The best part about alt-retinols is that they generally play nice with other ingredients, so you’ll often find a cocktail of high-powered botanicals along with the alt-retinol player. And you likely don’t have to worry as much about sensitizing your skin by layering on multiple actives. In fact, “they can be combined with other active ingredients for more potent treatment, as well as be used any time day or night,” says Yadav. Yes, even AHAs and BHAs!
You’ll still want to follow the instructions on your specific product and see how your skin reacts (and that doesn’t mean you can skip sunscreen during the day), but generally, Karp says you can use them with other exfoliating acids without irritation.
“There is a chance, however, that the actives may decrease the potency of each other,” As a general skin care rule: You don’t want to layer on multiple potent serums in one routine. Additionally, “I would avoid using benzoyl peroxide with any of these products due to very likely irritation,” Karp says.
As for which alt-retinol to choose? Well, the good news is that there have never been more high-quality, effective options out there. There is no “better” or “worse” retinol alternative (bakuchiol doesn’t trump rambutan, or vice versa); it’s more about which active is most compatible with your skin type. “For example, pure rosehip oil is effective, but not everyone likes oily textures, Yadav explains.
All the more reason to get testing—here are some winners below:
