This Is How to Use Retinol Without Your Skin Flaking Off

I glisten with moisture for about five minutes, and then I'm ready for makeup, which I used to use to cover purple-red acne scars scattered across my jawline. But with this routine? Foundation is optional.

Night

My nighttime skin-care routine is when I wind down and take my first deep breath of the day. By the light of a few candles (do this—it's so calming), and with the soundtrack to Shall We Dance playing, it's bliss.

Cleanser

My cleanser of choice is constantly rotating. I'm the least picky about it compared to other types of products since it's on my face for only a few seconds and doesn't do a ton. Holika Holika's Aloe Facial Cleansing Foam is the pick these days. The succulent-shaped bottle is very fun, and the formula is gentle, doesn't sting my eyes, and gets all my makeup off.

Retinol

Retinol is like the hippogriff of skin care. Respect it, and the world (of great skin) is your oyster. If you try to quickly hop on, however—whew, it'll f*ck you up. The key is to approach it slowly and live by its rules. To start, use retinol only two or three nights a week. After two years, I now use tretinoin every other night (that's the prescribed version of retinol; Differin, in drugstores, is equivalent). In the early days, my dermatologist told me that the game-changing trick is buffering. That means combining a pea-sized amount of retinol with a quarter-sized blob of heavy-duty moisturizer (the love of my life is CeraVe's Moisturizing Cream). Mix the two together, spread it all over your face, and head to bed.

If you have dry or sensitive skin, Heather Rogers, M.D., says you can put on moisturizer first, and then the pea-size of retinol. Think of it like a spectrum: Most cautious is moisturizer first and then retinol, since when you lay down that moisture barrier, less retinol sinks in. In the middle is buffering, which gets you a medium amount of retinol, with its intensity mildly dulled. As an experienced player, I rub a pea-sized amount between the tips of my fingers, then pat it on all over. I follow with a generous pump of CeraVe, and we're done.

AHA

Since retinol is too powerful to use nightly, on the days in between, I squirt a few pumps of Paula's Choice 8% AHA Gel into my hands and pat it on (honorable mention: CosRX's Whitehead Power Essence, another AHA). Unlike BHAs, AHAs exfoliate your skin's surface level. That means it's better for a different set of concerns: While it's still good for battling acne, it's also great for softening fine lines and noticeably brightening up your face (that dull layer of dead skin makes a subtle, but significant difference).

AHAs are no second-choice runner-up. Even if you do everything right, retinol can still lead to dry, flaky skin while you adjust, and Rogers says that AHAs are the perfect counterpart—they slough away flakes before they can show up and fall off your face. Just one warning: AHAs cause big-time sun sensitivity, so they're best for when you're lying in the dark.

Now, I must confess, the rumors are true. Even I still get the odd zit now and then. One to two nights later, however, and it's gone. As a beauty writer, this perfectly crafted routine is not in my best interest, work-wise. It's my job to try every new thing that comes across my desk. Alas, armed with this tried-and-true regimen, I may just have to stick to testing masks from now on.

Related Stories:
-The Internet Can't Get Over This Crazy-Effective Way to Remove Blackheads
-13 Eye Creams That Actually Work, According to Glamour.com Editors
-All the Natural Skin Care Products I Use to Fight Dry Skin in the Winter