Should I stop retinol in summer? The short answer is no, but
23 September 2026
Vitamin A and Saudi sun are not enemies, but there is one non-negotiable condition between them. When to use it, how to start, and what not to layer it with.
The question comes back every summer, and the answer has not changed: there is no need to stop vitamin A because of the sun. Using it without sunscreen, on the other hand, is genuinely pointless.
Why the question comes up at all
Two different reasons, usually confused with each other
- Vitamin A makes skin more sun-sensitive in the first weeks
- And the sun works on the same thing you are treating: the pigmentation and the fine lines you address at night are fed by the sun during the day
So the problem is not that summer ruins retinol. It is that unprotected sun cancels its work. The answer is not stopping — it is sunscreen.
The four rules
- At night only. Vitamin A degrades in light and raises sensitivity; it has no place in a morning routine
- Sunscreen every morning, not only on days you go out. With vitamin A this is not optional
- Start slowly: two nights a week for two weeks, then three, then daily if your skin takes it. Most people who say retinol does not suit them started nightly on night one
- Moisturiser over it. If it stings, apply moisturiser before and after as well — the sandwich method reduces irritation without cancelling the benefit
What not to layer it with at first
Do not combine vitamin A on the same night with strong acids, benzoyl peroxide or concentrated vitamin C. Space them across different nights until your skin has settled, then experiment carefully.
What is particular about the climate here
Air conditioning pulls moisture out of skin all day, and the sun waits outside. That combination is drying, and vitamin A is drying at the start too. Skin here needs more moisture than most routines written for other climates assume — and exfoliating without a reason makes it worse.
Retinol or retinal?
One letter, and a real difference: retinal is one step closer to the active form, so it works faster and irritates more readily. We covered the difference in a separate piece; the practical summary is to start with retinol over the whole face and keep retinal for the areas that need more.
An important note
Neither retinol nor retinal should be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. And if you are on a prescribed treatment for your skin, ask your doctor before adding to it.
And summer needs more moisture, not less
Air conditioning dries the air all night and a retinoid exfoliates. Together they give you skin that looks irritated for no obvious reason. An overnight mask over the retinoid holds water in until morning, and it is the cheapest and quickest answer to that particular complaint.
Common questions
- Should I stop using retinol in summer?
- No. But using it without sunscreen every morning cancels its work, because the sun feeds the same pigmentation and fine lines you are treating at night. Use it at night only, with daily sunscreen.
- How do I start retinol without irritation?
- Two nights a week for two weeks, then three, then daily if your skin takes it. Put moisturiser over it, and if it stings, apply moisturiser before and after too. Do not combine it on the same night with strong acids or concentrated vitamin C.
- Is retinol safe during pregnancy?
- No. Neither retinol nor retinal should be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you are on a prescribed skin treatment, ask your doctor before adding any vitamin A product.
