active ingredients

Noooo.. do not layer other exfoliants with retinol. You can use them alternately in different night routines. Some nights you can use niacinamide + retinol then other nights you can use niacinamide + AHA/BHA. Slowly introduce retinol to your routine bcz it might cause purging, always wear spf and be careful of over exfoliating your skin

With any retinoid product, it’s generally recommended to start slow, as they can be very irritating if you go too fast (high percentage and/or too often). So try once a week, then 2-3 times a week. To prevent further irritation, try to not add too many actives into one routine. For example, you can alternate nights with the retinol and the AHA/BHA exfoliant (and niacinamide in the morning). If your skin is very sensitive, you can try putting on the retinol after your moisturizer has dried (since retinol should be placed on dry skin; wet skin means faster absorption, potentially leading to irritation).

Nooo. Don’t use Aha/bha and retinol in the same routine. Alternate between the two ingredients instead.

You can use them but use it alternately. You can use retinol twice a week to build up immunity and to prevent your face from skin irritation. Incorporate this products slowly since having too many acids in your routine can cause irritation or worse, chemical burn.

As other users have said, it isn’t a good idea to use exfoliating acids with retinol. I would suggest alternating between the two at least every 2-3 days once your skin has adjusted, and it would also be safer for you to start incorporating one product at a time. For both retinol and aha/bha, start with 1-2 times a week and slowly build it up. Niacinamide can be used daily but don’t forget to patch test first because it could potentially be irritating if aided by retinol.