Have you seen the ‘retinoid sandwich’ skincare tip on TikTok? Dermatologist Dr Whitney Bowe explains how the trend works to erase wrinkles and lines and leaves skin visibly younger
SHOPPING – Contains affiliated content. Products featured in this Mail Best article are selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, DailyMail.com will earn an affiliate commission. Click here for more information.
Retinol is a key weapon in the fight against ageing skin. But did you know that it matters how you apply it?
To get the most from your retinoids, beauty influencers are suggesting it should be applied as part of a product sandwich and the term #retinolsandwich has had 26.3 million views to date on TikTok.
Licensed dermatologist Dr Whitney Bowe believes the sandwich application can work for anyone, even those with sensitive skin, to improve how retinol is absorbed by our body. All you need to start is a pure retinol serum, such as the Eve Hansen 2 per cent retinol serum that is available for $23 on Amazon.
This two per cent serum has been described as a face lift in a bottle.
It naturally stimulates collagen production to help fight wrinkles and fine lines and clear the complexion.
Shop
Dermatologist Dr Whitney Bowe explains how to create a retinol sandwich and shares what moisturizer is needed for best results
So what is a retinoid sandwich? Dr Bowe explains that it’s a process of layering the retinoid in between two layers of moisturizer.
Retinol works by speeding up cell turnover and increasing collagen production for smoother and younger-looking skin, as well as clearing breakouts fast as shown in some Before and After photos following use of the Eve Hansen retinol serum.
The Eve Hansen 2 per cent retinol serum can work fast and an Amazon shopper shared a Before and After photo showing clearer and healthier skin in just 10 days
But increasing cell turnover may damage skin that’s not used to it unless you apply it carefully – hence why the sandwich effect can help.
A layer of moisturizer can buffer the retinoid so that it’s not sitting on the skin damaging it and instead travelling around the epidermis to where it’s needed the most.
Dr Bowe explains: ‘You want a lightweight moisturizer that doesn’t have ingredients like petroleum jelly, mineral oil, or Dimethicone. The idea here is that you want it to buffer the retinoid and not block it from reaching the surface of the skin completely.’
In the retinol sandwich hack, it’s all about the moisturizer explains Dr Whitney Bowe as she recommends avoiding moisturizers with petroleum jelly or mineral oil.
Examples of appropriate moisturizers could be Dr Bowe’s own BoweGlowe nourishing cream or the other dermatologist-recommended moisturizer, La Roche Posay’s Toleraine double repair facial moisturizer which is ultra-lightweight but hydrating.
This oil free face moisturizer won’t clog pores.
It’s easily absorbed and contains Ceramide-3, Niacinamide & Glycerin.
La Roche Posay is recommended by 90,000 dermatologists worldwide.
Shop
The moisturizer should be applied moisturizer should be applied to the areas that are most sensitive to retinoids, such as the eyes, smile lines, chin area, and neck region.
Then you want to move on to the retinoid and dab a pea sized amount on the face, a pea sized amount on the neck and two pea sized amounts on the chest.
Back to the top layer of the sandwich, add a lightweight moisturizer on top. The lightweight aspect is important to avoid slugging the product into your face, which blocks it there and would lead to irritation.
‘You don’t want to push the retinoid unpredictably into the skin and drive irritation in the skin,’ Dr Bowe states. ‘So, you don’t want to use a moisturizer that has a high concentration of something like petroleum jelly and you want to apply it on top.’
Dermatologist Dr Whitney Bowe recommends using a pea sized amount of retinol for the face, another for the neck and two pea-sized amounts for the chest
After a few months of applying retinoid like a sandwich, your skin should increase its resistance and you can apply a serum directly to dry skin with only a top layer of moisturizer on top.
Interested in trying the trend? The Eve Hansen 2% retinol serum costs just $23.99 on Amazon and La Roche Posay Toleraine moisturizer is currently available for $41, so this dermatologist-approved hack can be tested for under $65.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk