8 Best Moisturizers To Use With Tretinoin To Moisturize & Repair The Skin

Best moisturizers to use with tretinoin
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Have you been wondering the best moisturizer you could use to compliment your tretinoin skincare routine? Well, this article will put you through. 

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As a tretinoin user, you have 80% chances of ruining your skin if you don’t use the right usage-approach. And this approach involves using tretinoin the right way, in conjunction with a suitable moisturizer. 

Not just any moisturizer, but a moisturizer that can protect your skin barrier, Intensely moisturize your skin and also repair your skin barrier (if damaged). Therefore, in this very article, you will be educated on the best moisturizers to use with tretinoin to get the most out of your tretinoin product, while keeping your skin well moisturized without damaging or compromising your skin barrier.  

But before I hit the button, allow me to walk you through on what tretinoin really is, for those new to this anti-aging and anti-acne treatment.

What Is Tretinoin? 

Tretinoin also known as (Retin-a) is a vitamin A derivative and also a medicine, topically used to treat acne, melasma and minimize skin aging-signs such as: wrinkles and fine lines by stimulating collagen production and encouraging cell turnover and regeneration process, which in turn boost skin cell renewal for a healthier and brighter-looking skin. Tretinoin either comes in a gel or cream formula.

Tretinoin usually comes in 3 strengths – 0.025%, 0.05%, and 0.1%. 

0.025% is the mildest strength and is usually used for general skin improvements or mild acne. 0.05% is a medium-strength, it’s used most often for anti-aging purpose to reduce the appearance of fine lines. 0.1% is the strongest-strength, it’s used to tackle severe acne, melasma and skin-aging signs such as: deep wrinkles and fine lines — It’s advised to be used only on skin not new to tretinoin (or retinoids). 

Unlike retinol which can easily be accessed from drug stores or over-the-counter, tretinoin is a prescription strength of vitamin A which can only be issued by a medical practitioner (dermatologists or esthetician). So it’s highly recommended to consult your dermatologist on your intended approach before using tretinoin. 

It is advised to also note that tretinoin should be used at night time-only. Reason being that due to tretinoin potentials in skin cell turnover and regeneration can increase skin sensitization or sensitivity which leaves the skin vulnerable to the sun’s UV rays attack. 

So, if you must use tretinoin (or retinoids), limit usage at night-time only and don’t forget to wear your sunscreen during the day, to protect your skin from UV rays exposure. 

What Are The Best Moisturizers To Use With Tretinoin?

The best moisturizers to use with tretinoin are moisturizers that contain a significant amount of ceramide, alongside other humectant, emollient and occlusive skincare ingredients. And why’s that?

Ceramides are fats or lipids that are found in skin cells. They make up 30% to 40% of our outer skin layer, or epidermis. Ceramides are important for retaining our skin’s moisture and preventing the entry of germs into our body. 

Ceramides being an important component in our skin, makes it a very essential structure for skin health.

As a tretinoin user, you’re more vulnerable to tretinoin irritations such as: redness, itchiness, burning and dryness that comes with tretinoin usage due to its acidic nature. Therefore, adding a rich ceramide-based moisturizer into your tretinoin skincare routine will be of great benefit to protect your skin barrier from getting irritated or damaged in the first place, intensely moisturize your skin and most of all, repair a damaged skin barrier, thanks to its anti-inflammatory potential. 

This research study demonstrated the efficacy of the combination of a ceramide-based lotion, alongside clindamycin phosphate 1.2% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel in the morning and tretinoin 0.05% gel in the evening for the treatment of facial acne vulgaris.

Therefore, in summary, when a ceramide-rich product is applied on the skin, it supplies skincare benefits such as: restores skin barrier loss, lock in moisture, protect the skin from external aggressors, makes skin feel more tolerable to active ingredients (like tretinoin), softens and smoothen the skin, reduces visible signs of skin aging and helps soothe inflammatory conditions.

What Are The Best Moisturizers To Use With Tretinoin?

Best Moisturizers to use with tretinion

Now that you’re acquainted with the importance of a ceramide moisturizer in your tretinoin skincare routine, it’s time to bring you down to the best ceramide moisturizers to use alongside tretinoin. 

1. Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion – Best Overall.

Best Moisturizers For dry skin

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Undoubtedly one of the best moisturizers to use with tretinoin because of its rich ceramide content. 

This ceramide-endowed moisturizer is made with the combination of 3 essential ceramides alongside hyaluronic acid to deliver intense moisture and hydration to the skin, making it a suitable moisturizer to add to your tretinoin skincare routine.
Individuals with dry skin (who have used this moisturizer) will definitely attest to it.

This moisturizer also comes in a cream version, which is thicker/richer in texture than the lotion, unless you want something richer, the cream is a good choice. Prefer a moderate-rich texture? Then you can never go wrong with the lotion. My experience with this lotion was a great one, as it Intensely moisturized my skin, leaving it plump, well-moisturized and healthy. Read my comparison review between Cerave and Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion

Pros

  • Product price is considerate. 
  • Fragrance-free.
  • Feels lightweight on the skin.
  • Doesn’t contain pore-clogging ingredients.
  • Doesn’t contain skin-harmful ingredients. 

Cons

  • None. 

2. Illoyoon Ceramide ATO Soothing Gel – Best For Oily Skin.

Best ceramide moisturizers

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From a Korean skincare brand. This moisturizer is blessed with ceramide, and in a gel format, making it a suitable choice for people with oily skin. 

This skin-soothing moisturizer contains squalane to nourish and soothe the skin, in combination with ceramide to strengthen and heal damaged skin barrier. And you know what? It doesn’t feel sticky, or tacky on the skin. Goes on smooth and absorbs quickly. Enjoy weightless-hydration alongside your tretinoin skincare routine with this product. 

Pros

  • Pocket friendly.
  • Fragrance-free.
  • Feels lightweight on the skin and absorbs quickly.
  • Combines squalane and ceramide for utmost nourishment and hydration.  
  • Doesn’t contain pore-clogging ingredients.
  • Doesn’t contain skin toxic chemicals.

Cons

None. 

3. Illoyoon Ceramide ATO Cream – Best For Dry Skin

Best ceramide moisturizers

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Aside from being one of the best ceramide moisturizers on the market, This ceramide-based moisturizer is profusely blessed with ceramide and other skin repairing, soothing, nourishing and moisturizing ingredients to address dry, flaky and tight skin, leaving your skin well moisturized and happy. 

Pros

  • Price is pocket-friendly.
  • Won’t clog pores.
  • Absorbs quickly without leaving any greasy residue behind. 
  • Doesn’t contain fragrance.
  • Doesn’t contain pore-clogging ingredients.
  • Doesn’t contain any skin toxic chemicals or substances.

Cons

  • None.

4. Face Facts Ceramide Gel Moisturizer – Best Budget. 

Best ceramide moisturizers

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Also one of the best moisturizers you can use with tretinoin, and guess what? It’s budget friendly. 

Richly infused with five (5) types of ceramides to nourish, soothe and repair damaged skin barrier while keeping skin barrier healthy by strengthening it, in addition to that, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and oats which are also present in this product helps further soothe, hydrate, repair and strengthen the skin barrier, while tretinoin does its magic.  

All these at a pocket-friendly price. 

Pros

  • Pocket friendly.
  • Fragrance-free.
  • Lightweight and absorbs quickly.
  • Contains 5 types of ceramide. 
  • Doesn’t contain pore-clogging ingredients.
  • Doesn’t contain skin-toxic chemicals.

Cons

  • None. 

5. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer – Best For A Damaged Skin Barrier

Best ceramide moisturizers

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Did you in any way compromise your skin barrier? Maybe due to a careless use of acids like alpha or beta hydroxy acids or tretinoin (or retinoids). Does your skin feel tight, appear reddish with discomfort? Then the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer is here for the rescue.

Contains niacinamide which is known to strengthen skin barrier as it helps build keratin, a type of protein that keeps your skin firm and healthy, thus strengthening lipid barrier. Niacinamide can also help your skin grow a ceramide (lipid) barrier, which can, in turn, helps retain moisture. 

Niacinamide in combination with ceramide makes this product one of the best ceramide moisturizers on the market to replenish skin of moisture, nourish, soothe and most importantly repair a damaged skin barrier

Pros

  • Fragrance-free.
  • Non greasy or tacky on the skin. Absorbs quickly.
  • Amalgamates niacinamide and ceramide together.
  • Doesn’t contain pore-clogging ingredients.
  • Doesn’t contain skin toxic chemicals.

Cons

  • Expensive. (May not be suitable for everyone’s budget). 

6. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream – Runner-UpBest For A Damaged Skin Barrier

Best ceramide moisturizers

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Have dry, itchy, flaky and irritated skin? These symptoms implies that your skin barrier is damaged, and this very moisture-rich, skin-repair moisturizer is here for a fix. It contains skin-repairing and anti-inflammatory ingredients like: colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, and ceramide 3, which brings much-needed relief to dry, patchy skin on your face, neck, chest, and anywhere else that’s crying out for moisture.

Pros

  • Price point is moderate. 
  • Absorbs quickly into the skin.
  • Won’t clog pores (non-comedogenic). 
  • Supplies intense moisture to dry skin with the combination of skin soothing and hydrating ingredients. 
  • Doesn’t contain pore-clogging ingredients.
  • Free from skin-harmful chemicals or substances. 

Cons

  • None. 

7. The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides – Best With PhytoCeramides.

Best ceramide moisturizers

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From one of the best skincare brands in the skincare game – The Ordinary

This ceramide-infused moisturizer contains phytoceramides. Unlike the regular ceramides you know of, phytoceramides are plant derived (meaning, they’re derived from plants). The word “phyto” means plant.

This skin-soothing moisturizer contains skin-rich hydrating and moisturizing ingredients such as: hyaluronic acid, amino acids, glycerin, urea, glycolipids, glycosphingolipids and phytoceramides, making this moisturizer an all-rounder skin moisturizing product to add into your tretinoin skincare routine to tackle dry, tight and soften patchy and dehydrated skin. Leaving your skin feeling well hydrated, soft and smooth.  

This phytoceramide-based moisturizer is similar to their existing NMF moisturizer, however, this current one is an upgrade because of the added phytoceramides to up the skin hydration game.

Pros

  • Fragrance-free.
  • Non greasy or tacky on the skin.
  • Amalgamates phytoceramides with other skin-hydrating ingredients. 
  • Doesn’t contain pore-clogging ingredients.
  • Doesn’t contain skin toxic chemicals.

Cons

  • Very rich/thick in texture which may not be suitable for individuals with oil skin. 
  • May not be suitable for everyone’s budget.

8. Naturium Plant Ceramide Rich Moisture Cream – Runner-UpBest With PhytoCeramides

Best Moisturizers to use with tretinoin

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Make your tretinoin skincare routine a game changer and get the most out of it with the Naturium Plant Ceramide Rich Moisture Cream. 

Just as the name implies, this rich-moisture cream is richly-infused with plant-derived ceramides – phytoceramides, that help restore and support skin’s natural moisture barrier to relieve dry, dull skin.

Pros

  • It’s fragrance-free.
  • Non-greasy on the skin and goes on smoothly and absorbs quickly. 
  • Richly contains phytoceramides with other skin-hydrating ingredients. 
  • Non-comedogenic (doesn’t contain pore-clogging ingredients). 
  • Doesn’t contain skin toxic chemicals.

Cons

  • It comes in a jar container, which has to be scooped with the finger before application, which will encourage the deposition of bacteria into the product. Ensure your hands are clean before scooping the product prior to application.
  • Price may not be suitable for everyone’s budget. 

In Conclusion. 

Keeping the skin barrier protected, well moisturized and hydrated is a priority when using tretinoin and to get the most out of your tretinoin skincare routine, you need a ceramide-based moisturizer which contains other humectant, emollient and occlusive skincare ingredients to get the job done. 

Therefore, if you’re seeking for the best moisturizers to use with tretinoin, then a rich ceramide-based moisturizer is your best bet and the above listed products are the best on the market. 

Don’t forget to perform a patch test first prior to commencing full product application and also as a tretinoin-user, always apply sunscreen during the day to protect your skin against UV rays exposure. Learn how to properly apply sunscreen.

UP NEXT: Care To Also Add A Ceramide-Based Serum InTo Your Tretinoin Skincare Routine? Here Are The Best You Can Try Out

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