10 Best Moisturizers to use with Tretinoin Cream

Because retinoids like tretinoin cream are known for increasing skin cell turnover and causing dryness and irritated skin, it is important to use a moisturizer every day.

Here are my top 10 recommendations for the best moisturizers to use with tretinoin cream:

The article will explain everything you need to know about the best moisturizer to use with tretinoin cream for your skin type.

What is tretinoin?

Also known as retin-A, tretinoin is the form of vitamin A that your skin actually uses: retinoic acid. Beyond its use to treat acne, tretinoin has benefits like:

• Speeding up cell turnover
• Boosting collagen production
• Getting rid of clogged pores
• Clearing up dark spots
• Removing dead skin cells

While it is effective, tretinoin can be irritating and is prescription-only in the United States.

The Best Moisturizers to use with Retin A (Tretinoin)

Because tretinoin speeds up skin cell turnover, implementing it in your routine can lead to dryness and irritated skin. So, make sure you’re using a good moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated using one of these recommendations.

Best Oily Skin Moisturizer to use with Tretinoin: Dieux Instant Angel Moisturizer

Dieux Instant Angel Moisturizer is a an incredible, fragrance free skin barrier repair moisturizer to use with tretinoin cream.

Formulated with tons of skin loving ingredients like a bioactive moisture complex and amino acids, this moisturizer works double duty to fight skin dryness and signs of skin aging.

Pros and Cons

Best Dry Skin Moisturizer to use with Tretinoin: Naturium Marshmallow Root Barrier Balm

If you have dry skin, this barrier cream is going to be your new best friend. It has a bunch of skin-loving ingredients including:

• Marshmallow root
• Centella asiatica
• Colloidal oatmeal
• Arnica
• Milk thistle

Even better, some of these ingredients can help fade dark spots which makes this moisturizer ideal for acne prone skin.

Pros and Cons

Best Mature Skin Moisturizer to use with Tretinoin: Stratia Interface Moisturizer

Stratia Interface is one of the best moisturizers to use if you’re dealing with signs of aging.

Formulated with a unique complex of signaling and targeted peptides, Interface reduces fine lines and wrinkles and soothes skin irritation.

Pros and Cons

Best Sensitive Skin Moisturizer to use with Tretinoin: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

If you have super sensitive skin, you should check out Ultra Repair Cream.

This is one of the best moisturizers formulated with colloidal oatmeal, which has been proven to reduce irritated skin.

Pros and Cons

Best Anti Redness Moisturizer to use with Tretinoin: Purito Unscented Recovery Cream

Formulated with 50% centella asiatica leaf water and soothing aloe vera, Purito Unscented Recovery Cream is your new best friend for redness and peeling skin. Plus, it’s fragrance free and suitable for dry and sensitive skin.

Pros and Cons

Best Moisturizer with Prebiotics to use with Tretinoin: Korres Greek Yogurt Probiotic Gel-Cream

Suitable for acne prone skin, this moisturizer is formulated with a unqiue prebiotic strain called alpha-glucan oligosaccharide. This prebiotic has been proven to nourish your skin’s microbiome and reduce dryness.

Over time, it can help soothe acne prone skin and protect your skin barrier.

Pros and Cons

Best Night Cream to use with Tretinoin: Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Cloud Cream

Midnight Recovery is one of the best moisturizers to use with tretinoin cream thanks to its unique blend of fatty acids and barrier protective ingredients. It has a fluffy texture and absorbs into skin easily.

Pros and Cons

Best Day Cream to use with Tretinoin: Elta MD SPF 46

Elta MD is one of the best moisturizers with SPF for acne prone skin. It’s mineral-based with zinc, which is an awesome ingredient for oil control and protects you from sun damage.

Plus, it’s a hydrating moisturizer formulated with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to even out skin tone. Finally, it’s lightweight and doesn’t leave a white cast like other mineral sunscreens.

Pros and Cons

Best Budget Moisturizer to use with Tretinoin: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

If you’re balling on a budget, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is a good moisturizer to include in your routine while using tretinoin. Formulated with three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid, this cream locks in moisture and fights dryness super well.

Pros and Cons

Best Luxury Moisturizer to use with Tretinoin: SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore

Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Repair is one of the best moisturizers to use with tretinoin and fight skin irritation.

The unique combination of fatty acids mimics your skin’s natural barrier and locks in your skin’s moisture. If you have a damaged skin barrier or dry and sensitive skin, be sure to check this moisturizer out.

Pros and Cons

Benefits of Moisturizing with Tretinoin

Skin creams and moisturizers are formulated with soothing ingredients to protect your skin barrier. Some benefits of moisturizing with tretinoin include:

• Fighting dryness

• Getting rid of irritation

• Protecting your skin barrier

• Reducing transepidermal water loss

When a skincare treatment like tretinoin dries your skin out, adding nourishing ingredients like water and oil work wonders for improving skin health.

Fighting dryness

Good moisturizers have been proven to fight dryness, irritation, and to even prevent these skin conditions from reoccurring.

For best results, you should moisturize 1-2 times per day, especially after applying tretinoin cream.

Getting rid of irritation

Moisturizing is an essential step in your skincare routine to get rid of irritation and soothe your barrier.

In fact, one study testing the efficacy of moisturizing while using tretinoin cream reported: “Clinical assessments, confirmed by biophysical measurements, showed that the moisturizer provided a significant improvement in skin dryness, roughness, and desquamation. Skin properties and skin discomfort were also greatly improved and subjects were very satisfied with the product.”

Protecting your skin barrier

Even if you’re acne prone, by not moisturizing, you run the risk of a damaged skin barrier. So, the best moisturizers to use with tretinoin are formulated with soothing and hydrating ingredients to protect your natural moisture barrier.

Reducing Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL)

Picking a good moisturizer is your first step in protecting your skin barrier and preventing moisture loss. By reducing rates of transepidermal water loss, moisturizers protect your collagen from degradation and prevent signs of premature aging.

How to Pick the Right Moisturizer to Use with Tretinoin

The right moisturizer to use with tretinoin is one that suits your skin type and has some of the following skincare ingredients:

• Humectants

• Fatty acids

• Soothing ingredients

Humectants

Humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid are powerful magnets for attracting water molecules from your environment. These ingredient pull water into your skin to help maintain skin hydration.

Over time, this process helps:

• Prevent skin aging

• Reduce tretinoin irritation

• Treat acne by protecting your barrier from irritants

Humectants are especially great for oily skin types as they won’t clog pores. If you want flawless skin, you need to include humectants in your skin care routine.

Fatty Acids

Ingredients like cholesterol and ceramides are great to use with tretinoin because they mimic your skin’s natural barrier. These ingredients:

• Trap moisture

• Reduce skin peeling

• Fight dehydrated skin

• Help protect your skin texture

Fatty acids reduce skin dryness and help keep your skin smooth.

Soothing Ingredients

Active ingredients like aloe vera and colloidal oatmeal are phenomenal to use with tretinoin because they fight irritation and redness.

These skincare ingredients are especially great to use with acne prone or blemish prone skin because they won’t make your skin greasy or contribute to breakouts.

In conclusion, what is the best moisturizer to use with tretinoin?

Based on your skin type, your personal holy grail moisturizer will vary.

My current favorite moisturizing routine to use with retinoids and soothe irritation is a triple layer of:

• Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

• Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream

• The Ordinary Rosehip Oil

That being said, I have super dry, acne prone skin, so what works for me won’t necessarily work for you. Try out some of the above, and remember, moisturized skin is happy skin.

Frequently Asked Questions