The No-Sweat Bedtime Skincare Routine (That Works!)

Heard about retinol sandwiching but clueless about what it is or whether you should be getting on that train immediately? Here’s what we know…

Retinol offers an incredible solution to many skin woes. Hate your monthly breakouts? Try retinol. Worried about wrinkles catching up on you way too quickly? Retinol’s your guy. It’s true, retinol is the gold standard in skincare ingredients – just ask your dermatologist; we’d put a lot of money on them being in complete agreement.

But retinol isn’t all moonlight and roses. In fact, many people find that it’s pretty devilish on their skin, causing all sorts of irritating side effects that, frankly, make it not worth the hassle. You know the score, think redness, itching, flaky skin and extreme dryness.

This is why you’ll see countless blog posts and viral videos about how best to make retinol work for your skin type without causing all the bad stuff. Spoiler alert: if you choose the right formulation and apply it slowly and carefully, most skin types can totally appreciate the benefits retinol has to offer.

Reckon you’ve tried all the tricks but still can’t get on with retinol on a regular basis? Then you have options. The first is to try bakuchiol which is a natural and far gentler alternative to retinol. We’re huge advocates of this just-as-awesome ingredient as it works in a similar way to retinol, encouraging cell turnover and accelerating collagen production. In fact, we love it so much that we based an entire collection of healthy aging formulations around it. Check out the range here.

The other options is to try retinol sandwiching, a ‘trend’ that #BeautyTok is all over, but one which, in fact, has been around for many years…

What Is Retinol Sandwiching?

Retinol usually comes in the form of a serum which is applied to cleansed skin before moisturizer. Retinol sandwiching, however, switches things up. Don’t worry though, it’s nothing too tricky but is a very easy technique. You simply apply moisturizer before your retinol serum, then another layer afterwards, creating the proverbial sandwich effect with the retinol being your filling and moisturizer the bread.

Why Is Retinol Sandwiching A Thing?

As skincare ingredients go, retinol is arguably the best but, as we previously mentioned, its benefits are often outnumbered by its downsides – especially if you have particularly sensitive skin. Of course, introducing it slowly into your skincare routine is a great way to reduce the risks of unwanted side effects because this allows your skin to acclimate to such a potent powerhouse.  

And there are many other ways to help you reduce irritation. One of which is the retinol sandwich.

Not to be taken literally (please don’t smother retinol serum over your favorite sourdough – like, ever), retinol sandwiching is particularly good for dry skin but can be a useful tool for reducing all kinds of irritation and sensitivities.

Why is the retinol sandwich so good for the skin? Well, it creates a kind of buffering effect, adding a layer of product between your skin and the retinol which helps to slow down its absorption and reduce its potency. Not to mention the added moisturization as an extra bonus. All this means that you’ll likely be able to use your retinol serum more frequently.

Does Sandwiching Make Retinol Less Effective?

Yes. Most moisturizers contain oils and water which kind of ‘dilute’ the retinol, making it weaker and less effective. But if you’re choosing to make yourself a retinol sandwich, you’re probably doing so because you have sensitive skin and want to reduce the irritation it may potentially cause. So making it weaker is kind of the point, right?

Is Retinol Sandwiching Right For Your Skin Type?

Honestly? That’s a question only you can answer. The truth is, if you use it wisely, most retinol formulas can be successfully built into your skincare routine without the sandwich method. That being said, nobody knows your skin better than you, so if you feel it may help you to enjoy the benefits of retinol, there’s no harm in trying.

All we can say is that if you want to give it a go, make sure to choose the right moisturizer for the job. Here’s a quick checklist for you.

✅ Go for a lightweight lotion. This will be better than a rich, heavy cream because it will at least allow a little of the retinol to get through to the surface of your skin.

❎ Avoid moisturizer that contains potent, active ingredients. Certain ingredients may react with the retinol and actually increase your chances of redness and irritation.

✅ Look out for gentle hydrating ingredients. Things like hyaluronic acid, glycerin and aloe vera are your friends here.

Other Tips For Making Retinol Work For You

1. Always Patch Test Retinol First

Yes, patch testing is boring and certainly not for the impatient, but it’s important and a great way to know whether a certain ingredient is going to be the right match for your skin. Patch test any new retinol product on a discreet area of your skin first. Then leave it for 48 hours to check for adverse reactions before using it as recommended.

2. Use It On Dry Skin

Many ingredients play well on damp skin but moisture can increase the absorption of retinol, simultaneously increasing the chances of irritation. Better to be safe by applying it to skin that's dry.

3. Go Slow And Go Steady

We’re all about the 1-2-3 retinol rule. When starting out, apply your product once a week only, for one week. Then apply it twice a week for two weeks and finally, go for three times a week for three weeks. This helps your skin build tolerance and allows you to eventually be able to apply it every night.

4. Apply Sunscreen Every Morning

Don’t let damaging UV radiation screw up all that fresh new skin retinol is helping to bring to the surface. Generously apply SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen every morning as the final step in your routine. 

But you knew that. Didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?

No idea why you’re getting an influx of acne right now? Many lifestyle habits can trigger your breakouts ­­­­­– and sometimes they’re found in the most unsuspecting places.

As you know, acne is caused by one thing and one thing alone: an excess of sebum that causes your pores to become blocked with oil, dead skin cells, bacteria and other impurities. Eating too much chocolate doesn’t give you pimples. Neither does moisturizer. Sure, they can trigger breakouts if you’re genetically susceptible to them, but acne isn’t caused by uncleanliness, a poor diet or crummy skincare routine. It’s caused by blocked pores. End of.

OK, so this begs the question: why bother trying to cure them if your breakouts are totally out of your control? Well, here’s the thing. You can’t change your genes, that’s for certain. However, what you can do is keep acne-triggering factors under control to help lessen the blow. Sleeping well, reducing emotional stress and eating a healthy, well-balanced diet; all these things are important for maintaining balanced sebum and therefore reducing the likelihood of you breaking out week after week.

But there are also some less obvious reasons why you face might be suffering with regular breakouts. So if you’ve already dispensed with things like smoking, poor cleansing and too much exfoliation, but you’re still getting pimples on the reg, it might be time to look at some of the more unexpected areas of your life.

On that note, read on for five slightly more unusual causes for your breakouts.

1. Your Pillowcase

Getting enough beauty sleep is crucial for the health of your skin, but if you’re sleeping on a dirty pillowcase for a solid eight hours every night dirt and bacteria is inevitably going to build up and irritate your pores. This is especially true if you sleep on a synthetic pillowcase because man-made fibers don’t absorb sweat as effectively as natural fibres like cotton or linen.

The answer? Go natural all the way, for starters. Also, cleanse and moisturize your skin before bed to reduce the amount of grime getting on your pillowcase. Tea Tree Super Cleanser+ is a great acne-fighting cleanser that balances and clarifies your pores. Follow this with Retinol Moisturizer to lightly hydrate and moisturize your skin while boosting cellular turnover to keep your pores free of dead skin cells.

Finally, wash your pillowcase every three or four days. And ditto, your face towel. Old, dirty towels that are used by the whole family for drying their hands and who-knows-what-else are another breeding ground for germs and bacteria. Do you really want to be swiping this all over your freshly cleansed skin? Thought not. So, invest in a couple of cotton face towels for you and you alone and wash them every other day.

2. Your Makeup & Hair Products

Your skincare routine might be spot on, but what about your makeup and hair products? Rich hair conditioners, for example, are notorious for containing heavy ingredients like cocoa butter and coconut oil which, granted, are incredible for moisturizing your precious locks, but are not so great for acne-prone skin. Of course, we know you’re not smothering your face with conditioner but still, it can settle on your face when you rinse your hair so always cleanse your skin after, never before conditioning.

Makeup can similarly clog up your pores, especially if you use formulations that contain oil. So don’t do that. Instead, look out for noncomedogenic products (this means they’re less likely to block pores) and use powder rather than liquid formulations whenever possible.

3. Your Workout Routine

Do you love to get a good sweat on when you’re working out? High fives to you. However, allow all that sweat and grime to sit on your skin and your pores are going to clog up quicker than your instructor can say ‘hit the floor for ten push-ups.’

Cleanse your skin thoroughly and swiftly after exercising (the longer you leave your skin doused in sweat and grimy workout gear, the more bacteria is likely to breed), and always use a mild but effective cleanser that helps to detoxify your skin without drying it out. Our Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser is a goodie as it harnesses the powers of coconut-derived activated charcoal which destroys skin-smothering impurities to offer a deep, gently purifying clean every time.

4. Your Winter Cover-Ups

Any fabric that rubs against your skin can lead to unwanted issues in the long-term. Remember how face masks were causing ‘maskne’ back in the pandemic? This was all due to friction from the mask combining with the obvious culprits of sweat, dirt, oil, bacteria and humidity which caused dryness, irritation and pimples.

Thankfully, for most of us, the days of having to wear a mask 24/7 are over. However, if you spend a lot of time outdoors in the winter and like to wrap yourself up in woollen hats and thick, heavy scarves, these can cause similar problems, trapping sweat and increasing friction around your chin, jaw, neck and forehead.

To help reduce breakouts caused by beanies, scarves (and even turtleneck sweaters), avoid synthetic fabrics and launder your winter cover-ups regularly. Weekly, at least.

5. Your Laundry Detergent

Speaking of laundry, your choice of detergent is also imperative. Just like your beauty routine, certain ingredients in your laundry detergent can be super irritating – especially if you have extremely sensitive or acne-prone skin. Fragrance, for example, can be a real Debbie Downer, as can harsh dyes, essentials oils, strong surfactants and preservatives.

To reduce the likelihood of your laundry detergent triggering those pesky breakouts, first up, choose liquid over powder detergents. Why? Because these leave behind less residue on your clothes and fabrics (who knew?!). Also, never use more detergent than is recommended on the label, avoid fabric softeners and try double rinsing your laundry after washing to remove as much residue as possible.