If you're using tretinoin and azelaic acid in your skincare routine, you've probably been told to keep your routine simple. Gentle cleanser, a rich barrier balm or intensive cream moisturiser...

What most people don't realise is that a non-comedogenic face oil applied after tretinoin or azelaic acid application doesn't interfere. It supports the barrier that thts ese active ingredients are temporarily asking a lot of.

The skin in a tretinoin routine is doing something genuinely demanding: turning over faster, becoming more sensitive to the environment, losing moisture at a higher rate than usual. The right face oil applied at the right time addresses all three of those things. It doesn't undo the tretinoin. It reduces the visible cost of what the tretinoin is doing.

Tretinoin is a prescription-only medication in Australia. Azelaic acid at 15% and 20% is available from a pharmacy without a prescription. This post is about the supporting routine around them, not a recommendation to use them. Talk to your GP, dermatologist or telehealth prescriber about whether tretinoin is right for you.

Why Tretinoin Is Worth the Adjustment Period

Tretinoin is a prescription retinoid, a form of Vitamin A that works by accelerating skin cell turnover. It's the most extensively studied topical treatment for the visible appearance of fine lines, uneven texture, and congestion.

The adjustment period, sometimes called retinisation, is the part most people don't warn you about clearly enough. Your skin has to recalibrate to a new rate of cell turnover. The first four to eight weeks can involve dryness, peeling, and sensitivity. Some people push through. A lot of people quit.

The difference between quitting and thriving on tretinoin usually comes down to the supporting routine, not the tretinoin itself.

Can You Use Face Oil With Tretinoin?

Yes. With timing.

The concern most people have is that applying a face oil over tretinoin will dilute it or reduce how it works. A non-comedogenic oil applied after the tretinoin has fully absorbed doesn't do either of those things. It works with what the tretinoin is doing rather than against it.

Wait 20 to 30 minutes after applying tretinoin before putting anything else on your skin. Skin needs to be completely dry. Applying over it too early disrupts absorption and increases irritation. After that wait, a face oil seals the routine and addresses the transepidermal water loss that tretinoin causes during retinisation.

Tretinoin first. Wait. Face oil to support what's happening underneath.

What 20% Azelaic Acid Adds

Azelaic acid works differently to tretinoin. Where tretinoin drives cell turnover, azelaic acid is studied for its anti-inflammatory properties and its effect on the visible appearance of hyperpigmentation and post-blemish marks.

20% Azelaic acid is the highest percentage you can get in Australia. It's only stocked in pharmacies rather than general retail, but you don't need a script.

The practical benefit of using both in your skincare routine: they target different visible concerns through different mechanisms. Tretinoin at night for texture and turnover. Azelaic acid in the morning for the inflammation, redness and unevenness that tretinoin alone doesn't address as directly.

One important note: don't add azelaic acid at the same time as you start tretinoin. Give your skin six to eight weeks to adjust to tretinoin first. Stack too many actives too early and you're not speeding up results, you're dangerously compromising the barrier that makes results possible.

The Routine

Morning

Gentle cleanser. Nothing foaming, nothing acid-based. If skin feels tight after washing, the cleanser is too much.

Azelaic acid product. Applied to clean dry skin. Give it 5-10 minutes to absorb before anything goes over it.

Super Glow Oil, 2 to 3 drops. Once the azelaic acid has fully absorbed. The stabilised Vitamin C at 4% (Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate) supports the brightening the azelaic acid is doing, while the Squalane and cold-pressed Blueberry Seed Oil replace the lipids the active is pulling from your barrier. Non-comedogenic, nothing that sits or congests.

SPF. See the section below for why this step is non-negotiable in a tretinoin routine.

Evening

Gentle cleanser. Same brief as morning. Gentle.

Wait for skin to fully dry. Damp skin increases absorption and irritation potential. Give it ten to fifteen minutes after cleansing.

Tretinoin. A pea-sized amount spread thinly across the face. If you're new to it, start two nights a week and build from there. More is not more with tretinoin.

Wait 20 to 30 minutes. This is the part most people skip. Wait until skin is completely dry before applying anything over tretinoin. Applying too early disrupts absorption and increases irritation.

Super Restore Oil, 2 to 3 drops. This is where face oil earns its place in a tretinoin routine. Organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil at 20% inclusion has the highest Vitamin E content of any plant oil. Vitamin E supports your skin's barrier function. During retinisation, tretinoin accelerates cell turnover and increases transepidermal water loss, and a barrier-supporting oil rich in Vitamin E is what reduces the visible peeling and dryness of the adjustment phase without getting in the way of the tretinoin underneath. Bakuchiol at 0.5% supports the same visible skin concerns tretinoin targets, at a gentler rate, so on tretinoin nights the barrier is getting support rather than more challenge. Squalane and Blue Tansy round out the formula for oily, reactive, and congested skin.

This is the single step I'd tell anyone going through retinisation not to skip.

Why SPF Is Non-Negotiable on Tretinoin

Tretinoin works by accelerating skin cell turnover. The cells at the surface are newer, thinner and more vulnerable to UV damage than they would be without tretinoin. Sun exposure on a tretinoin routine doesn't just risk a tan or burn. It directly counteracts what the tretinoin is doing.

Tretinoin is one of the most studied treatments for the visible effects of photoageing: fine lines, uneven skin tone, loss of texture. UV exposure is what causes photoageing in the first place. Using tretinoin at night and skipping SPF in the morning is essentially working against yourself every single day.

Beyond that: tretinoin increases photosensitivity. Skin that might have tolerated an hour of unprotected sun before is now more reactive to it. This isn't a minor side effect note. It's a fundamental part of how the routine works.

SPF 30 or higher, every morning, to every area treated with tretinoin. Applied as the final morning step, before you leave the house, and reapplied through the day if you're outside. The whole routine depends on it.

My go-to sunscreen recommendation has always been a tinted, mineral, zinc-based sunscreen, especially if you’re prone to dark spots or pigmentation.

Mineral sunscreens containing zinc oxide help protect the skin from UV radiation, which can trigger and worsen pigmentation. Choosing a tinted formula can offer an extra benefit because the iron oxides used to create the tint can also help protect against visible light, which is particularly relevant for melasma, post-inflammatory pigmentation and stubborn dark spots.

Finding the right formula can take some trial and error. Some mineral sunscreens can feel too thick, leave a noticeable cast, or have a tint that doesn’t quite match your skin tone. Keep experimenting until you find a formulation you’re comfortable wearing every day, because consistent sunscreen use is one of the most important steps in preventing existing pigmentation from becoming darker and reducing the development of new spots.

What Doesn't Belong in a Tretinoin Routine

The temptation is to stack everything. Don't.

No AHAs or BHAs on tretinoin nights or the day after. No high-strength vitamin C serum at the same time as tretinoin. No physical scrubs. No retinol alongside tretinoin, redundant and irritating. No strong fragrance, nothing that needs a stressed barrier to tolerate it.

The supporting routine's job is to be quietly effective, not ambitious.

What to Expect and When

Weeks 1 to 4: Some peeling, possible purging, possibly nothing dramatic. Everyone adjusts differently. The face oil after tretinoin helps with the visible dryness. Don't increase frequency during this period.

Weeks 4 to 8: Skin starts to settle. If you've been tolerating two nights a week well, you can consider three. Don't add azelaic acid yet if you haven't already.

Weeks 8 to 12: This is when the routine starts to show. Texture, evenness, the quality of skin tone. It's not dramatic but it's real and it holds.

Beyond three months: The long-term results everyone talks about. Consistent use over six to twelve months is what the published research is based on.

FAQ: Face Oil, Tretinoin and Azelaic Acid

Can you use face oil after tretinoin?
Yes. Wait 20 to 30 minutes after applying tretinoin to allow it to fully absorb, then apply a non-comedogenic face oil. A face oil applied at this point helps manage the visible dryness and peeling of retinisation without interfering with how the tretinoin works. Do not apply face oil before tretinoin as this can affect absorption.

How do you reduce tretinoin peeling and flaking?
Let skin dry fully before applying tretinoin, wait 20 to 30 minutes after application before sealing with a face oil, use a gentle non-stripping cleanser morning and night, and don't increase frequency too quickly. A barrier-supporting face oil rich in Vitamin E after the wait time is the most effective single change for managing visible flaking in weeks two through six.

I use azelaic acid daily, can  I use this and tretinoin together?
Azelaic acid in the morning, tretinoin at night. Start tretinoin first and give your skin six to eight weeks to adjust before adding azelaic acid. Using both from day one increases the irritation load beyond what most skin handles well.

Is tretinoin safe to use in your 40s?
Tretinoin is used across all ages and is one of the most thoroughly studied topical ingredients in dermatology. In the 40s, the skin's natural cell turnover is slower, which is part of why the adjustment period takes longer. Starting at a lower concentration and building slowly is the standard recommendation. This is a conversation for your prescriber.

When do you apply face oil in a routine with tretinoin and azelaic acid?
Morning: azelaic acid on dry skin, wait for it to absorb, then face oil, then SPF. Evening: tretinoin on dry skin, wait 20 to 30 minutes, then face oil. Face oil always goes after the active, never before.

Do you need SPF with tretinoin?
Yes, every morning without exception. Tretinoin increases photosensitivity by exposing newer, thinner skin cells at the surface. UV exposure directly counteracts what tretinoin is working to address, and skipping SPF undermines the entire routine. SPF 30 or higher, applied to every area treated with tretinoin, every morning.

Sources

• Mayo Clinic. "Tretinoin (topical route)." Updated February 2026. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/tretinoin-topical-route/description/drg-20066521
• Dhaliwal S, et al. "Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing." British Journal of Dermatology, 2019.
• TGA. "4.1 Azelaic acid." https://www.tga.gov.au/book-page/41-azelaic-acid
• PMC. "An Updated Review of Topical Tretinoin in Dermatology." 2025. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12653878/
• LuciDerma. "Combining Tretinoin and Azelaic Acid." April 2026. https://luciderma.com/tretinoin-azelaic-acid-skincare/
• DermApproved. "The Tretinoin Skincare Routine." Updated August 2026. https://dermapproved.com/routines/tretinoin-companion/

The Bottom Line

Face oil and tretinoin are compatible. The timing is what makes it work: tretinoin first, 20 to 30 minutes, then a non-comedogenic oil that supports the barrier while the tretinoin does its job underneath.

Super Restore Oil for oily, congested and acne-prone skin on tretinoin nights. Super Glow Oil after azelaic acid in the morning for brightening and uneven texture.

Super Restore Oil: Organic Prickly Pear, Bakuchiol and Squalane. For oily, congested and acne-prone skin.

Super Glow Oil: Stabilised Vitamin C, Bakuchiol and Blueberry Seed Oil. For dull, uneven skin.

Tretinoin is a prescription-only medication in Australia. Azelaic acid at 15% and 20% is available from pharmacies without a prescription. This article does not constitute medical advice. Consult your GP, dermatologist or a registered telehealth prescriber for guidance on whether tretinoin is appropriate for you.