A Gentler Way to Use Retinoids

What Is the Retinol Sandwich Method?

The “Retinol Sandwich Method” is a skin care trend popularized on TikTok and Instagram, where users apply moisturizer before and after applying retinol product to create a “sandwich” effect. The goal is to buffer the retinol so it is less irritating. The technique has gone viral in videos from creators such as dermatology-focused influencers and skin care enthusiasts who claim it makes retinol easier to tolerate for beginners and those with sensitive skin.

In most posts, the routine follows this sequence: apply moisturizer, wait a few minutes, apply retinol, then finish with a second layer of moisturizer to “seal it in.”

Is there a difference between retinol and retinoid?

When I say “retinol sandwich,” I am really talking about the whole retinoid family. Retinoid is the umbrella term for vitamin A ingredients used on the skin, including prescription options like tretinoin. Retinol is one member of that family and is the form you see most often in over-the-counter products. So even though this article uses the phrase “retinol sandwich,” you can use the same basic method with many topical retinoids.

What Benefits Does the Retinol Sandwich Method Promise?

According to social media, users claim that this layering method can:

• Reduce redness, dryness, and peeling
• Allow beginners to start retinol with fewer side effects
• Strengthen the moisture barrier
• Make retinol “more gentle but still effective”
• Reduce initial breakouts or irritation associated with retinization
• Help sensitive or dry skin tolerate retinol long-term

What Influencers Are Saying

Common online phrases include: “This trick saved my skin,” “I can finally use retinol without peeling,” and “This method makes retinol beginner-friendly.” Many creators demonstrate glowing, smooth skin after adopting the technique, emphasizing comfort and barrier support.

Is Sandwiching Retinol Really Effective?

Retinoids speed up epidermal turnover, increase gene expression related to collagen and hyaluronic acid production, and normalize keratinization. That is why they help with acne, fine lines, and pigmentation, but it is also why they cause dryness, burning, and peeling when penetration is brisk. Retinol sandwiching is an effective way to minimize those unwanted side effects that can happen due to retinol’s power.

What the “bread” (moisturizer) is doing

Putting moisturizer before and after the retinoid changes what happens in the stratum corneum and at the barrier:

• Pre-moisturizer fills some of the “gaps” between corneocytes with lipids and humectants. That can slightly slow the initial diffusion of the retinoid into viable epidermis and helps keep barrier lipids from being stripped.

• Post-moisturizer adds occlusion and humectants, reducing transepidermal water loss and microcracking that usually show up as flaking and stinging on retinoids.

• Retinoid efficacy depends more on cumulative exposure over weeks than on one night’s peak penetration. So, a small reduction in “peak” absorption is less important than keeping someone on treatment consistently (which can sometimes be accomplished by minimizing unwanted issues like skin irritation).

Is there evidence that proves the claims?

A new ex vivo human skin study presented at AAD 2025 looked directly at this question¹. Researchers applied 0.1% retinol or 0.025% tretinoin to human skin explants alone, with moisturizer before or after (“open sandwich”), or with moisturizer before and after (“full sandwich”). They then measured retinoid bioactivity by qPCR of HBEGF and HAS3, genes upregulated by retinoids.

• When moisturizer was used in an open sandwich pattern (moisturizer plus retinoid in either order), bioactivity was essentially the same as retinoid alone.

• When a full sandwich was used (moisturizer, retinoid, moisturizer), retinoid bioactivity dropped by about threefold, which the authors attributed to dilution and a stronger penetration barrier.

That maps nicely to what we see clinically. A little buffering with moisturizer does not seem to “turn off” the retinoid, but heavy cushioning can soften the punch. For a very sensitive or rosacea-prone patient, that may be exactly what you want in the first weeks.

Data That Supports The Benefits Of Retinal Sandwiching

There is no large head-to-head randomized trial of “retinol sandwich vs no sandwich” in real patients yet, but there is a reasonable evidence stack that supports the concept.

1. Direct data on layering moisturizers with retinoids

• The 2025 ex vivo AAD study above found that open sandwiching (moisturizer plus retinoid) preserved retinol and tretinoin bioactivity at the gene expression level, while full sandwiching reduced bioactivity about threefold.

• This is the first mechanistic study that directly tests what many dermatologists have been recommending empirically. It supports the idea that a single moisturizer layer does not meaningfully blunt retinoid activity, and that a full sandwich can intentionally “dial down” potency for sensitive skin.

2. Clinical data on moisturizer as an adjunct to retinoids

• A randomized controlled trial of patients on oral isotretinoin or topical tretinoin had subjects apply Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream twice daily to one half of the face for 15 days. The treated side had significantly less dryness, roughness, and desquamation, with better comfort scores and high satisfaction ².

• The study was not about “sandwiching” per se, but it confirms that adding a bland moisturizer to a retinoid regimen reduces irritation without any reported loss of efficacy, and may actually support adherence and thus outcomes.

3. Short contact therapy and buffered regimens

Short contact therapy data for tretinoin in acne shows that applying 0.05% tretinoin once daily for only 30 minutes, then rinsing, can achieve clinical improvement comparable to standard overnight use, with much better tolerability³.

Summary 

• Retinoids do not need maximal, prolonged contact every night to work.
• Techniques that reduce early penetration or contact time can still give good clinical outcomes if the regimen is consistent.

Sandwiching is conceptually similar buffering. Instead of washing the product off, you are slowing its entry with a barrier support layer.

Are There Risks or Downsides?

• The effects of retinol can be weakened too much: A very thick moisturizer before and after retinol can dilute it and slow penetration so much that results are minimal, especially for acne, melasma, or significant photoaging. Sandwiching is mainly for comfort, not for stronger results. If your skin already tolerates retinoids, you may not need a full sandwich.

• Irritation can still happen: Buffering reduces, but does not erase, side effects. You can still get redness, peeling, or dermatitis, especially if you increase strength or frequency too quickly just because it “feels fine” early on

• Make sure to pick the right moisturizer: When you “sandwich” retinol, the moisturizer you choose really matters. You want a lightweight, non-comedogenic formula without other strong active ingredients that could irritate skin. Avoid very heavy, occlusive creams that can clog pores or, in some cases, interfere with how well your retinoid works.

Ingredients to generally avoid in your “retinol sandwich” moisturizer

Try to skip moisturizers that contain:

• Exfoliating acids: glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, mandelic acid
• Strong vitamin C: L ascorbic acid at high percentages
• Benzoyl peroxide
• Retinoids: retinol, retinal, adapalene (you do not need “extra” in the moisturizer)
• Fragrance and essential oils
• Drying alcohols (like SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, alcohol denat.)

These can increase irritation when layered with a retinoid.

Examples of good “sandwich” moisturizers

Here are five gentle, barrier supportive options that usually work well with retinoids:

1. CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
2. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
3. Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion
4. La Roche Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
5. Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer

Are There Better Alternatives?

There are several other simple ways to get the benefits of retinoids while keeping irritation low, without relying only on the retinol sandwich method:

1. Adjust how often you apply retinol: Instead of using retinoids every night from the start, begin with about three nights per week and slowly increase as your skin adjusts. If irritation appears, cut back again until things calm down.

2. Choose a gentler strength or formula: If you are using a higher-strength retinoid and your skin is irritated, talk with your dermatologist about lowering the strength, for example to tretinoin 0.025%,, switching to adapalene, and/or using an over-the-counter, milder retinol or retinal formula. Often, a product you can tolerate consistently will work better long term than a stronger one you can only use rarely.

3. Try short-contact application: For very sensitive skin, a short-contact method can help. Apply a thin layer of retinoid at night, leave it on for about 30 minutes, then rinse off and moisturize. This can still deliver benefits while reducing the risk of peeling and burning.

How I usually guide patients

My general approach is:

• Start with the lowest-strength retinoid
• Use it three times a week with an open sandwich method (moisturizer plus retinoid)
• Gradually increase frequency as tolerated

If there is still a lot of irritation, then I have them move to a full sandwich with moisturizer before and after the retinoid to further buffer the skin

Who is most likely to benefit from Retinol Sandwiching

• Retinoid beginners
  If you have never used a retinoid before, or you are restarting after a long break, a sandwich method can soften the “retinization” period and make it much easier to stick with the routine.

• Dry, sensitive, or reactive skin
  People who get redness, tightness, or flaking even with gentle products often do better when retinol is cushioned between bland moisturizers. This includes many patients with naturally dry skin or mild barrier issues.

• Patients starting or increasing prescription strength
  If someone is moving from over-the-counter retinol to tretinoin, or from a lower percentage to a higher one, sandwiching can help them get through the first few weeks with less peeling and burning.

• Patients using retinoids on delicate areas
  For the neck or the lower face where irritation is more common, a modified sandwich or moisturizer first approach can reduce stinging and rash.

Who should be cautious or avoid it retinol use

• Active eczema, rosacea flares, or very damaged barrier
  In these cases the priority is calming inflammation and repairing the barrier. Even sandwiched retinoids can sting and worsen symptoms, so they should only be used under guidance or delayed.

• Very oily, clog prone skin
  These patients often tolerate retinoids well without a full sandwich. If they use one, the moisturizer has to be light and non-comedogenic. Heavy occlusive creams can worsen congestion and acne.

Final Verdict: Is The Retinol Sandwich Trend Worth It?

Yes! Retinol sandwiching can be worth trying if you are new to retinoids or prone to irritation. It cushions the active with moisturizer so you can stay consistent without as much redness or peeling. These benefits have been scientifically proven and documented in studies.

Sources

1. Tretinoin and Retinol Bioactivity are Retained when Layered with Adjunctive Gel-Matrix Moisturizer or a Cream Moisturizer in an “Open Sandwich” Regimen, Poster Abstract, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD), AAD Annual Meeting 2025 – https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(25)02062-6/abstract

2. Beneficial effect of a moisturizing cream as adjunctive treatment to oral isotretinoin or topical tretinoin in the management of acne, J Drugs Dermatol. 2006 Nov-Dec;5(10):985-90 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17373148/

3. Short contact therapy of acne with tretinoin, J Dermatolog Treat. 2013 Oct;24(5):374-376. PMID: 23167277 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23167277/

Helyn Alvarez, MD, FAAD is a board-certified Dermatologist. Dr. Alvarez completed her undergraduate studies at Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. She earned her medical degree and internship training from Loyola Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois, and went on to complete her dermatology residency at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Passionate about delivering natural-looking results, she is highly trained and experienced in aesthetic dermatology, specializing in advanced cosmetic procedures. Dr. Alvarez excels in injectables, fillers, neuromodulators like Botox, state-of-the-art laser treatments, skin tightening procedures, and non-invasive facial rejuvenation.

Disclaimer: The contents of the Westlake Dermatology website, including text, graphics, and images, are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for direct medical advice from your physician or other qualified professional.