paper was published by James Fulton and Gerd Plewig, in this paper the authors described their clinical experience using Benzoyl for acne and noted that it was safe to safe and effective treatment for acne.

Since then, it has been one of the most widely used acne medications and has been the subject of numerous studies and clinical trials. It comes in all forms- gels, creams, and washes.

What is Retinol?

Retinol is an oil-soluble derivative of Vitamin A that just doesn’t work on the surface but goes deep into the layers of the skin & exfoliates from within by eliminating dead skin cells & bacterial growth which ultimately leads to the regeneration of fresh young cells & clean pores which helps tremendously in acne control.

Diagram of Retinol family tree — **Retinol Family tree- Retinol is one of the 7 children of Retinoid**

What are the benefits of Retinol?

Boosts Collagen & Elastin production by speeding skin cell turnover. It tends to significantly improve skin texture.
Treat acne, acne scars, uneven skin tone and hyperpigmentation.
Works wonders for aging skin with signs like fine lines and wrinkles.
In short, it slows down aging & acne!!

Picture of a Hyperpigmentation stages of a girl with consistent usage of Retinol — **Hyperpigmentation stages with consistent usage of Retinol**

What are the side effects of Retinol?

It increases the photosensitivity of the skin
Newbies & sensitive skin types generally tend to develop skin irritation/burns/flakiness/redness at the beginning of the retinol journey

Picture of an Over-peeled skin of a girl with incorrect usage of Retinol — **Over-peeled skin with incorrect usage of Retinol**

Important tips while incorporating Retinol in a skincare routine.

Apply just a pea-sized amount
Don’t use Retinol on damp skin
Don’t mix Retinol with any other ingredient except Hyaluronic acid, Azelaic acid & Niacinamide
Do not use it very close to your eyes, mouth, nose
Avoid using any other potential irritants like acids or chemical exfoliants when you’re just starting off on Retinol. This can minimize your excess flaking.
Don’t use Retinol when you are pregnant/Nursing
You can start using Retinol in your early 20s with proper precautions
Start with a concentration of .025% – 0.1%, 2-3 times a week. Can go up to 1% gradually when your skin feels ready.
Apply Sunblock to avoid photosensitivity
Use the Sandwich method of ‘moisturizer-retinol moisturizer’, which Means a layer of moisturizer then Retinol then moisturizer again. This will prevent any possibilities of irritation.

Does Retinol Packaging matter?

Retinol packaging is literally everything, Air Exposure means Retinol death.

There are 4 types of packaging in the market.

Tubes (Best)
Pump bottles (Better)
Serum bottles (Okay)
Jars (NAH)

Tubes are undoubtedly the best & the safest form to use Retinol. Beware of the Jars form, they don’t make sense.

Picture of a tube, best packaging matter to store retinol

How to store Retinol to maintain its shelf life?

Retinol is not a very stable ingredient in nature & perhaps they like staying in cool, dark places. Quite away from Sunlight, to extend & maintain its shelf life. Hence your bathroom cabinets work just fine.

How to use Retinol?

Use only at nighttime
Wash your face with a non-comedogenic cleanser
Pat it dry
Apply a few drops/a pea-sized amount of Retinol
Maintain a distance from your eyes, mouth and lips
Massage it evenly on the face
Lock it in with a nice moisturizer

History of Retinol

Retinol has a long and complex History. One of the earliest publications on Retinol was a paper by Elmer V.McCollum and Marguerite Davis, published in 1913. It had the description of the experiment they did on rats with certain nutrients & found that Vitamin- A (which is Retinol) was essential for healthy vision. It was a significant breakthrough in the field of nutrition.

In the 1960s, a few researchers discovered that Vitamin A could be used to treat a variety of skin conditions like Psoriasis, Photoaging and Acne. In 1986, a clinical study was conducted on the effectiveness and safety of Retinol to treat photo aging and the authors described it as safe & effective.

Since then, Retinol has been one of the favorite ingredients of the skincare industry and you can find it in any variety of forms like creams, serums, and moisturizers. It’s a key tool in the fight against acne and aging signs.

How to cure Retinol and Benzoyl Peroxide burns or irritation?

Take cold showers or ice your face (wrapped in a thin cloth). Avoid hot showers at any cost.
Go fragrance-free in cleansers & moisturizers
Use Thermal spring water to calm the skin (Try from La Roche Posay)
Give a lot of moisture to the skin. Apply moisturizers loaded with Ceramides, Oats & Hyaluronic acid.
Seal the skin with a light layer of Vaseline. It locks in all the goodies & lets the skin heal faster.
Stop using any other exfoliants, acids, AHAs, BHAs, peroxides, and salicylic acid until you are completely healed.
Glycerin & Aloe vera, both are great soothing & calming agents for the skin.
Product suggestion- Try Avene- Cicalfate + restorative protective cream
Apply sunblock before stepping outside.

Happy & healed skin of a girl in the picture — **Happy & healed skin**

The Conclusion- Benzoyl Peroxide and Retinol together

The conclusion is, NO you cannot use Benzoyl peroxide and Retinol together in your skincare routine at the same time. They are both strong acne medications who hate to get combined. However, if you still want to incorporate them in your skincare routine, use Benzoyl Peroxide in the morning & Retinol at nighttime.

Other mind-blowing ingredients for the skin

Vitamin C– Vitamin C in skincare is basically a topical antioxidant & that’s how it prevents all the free radical damage in the skin and brightens the skin. Free radical damage is caused majorly by UV radiation. Hence skin conditions like melasma, pigmentation, dark spots & fine lines are all treated using Vitamin C resulting in glowing skin. Vitamin C honestly is a must-have in your bathroom cabinet!

Glycolic Acid– Glycolic acid is an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) which is water soluble & is naturally derived from Sugar cane. Since it has a smaller molecular structure, it can go deep into the skin layer from the epidermis to the dermis & functions from within. It is best known for repairing skin concerns like skin discoloration, sun damage & dull skin.

Salicylic Acid– This fat-soluble guy is dumped in literally every other product nowadays. Salicylic acid is found over the counter & the reason for its popularity is, it’s a boon for oily/acne-prone skin. It is an FDA-approved beta hydroxy acid which is oil soluble which makes it ideal for oily skin & blemish prone skin. It dissolves the oil & the dirt that’s clogging the pores, exfoliates the dead skin cells & cleans the skin by going into a deeper layer.

If you loved reading this article, you will probably also enjoy reading:

Can you use Vitamin C with Retinol?
Can you use Glycolic Acid with Retinol?
Should you apply Retinol before or After Moisturizer?
Can you use Azelaic Acid and Retinol Together
Can you use Retinol And Hyaluronic Acid Together?
Can you use Niacinamide with Retinol?
Can you use Salicylic Acid and Retinol Together?

Hope We could clear some of your doubts, Love~ Beauty Stroll