Best Moisturizer to Use With Retinol: 6 Gentle Picks

The best moisturizer to use with retinol is a plain, fragrance-free one that matches your skin type: a rich ceramide cream if you're dry, a light gel or water cream if you're oily. Our first pick is Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion, which a dermatologist told TODAY is "a great, light option for even sensitive skin types trying to get started on a retinol."

Below are six picks, five of them drugstore, plus how to layer a moisturizer for retinol so it doesn't sting.

Quick picks

Why retinol dries your skin out

Retinol speeds up how fast your skin sheds its surface cells. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner told TODAY that in the first two to four weeks, skin goes through retinization, an adjustment period that can bring dryness, flaking and redness. "That is why it is so important to pair your retinol with a moisturizer," he said.

Dr. Mary Lupo added that early retinoid use "can disrupt the lipid barrier," and that it's worse in very dry climates.

The evidence for moisturizing is simple but real. In a small split-face study of 30 people using tretinoin or isotretinoin, a plain moisturizing cream applied twice a day for 15 days improved dryness, roughness and flaking on the treated side.

So you're not looking for anything fancy. You want ceramides or other lipids to support your barrier, a humectant like glycerin or hyaluronic acid to hold water, and no fragrance.

Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion

Best for: sensitive skin starting retinol for the first time. Drugstore.

What we love

• Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Ranella Hirsch told TODAY she loves that it's free of dyes and fragrances, calling it "a great, light option for even sensitive skin types trying to get started on a retinol."
• Vanicream says it's free of fragrance and masking fragrances, with "No botanical extracts or essential oils."
• It's non-comedogenic and has the National Eczema Association's Seal of Acceptance, according to the brand.
• One big pump bottle covers face, hands and body.

Keep in mind

• TODAY notes it "May feel thick." It's a lotion, but a substantial one.
• The ingredient list is short and plain: no niacinamide, no ceramides. That's the point, but you won't get extras.

Key ingredients: petrolatum, propylene glycol, sorbitol, glyceryl stearate.

How to use: a small amount over your retinol once it has absorbed, or under it if your skin is very dry.

Check price on Amazon

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

Best for: dry or mature skin, and the "retinol sandwich." Drugstore.

What we love

• It has three ceramides, hyaluronic acid and petrolatum, according to CeraVe, in a rich cream that "absorbs quickly, without a greasy feel."
• Dr. Hirsch told TODAY "It offers long-term hydration with ceramides and glycerin," and TODAY named it the best overall moisturizer to use with retinol.
• NBC Select's dermatologist Dr. Stacy Chimento also recommends it for face and body, and NBC lists it as fragrance-free.
• It's non-comedogenic and accepted by the National Eczema Association, CeraVe says.

Keep in mind

• It comes in a tub, not a pump. NBC flags that too.
• It's rich. If you're oily, choose a gel or water cream below instead.

Key ingredients: ceramides NP, AP and EOP, hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, dimethicone, cholesterol.

How to use: on dry skin, use it before and after your retinol (the sandwich method). Otherwise, smooth it on after.

Check price on Amazon

Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer

Best for: sensitive, acne-prone skin, or anyone in a humid climate. Drugstore.

What we love

• Dr. Lupo named it one of her top picks for soothing early retinol irritation: "It's a great choice as a hydrating gel in humid climates and for acne-prone skin."
• It pairs prebiotic oat with feverfew and has a "milky, gel cream texture," according to Aveeno.
• Aveeno says it's formulated without fragrance, parabens, phthalates, dyes and alcohol, and that it's hypoallergenic.

Keep in mind

• TODAY lists "May cause redness" as its one downside. Patch test it before you start retinol, so you know which product is to blame if your skin reacts.
• It's a small 1.7 oz jar.

Key ingredients: oat kernel flour and extract, glycerin, feverfew, panthenol, centella asiatica.

How to use: massage a thin layer over your retinol once it's absorbed, using upward strokes, as Aveeno suggests.

Check price on Amazon

The Inkey List Omega Water Cream

Best for: oily or combination skin that hates heavy creams. Drugstore.

What we love

• It's an oil-free, silicone-free gel-cream with 5% niacinamide and an omega fatty acid complex, according to The Inkey List.
• The brand says it "plays well with all actives such as Retinol," and you can use it morning and night.
• TODAY's editorial operations manager Jillian Ortiz uses it daily and likes that it "isn't overpowering" when layered with other products.
• Fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, the brand says.

Keep in mind

• TODAY's one con is "Not rich." If your skin gets flaky on retinol, switch to CeraVe for a few weeks.
• This recommendation comes from an editor, not a dermatologist.

Key ingredients: 5% niacinamide, glycerin, betaine, glycosphingolipids.

How to use: a thin layer after your retinol, morning or night. If you're also using a niacinamide serum, The Inkey List suggests starting slowly.

Check price on Amazon

PCA SKIN ReBalance

Best for: a feather-light moisturizer for normal, oily or sensitive skin. Splurge.

What we love

• Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Alan Parks told TODAY he "swears by" this lightweight cream, which works for all skin types, "even oily ones."
• It has niacinamide, vitamin E, borage seed oil and evening primrose oil. PCA says it's "powered by antioxidants that calm, smooth, and hydrate in a single swipe."
• There's no fragrance in its ingredient list.

Keep in mind

• It's the most expensive pick here, and TODAY flags it as "Pricey."
• TODAY calls it "ReBalance Sensitive Moisturizer." On PCA's site and Amazon it's just "ReBalance."

Key ingredients: niacinamide, vitamin E, evening primrose oil, borage seed oil, aloe, hyaluronic acid.

How to use: smooth it on after your retinol at night, and in the morning under sunscreen.

Check price on Amazon

Moisturizer containing retinol: our pick

If you'd rather do one step, a moisturizer containing retinol gives you both at once. It's a good fit for normal to dry skin and for anyone who finds serums too strong.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Regenerating Cream, Fragrance-Free

Best for: a retinol night cream that moisturizes too. Drugstore.

What we love

• Retinol plus hyaluronic acid in what Neutrogena calls a "rich & lush cream," for face and neck.
• Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Linda Honet told NBC Select the line's retinol cream is "a good and relatively affordable" option.
• The fragrance-free version is made without fragrance, parabens, mineral oil and dyes, according to Neutrogena, which rates it a beginner-level retinol.

Keep in mind

• NBC notes a "Thicker texture," and NBC doesn't say which version it tested. Buy the one labeled Fragrance-Free.
• Neutrogena's directions say twice daily. We'd follow the AAD instead: retinoids at night only, starting every other night, with sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher by day.

Key ingredients: retinol, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, dimethicone.

How to use: a pearl-sized amount on face and neck at night. Neutrogena suggests sandwiching it between layers of plain moisturizer at first, then using it alone once your skin adjusts.

Check price on Amazon

How to choose a moisturizer for retinol

Choose by skin type first, then check three things on the label.

Match the texture to your skin

NBC Select's dermatologists say oily or acne-prone skin does better with a lightweight, less occlusive cream, and dry skin with something thicker. Our suggestion: on retinol, go one step richer than you normally would for the first month.

Look for barrier lipids and humectants

Ceramides make up a large part of skin's outer layer, NBC's dermatologist Dr. Terrence Keaney explains. Dr. Kseniya Kobets told TODAY they're "the building blocks in the skin." Glycerin and hyaluronic acid pull water in. Niacinamide is fine alongside retinol too.

Skip fragrance and exfoliating acids

Dr. Kobets told TODAY she recommends "avoiding heavily fragranced products, especially in sensitive-skin patients." She also says not to use hydroxy acids or scrubs on the same day as a retinoid. Read the label: some "anti-aging" moisturizers contain AHAs.

Retinol for sensitive skin

The AAD says people with dry skin or skin allergies are probably not good candidates for a retinoid, and Dr. Kobets told TODAY that sensitive skin needs a healthy barrier before a retinoid goes on. If your skin is already red or flaky, spend a few weeks on moisturizer alone first. Our guide to skin barrier repair walks through it.

When you do start, the AAD advises the gentlest formula you can find, every other night, at night only. With darker skin tones, irritation can leave dark marks, so go slowly and moisturize.

Wear sunscreen the next morning

Retinoids make skin more sensitive to the sun, the AAD says. NBC's dermatologist Dr. Caren Campbell suggests a mineral sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher during the day. See moisturizer or sunscreen first for the morning order.

Facial moisturizers for retinol: comparison

FAQs

Do you put moisturizer before or after retinol?

It depends on your skin. Dermatologist Dr. Nava Greenfield told TODAY: "If your skin is dry, use the moisturizer prior to applying the retinol. If your skin is normal to oily, apply it after the retinol." Moisturizer first dilutes the retinoid a little, which Dr. Kobets says is fine if it helps you stick with it.

What is the retinol sandwich?

A layer of moisturizer, then your retinol, then more moisturizer. TODAY's experts say it's extra hydrating for very dry skin. Neutrogena recommends the same method for beginners, then using the retinol alone once your skin adjusts.

How long should you wait to apply moisturizer after retinol?

Not long. Dr. Kobets says it's fine to apply moisturizer right after a retinoid once it feels evenly spread and absorbed.

Is a moisturizer containing retinol gentler than a serum?

Often, because the retinol is already buffered by moisturizing ingredients. Neutrogena rates its fragrance-free retinol cream as beginner-level. The AAD still advises starting every other night, and if you get dry or irritated, NBC's dermatologist Dr. Caren Campbell suggests mixing your retinoid 50:50 with a moisturizer.

What should you not use with retinol?

Dermatologists NBC Select interviewed say to avoid AHAs, BHAs and benzoyl peroxide on the same night, since they can add irritation or make the retinoid less stable. Skip physical scrubs too, and heavily fragranced products.

Plain, fragrance-free and matched to your skin type: that's the whole brief for a retinol moisturizer.