Can you use retinol with ceramides?
Yes, they're a good match. Ceramide moisturizers help the skin hold onto water, which can ease the dryness and flaking retinoids often cause.
Why
Ceramides are a natural part of the skin's moisture barrier, and moisturizers containing them help offset the dryness that comes with retinoids. In split-face studies, adding a moisturizer with ceramides or a ceramide precursor made retinoid routines more comfortable, with milder irritation. Dermatologists also recommend moisturizer and a slow start to keep retinoid irritation down.
How to use them
Apply a ceramide moisturizer after your retinoid at night, or before it if your skin is very sensitive. Use it in the morning too if your skin feels dry.
Sources
- 1Adjunctive use of a facial moisturizer SPF 30 containing ceramide precursor improves tolerability of topical tretinoin 0.05%: a randomized, investigator-blinded, split-face study · Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
- 2Efficacy of ceramides and niacinamide-containing moisturizer versus hydrophilic cream in combination with topical anti-acne treatment in mild to moderate acne vulgaris: A split face, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
- 3Retinoid or retinol? · American Academy of Dermatology, 2021
General cosmetic information, not medical advice. Written with AI assistance from the sources above; updated October 2026.