I started using retinol a few weeks ago and my skin got really red and started flaking a lot. I'm using a 0.3% retinol serum from The Ordinary three times a week at night, but it seems like that's too much. Does anyone have tips for building up my skin's tolerance without stopping completely?
The "peeling" you're experiencing is a sign that your adaptation plan was too ambitious - 0.3% three times a week is quite a lot for someone just starting out. Try alternating: one night with retinol, the next night without, and see if the irritation calms down; then, once your skin gets used to it, you can bump it up to twice a week. In the meantime, use a good moisturizer right after the retinol (wait a few minutes for the serum to dry first) and keep decent sunscreen on during the day - irritated skin is much more sensitive to the sun.
One thing that helps a lot is mixing the retinol with a moisturizer instead of using it on its own, or even applying it on alternate days with much less product. What's your skin type like - is it naturally sensitive, or did the retinol just make it that way?
Retinol really does need an adjustment period, and what you're describing is completely normal. Try reducing it to once a week for about two weeks, then move to twice a week, and only then try to increase - your skin will thank you for taking it slow. Another thing: make sure you're using a good moisturizer afterward (and before too, if you can tolerate it - sometimes a layer of moisture between your skin and the retinol helps), and never use retinol on days when you're doing other potentially irritating things like acids or vitamin C. If you keep getting a lot of flaking even so, you can consider a gentler retinol or even switch to retinyl palmitate, which is less harsh.
Start by reducing the frequency to once a week or even less, depending on what your skin can handle - a lot of people think they start way too aggressively. Also try using retinol only on alternate nights and always follow up with a good moisturizer afterward, like a repair cream, because retinol really does dry out your skin at first. Another trick is to apply the serum to completely dry skin (wait a few minutes after washing) and let a few weeks pass before increasing the frequency again - your skin adapts, but it needs time.
Try using retinol on alternate days with a really generous moisturizer in between, like the heavier, oilier ones, because irritated skin needs a strong barrier to recover. When you reduce how often you use it and amp up the hydration, the flaking usually goes down a lot and your skin adapts much better.
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