The Best Moisturizers To Use With Tretinoin Cream

• Also available on Ulta, $35

This rich but gentle face cream checks off all the necessary boxes when it comes to choosing a moisturizer to use with tretinoin. It's free of any harsh ingredients, like fragrance and alcohol; it's oil-free (if you're using tretinoin in the first place, you're probably dealing with oily skin and clogged pores, so this stuff won't cause any further congestion); and it was made with with sensitive, irritated skin in mind, which again, is important when dealing with the side effects of tretinoin. Made to combat dryness, itching, burning, flaking, and other types of irritation, it's produced and manufactured in a completely sterile environment, making it one of the safest, highest-quality moisturizers around.

Relevant review: “I started a retinoid cream and needed moisture relief badly and this was fantastic. It is the first moisturizer that does not clog my pores and lead to other acne. My skin genuinely looks the best it ever has!”

• Also available on Walmart, $20

You can absolutely use the Avène moisturizer above as a night cream, and you could use Naturium Plant Ceramide Rich Moisture Cream during the daytime, too. But this rich cream is an especially great choice for nighttime use because it’s full of barrier-strengthening ceramides that help your skin repair itself as you rest (which is something it’s already doing while you sleep, so this complements that process wonderfully). In addition to ceramides, this fragrance-free moisturizer is also loaded with other nourishing ingredients like glycerin, olive oil, squalane, and shea butter — aka all the ingredients super-dry, flaky skin needs.

Relevant review: “I have been searching for a moisturizer to help minimize the effects of tretinoin and, to date, this is the only one that has almost completely alleviated the flaking and peeling. The most impressive thing is that I saw and felt the results after the first use and I’m sure that by continuing to use this product diligently the results will just get better over time.”

• Also available on Walmart, $14

A true drugstore classic, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream seems to be beloved by all. The fragrance-free formula uses three different ceramides to help strengthen and repair your skin, while glycerin and hyaluronic acid provide even more moisture and hydration. This can be used on both your face and body, and rings up at just $12 for a massive, 19-ounce tub.

Relevant review: “Been using this for years every night with my (prescription) Tretinoin to keep my face moisturized. It prevents transepidermal waterloss, and doesnt feel greasy or sticky.I'm a skincare instructor and always recommend this cream”

• Also available on Ulta, $16

Your new secret weapon against dry skin and tretinoin irritation? La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast Baume B5 Multi-Purpose Balm. With its propriety blend of panthenol, shea butter, and glycerin, this rich balm/cream expertly provides superior hydration while instantly soothing dry, rough skin. It's very thick, so it's best used as a night cream, or as a spot treatment on particularly flaky patches. (If you're using it all over your face, give your skin a nice, deep massage to allow it to sink in.) You can also use Cicaplast as a rich lip balm, as an ointment for burns, or on very dry elbows, cuticles, and heels.

Relevant review: “God i love this moisturizer. i bought it to help my skin when i was peeling from tretinoin and it does WONDERS. only use at night though since it’s a pretty thick cream. i convinced two friends to buy it and they love it now too!! even my friend who is allergic to almost every skincare product ended up loving it and saying it didn’t irritate their skin + healed the dryness. 10/10 recommend”

• Also available on Dermstore, $31

The most important step in any skin care routine that includes tretinoin cream is sun protection. And when it comes to sunscreen, EltaMD's cult-favorite UV Daily Broad-Spectrum With SPF 40 is the best of the best. The derm-favorite formula not only offers serious UV protection, but it also contains hyaluronic acid to boost your skin's moisture content and hydrate dry skin all day long. Plus, it's sheer enough to be worn under makeup, and absorbs beautifully (and quickly) into skin.

Relevant review: “I feel like I’ve tried every kind of sunscreen and am never happy. They’re always too greasy and break me out. This one [hasn’t] caused any breakouts. It’s lightweight and I can’t even feel it on my face. I’m using tretinoin so I need something gentle and this fits the bill. Think I found my go-to sunscreen!”

• Also available on Ulta, $32 and Dermstore, $32

If you're all about “clean" beauty products (take that term with a grain of salt), Juice Beauty's SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturizer is for you. It's a lightweight, vegan moisturizer and sunscreen with SPF 30 (to protect your skin from UV rays and further irritation), so it cuts down on the need to apply two different products in the morning. It also contains aloe vera, sea algae, and antioxidant-rich grape and pomegranate extracts to leave your skin smooth, soft, and radiant. Many of the ingredients in here are grown on the brand’s own organic farm in California, and it doesn’t contain things like silicones, synthetic fragrance, or propylene glycol, which some people prefer to avoid.

Relevant review: "LOVE IT! [...] It makes my skin feel like silk & doesn't make my skin greasy. I am a Retin-A user, so I need a heavy sunscreen on my face during the day. This one works very well, w/o the greasiness I had w/ the other products I tried. Plus it's organic & cruelty free. HUGE selling points for me.”

• Also available on Walmart, $16

If you’re a Korean beauty devotee, pick up PURITO Centella Green Level Recovery Cream. As its name implies, it helps dry, irritated skin recover using healing ingredients like centella asiatica, niacinamide, and madecassic acid. There are also ceramides in here, as well as more traditional moisturizers like shea butter and argan oil. Formulated to be safe for sensitive skin like all the creams on this list, it comes packaged in a 1.7-ounce, squeeze-tube bottle that’s ideal for traveling.

Relevant review: “I purchased this when I began using retinol to soothe my skin the morning after, and make sure I was supporting my skin barrier. I’m really impressed with this cream! It soothes redness almost instantly, and feels very calming on my super sensitive skin. After a few weeks of use I notice a positive change in the texture of my skin... it’s softer, and dewier but not oily.”