Retinol vs. Tretinoin: What’s the Difference and Which One Should You Use?

didn’t start getting serious about skincare in my 20s or 30s. I started in my 50s.

Nothing complicated or perfect. I started paying attention to my skin, drinking more water, finding products that worked for me, and most importantly, staying consistent.

A good reminder that it’s never too late to start taking care of the skin you’re in.

Love your now.

#SkincareOver50 #MatureSkin #Over50Beauty #HealthyAging #LoveYourNow

If you’ve been following my skincare journey, you know I’m always interested in what actually works, especially when it comes to taking care of my skin as I get older.

One ingredient that comes up over and over again is retinoids. I started with an over-the-counter retinol, slowly worked my way up to using it regularly, and eventually made the switch to prescription tretinoin.

So what’s the difference? And do you really need to make the jump to tretinoin?

The short answer: not necessarily.

Both retinol and tretinoin belong to the retinoid family and are derived from vitamin A. Both can be great additions to an anti-aging skincare routine, but they work a little differently.

And this is one place where I’ve learned that stronger isn’t always better.

Retinol: A Great Place to Start

Retinol is available over the counter. Before your skin can use it, retinol has to be converted into retinaldehyde and then into retinoic acid, the active form that affects the skin.

Because of those extra conversion steps, retinol is less potent than tretinoin, but it also tends to be less irritating.

Research has shown that retinol can help improve signs of photoaging, including fine lines, skin texture and collagen production.

This is where I started, and I’m glad I did.

Instead of jumping straight into the strongest product I could find, I gave my skin time to adjust. I gradually increased how often I used retinol until my skin tolerated it well. That made moving on to prescription tretinoin much easier for me.

Tretinoin: The Prescription Step Up

Tretinoin is already retinoic acid, so your skin doesn’t have to go through those conversion steps. In the United States, it’s available by prescription.

There are a lot of options available. This is what Michele uses.

It’s also one of the most extensively researched topical treatments for photoaged skin. Studies have found improvements in fine and coarse wrinkles, uneven pigmentation and other signs of sun damage.

But there is a tradeoff: irritation.

Dryness, redness, peeling and sensitivity can happen, especially when you first begin using it. This is definitely not a product where more is better.

Using extra tretinoin won’t magically give you results faster. It may just give you one very unhappy skin barrier.

My Experience With Tretinoin

After building up my tolerance with retinol, I eventually switched to prescription tretinoin. I get my prescription online through Agency, and tretinoin has become one of the staples of my skincare routine. I’ve noticed a real difference in the texture and overall appearance of my skin.

One thing I’ve learned is to pay attention to how my skin reacts. I’m prone to getting dry above my lip and around my nose, so I’m careful about applying tretinoin in those areas and focus it where I know my skin tolerates it well.

If my skin starts feeling dry or irritated, I back off. I don't believe skincare needs to hurt to be working.

And here's a little bonus I've discovered: after applying tretinoin to my face, I rub any small amount left on my fingertips onto the backs of my hands. Sun exposure doesn't stop at our jawline, and I've noticed it has been helpful for the dark spots on my hands, too.

The biggest lesson for me has been that your skin will tell you what it can handle. You don't have to follow someone else's schedule or force yourself to use tretinoin every night. Pay attention, adjust when you need to, and give your skin time.

You can find the skincare products and services I use here.

How I’d Recommend Starting a Retinoid

Whether you choose retinol or tretinoin, my biggest advice is: low and slow.

🌙 Use it at night. I keep my retinoid as part of my nighttime skincare routine.

🫛 You don't need much. A thin layer is enough for your entire face. More product doesn't equal better results.

📅 Start a few nights a week. You don't get bonus points for jumping immediately to seven nights a week. Give your skin time to adjust and gradually increase your frequency.

🧴 Don't skimp on moisturizer. Supporting your skin barrier becomes especially important when you're using a retinoid.

☀️ Sunscreen every morning. If you're putting this much effort into improving your skin, protecting it from additional UV damage is pretty important.

And then comes the hardest part: be patient.

Retinoids are a long game. We're talking months and years, not what your skin looks like next Tuesday morning.

So, Retinol or Tretinoin?

If you're just starting out, I think retinol is a really good place to begin. It's readily available, generally easier to tolerate, and there's good research behind it.

If you've been using retinol consistently and want to take the next step, tretinoin may be worth discussing with your dermatologist or healthcare provider.

I'm happy that I eventually made the switch to tretinoin, but I'm equally happy that I didn't start there.

One of the biggest things I've learned with skincare is that you don't need to chase the strongest product or the newest trend.

Find what your skin tolerates, use it consistently, protect your skin from the sun, and give it time to work.

At this point in my life, that's much more interesting to me than trying to turn back the clock. I want to take really good care of the skin I'm in now. ✨

Sources & Further Reading

Mukherjee S, et al.Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety. Clinical Interventions in Aging. 2006. A comprehensive review of tretinoin, retinol and other retinoids used for skin aging.

Kang S, et al. and related clinical research summarized by Mukherjee et al. Research comparing retinol and retinoic acid found that retinol produces similar types of biological changes in skin while generally producing less irritation.

Bhawan J, et al. / Kang S, et al. Long-term clinical studies of topical tretinoin have demonstrated improvements in photoaged skin and changes associated with collagen production.

Two-year randomized, placebo-controlled trial of tretinoin 0.05%. Published in American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. The study followed 204 participants and found significant improvement in multiple signs of facial photodamage with tretinoin compared with placebo.

This article is based partly on my personal experience and is for general skincare education. What works for my skin may not be right for yours. Prescription tretinoin should be used according to the instructions of your healthcare provider.