Mixing Retinol with Your Body Cream Sounds Genius… Until You Hear This
Main image – Ohlamourstudio/Stocksy
When it comes to body skin, we true beauty addicts are finally realising that looking after it as well as we do our facial skin is essential. So it’s no surprise then that there’s been a huge rise in people reaching for retinol body creams.
After all, retinol– a derivative of vitamin A- is pretty much the gold standard for its texture improving, breakout banishing and overall skin-boosting properties. And since so many of us include it in our daily skincare routines, adding it into our body care as well seems like a no brainer.
Sadly though, this strategy comes at a price – literally – since dedicated retinol body creams tend to be much more expensive and contain a relatively low retinol strength. Take, for example, Paula’s Choice Retinol Body Treatment (a regular of many a “Best retinol body cream” roundup) which is £34/$32 and comes in a surprisingly small 118ml bottle for a body product.
So why not spend less and go with the ever-growing online suggestion of mixing a cheap facial retinol in with your regular body cream, I hear you ask. Surely it’s another no-brainer… Or is it?
Here, with help from some expert tips from GP and aesthetics doctor Dr Ahmed El Muntasar, I find out whether combining your body moisturiser with your retinol is actually safe and if it really is an effective way to both save money and get better skin.
Is retinol even beneficial in body care?
It is according to Dr El Muntasar, the answer’s yes; “particularly because it can be used across larger surface areas,” he says. And there’s no arguing with the results.
Image – Katarinaradovic/Stocksy
“It helps improve skin texture, supports collagen production and increases cellular turnover, which leads to smoother skin overall. It is especially effective for addressing sun-damaged areas and uneven skin texture on the body.”
Can you mix your regular retinol into your body cream?
“It depends,” he says. “Using an expensive facial retinol and mixing it into a body cream is not ideal and doesn’t really make sense. From a dosing perspective, you don’t want to apply a high-strength facial retinol over a very large surface area like the body. There are also issues with uneven distribution when mixing products yourself, as well as potential stability problems once the retinol is mixed into another formula.”
So what would be the specific risks to the skin? “There is no real evidence that DIY mixing of retinol improves results,” Dr El Muntasar warns.
“In fact, there is evidence suggesting it can increase the risk of dermatitis, which is inflammation of the skin, as well as pigmentation issues and over-exfoliation. Given these risks and the lack of proven benefit, it is generally not worth doing.”
Sadly then, it seems that getting results isn’t quite as easy as DIY-ing it, plus it appears it could potentially worsen your skin. “It is far better to use a retinol product that has been specifically formulated for body use, so the dosing is appropriate and controlled.”
Alternative ingredients
Whilst retinol is highly effective, it can also be too powerful for some. But luckily there are alternative ingredients you can try. “Ingredients such as bakuchiol, AHAs and BHAs, including lactic acid or glycolic acid, can help improve skin texture and turnover,” advises Dr El Muntasar.
“These should be used two to three times a week to start, monitoring how the skin responds. Daily SPF is essential, and sensitive areas such as the inner arms, inner thighs, décolletage and neck should be avoided.”
Image – Bratco/Stocksy
If you experience body breakouts, uneven texture or dark spots, The Inkey List’s PHA Body Water Cream (£13 from The INKEY List UK /$15 from The INKEY List US) addresses these issues without needing to use retinol.
5 Targeted retinol and retinal body creams to try
According to Dr El Muntasar, targeted retinol body products are best. Here’s our pick starting from cheapest to most expensive.
- Medix 5.5 Retinol + Ferulic Acid (£15.10/$19.99) is kind to budgets and promises to rebalance and smooth the skin.
- Frank Body Retinol Body Cream (£20/$25) also contains plumping peptides and smoothing mango seed butter.
- Naturium Skin Renewing Retinol Body Lotion (£28/$26) helps to improve the appearance of the skin’s texture and tone.
- Germaine De Capuccini Perfect Forms Retinol Body Treatment (£48.75) also contains niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to revitalise the skin and tackle things like dry skin and wrinkles.
- And if you’re feeling really flush, Murad Retinal ReSculpt Body Treatment (£79/ $79) aims to lift and firm crepey skin, stretchmarks and cellulite.
The takeaway
So can you mix retinol with your body cream? While possible, the experts advise against it.
However, it could be beneficial to your skin to add in an active of some form. So, whether you go for an alternative like bakuchiol or lactic acid, or you choose a targeted retinol body cream that fits into your budget, you’ll be giving your body skin the best possible chance of noticeable improvement.
Meet the expert
Dr Ahmed El Muntasar is a GP and award-winning aesthetics doctor, with clinics in London, Leeds, and Cheshire.
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