Medical-grade skin care brand SkinCeuticals specializes in creating formulas with clinically proven ingredients that help improve the appearance of aging skin. Powering many of its skin care products are two potent active ingredients: glycolic acid and retinol. These two actives both have lengthy lists of anti-aging benefits for skin, and both may have a place in your skin care routine. Follow along as we answer questions such as:

• What are retinol’s anti-aging benefits?

• What are the skin benefits of glycolic acid?

• How can I use retinol and glycolic acid together?

• What are the best anti-aging retinol products from SkinCeuticals?

• What are the best anti-aging acid products from SkinCeuticals?

Retinol for anti-aging

Retinol is derived from vitamin A, which promotes the production of collagen and elastin in your skin. “As we age, our bodies naturally start producing less of both collagen and elastin,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “By promoting the production of both collagen and elastin, retinol helps prevent future signs of aging and also helps reduce the appearance of existing lines and wrinkles.”

Retinol can also help with other signs of aging, such as dark spots and hyperpigmentation that may have developed as a result of sun damage. It’s most commonly found in facial creams and serums.

The skin benefits of glycolic acid

Glycolic acid is a type of alpha hydroxy acid that benefits the skin by acting as a chemical exfoliant. “As we age, our skin’s natural cellular turnover process slows down. Glycolic acid works by loosening the bonds between dead skin cells, so they can easily be exfoliated to reveal new skin cells underneath,” Dr. Schlessinger says. “It helps dull skin appear brighter and uneven skin appear more even-looking. As a result, the active ingredients in other skin care products will absorb more effectively.”

Because glycolic acid helps boost collagen production, it can also help reduce the appearance of fine lines. Glycolic acid’s exfoliating abilities can also help treat acne on the face and body and skin conditions such as keratosis pilaris. Glycolic acid is used in professional-grade chemical peels, and it can also be found in a number of skin care products for at-home use, including cleansers, serums and toners.

How to use glycolic acid and retinol together

Using high concentrations of glycolic acid and retinol at the same time can be potentially irritating, so if you have sensitive skin, it’s best to avoid layering them over one another.

“However, you can definitely incorporate both glycolic acid and retinol into your skin routine,” Dr. Schlessinger says. “They complement each other well, as glycolic acid’s exfoliating effect helps retinol better penetrate your skin.”

If you’d like to try using a glycolic acid serum and a retinol night cream, for example, you could introduce them on different days, starting one or two times a week and working up to using them on alternating days. “You could also try a cleanser with glycolic acid followed by a retinol cream,” Dr. Schlessinger says.

One key factor to keep in mind when using glycolic acid and retinol is that both of these active ingredients make your skin more sun-sensitive. “You don’t want to undo the anti-aging benefits of retinol and glycolic acid by leaving your skin vulnerable to sun damage,” Dr. Schlessinger says. “That’s why a thorough application of broad-spectrum sunscreen is especially important to protect your skin against photoaging.”

SkinCeuticals makes a variety of broad-spectrum sunscreen options for both face and body, so you can find a formula that you’ll look forward to applying often.

The best anti-aging retinol products from SkinCeuticals

SkinCeuticals makes a number of fantastic retinol anti-aging products. Here are two of our favorites that deserve a spot in your skin care routine.

SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 Refining + Anti-Aging Night Cream

SkinCeuticals offers anti-aging retinol treatments for your face in three different concentrations: 0.3%, 0.5% and 1%. If you’ve tried retinol before, this mid-tier concentration of 0.5% pure retinol is a great place to start for most skin types if you need help targeting wrinkles, fine lines and discoloration. Because retinol can sometimes cause redness and irritation, this formula also contains bisabolol, a chamomile extract to help calm skin.

If you’re a newbie to retinol or need a formula that’s a bit more gentle, you’ll want to start with SkinCeuticals’ entry-level retinol night cream, which has a 0.3% potency. If you’ve used retinol at a strength of 0.5% for some time and are ready to up the ante, you can graduate to the highest level of retinol with SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream.

SkinCeuticals Tripeptide-R Retinol Neck Repair Cream

Your face isn’t the only place that can reap the powerful anti-aging benefits of retinol. This neck cream combines 0.2% time-released retinol with a tripeptide complex to help reduce the appearance of crepey texture and neck wrinkles. In a 16-week clinical study, users reported a 28% improvement in the smoothness of their neck skin and 27% improvement in crepiness.

The Best Anti-Aging Acid Products From SkinCeuticals

Glycolic acid is a key ingredient in a number of skin care products from SkinCeuticals. Here are three of the best anti-aging acid products to consider adding to your skin care routine.

SkinCeuticals Glycolic Renewal Cleanser Gel

Using a facial cleanser with glycolic acid is a great way to gently exfoliate your skin on a daily basis. This cleansing gel contains 8% glycolic acid combined with 1% phytic acid, which both work together to clear away dead skin cells to leave skin looking smoother and brighter. It also contains aloe leaf extract, which helps soothe and moisturize your skin.

SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight Exfoliating Treatment

If you’re looking for a high-potency glycolic acid treatment to help improve your skin’s tone and texture, give this renewing night cream a try. It combines a soothing complex of natural botanicals and oils with 10% glycolic acid and 2% phytic acid to promote cellular turnover and effective exfoliation. The result? Smoother, more radiant-looking skin.

SkinCeuticals Adult Anti-Acne System

Glycolic acid’s exfoliating abilities also make it a great acne-fighting ingredient. This acne care set contains two SkinCeuticals products formulated with glycolic acid: the SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser Gel and the SkinCeuticals LHA Toner. Both products combine the exfoliating power of glycolic acid with LHA, a lipo-hydroxy acid that has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits to help reduce stubborn acne. Rounding out this kit is the SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense, an oil-free salicylic acid serum that helps prevent breakouts and blotchiness.

Now that you’ve read up on the best anti-aging retinol and anti-aging glycolic acid products, you can check out our blog post on the best SkinCeuticals products featuring niacinamide.