Retinol is only as comfortable as the moisturizer that goes on top of it. This is where the brand is at its most useful, because it makes a moisturizer for almost every kind of face and they layer together without fuss.

For a dry face, the Skin Renewing Night Cream is the natural partner, a richer cream for the evening that I would wear over a retinol night. The Ultra-Light Moisturizing Face Gel is for people who dislike the feeling of a cream, and it is just as pleasant in summer. The Oil Control Face Gel Cream is made for shinier skin. In the morning, the Ultra-Light Face Lotion Moisturizer with Sunscreen means one step covers both, which matters when the retinol you used last night makes skin more sensitive to the sun.

The SA Cream for Rough and Bumpy Skin, unscented, is a body-leaning pick that I keep for elbows, arms and the backs of my legs, wherever texture builds up. I would not put it on retinol-tired cheeks. Keep it where skin is thick.

A practical trick: apply the moisturizer first on the nights you are nervous, wait a few minutes, then add the serum, then a second thin layer of cream. People call it a sandwich. It softens the effect without cancelling it. I also keep a small pot of the richer night cream on the shelf for the mornings after, when skin looks a little dry around the nose.

Not everything on this shelf has to come from one brand, and there are several different routes to the same idea. Retinol, retinal and retinoid are cousins, so read the label and start with the gentlest one.

Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides & Peptide has micro-dose right in the name, so it is the one I would look at if you want to keep things low-key. innisfree's Retinol Green Tea PDRN serum is a retinol and green tea serum made for smoothing and slow-aging routines. Caudalie's Resveratrol-Lift is called a retinol alternative, so it is the one for anyone who has tried retinol and simply did not get on with it. Medik8's Crystal Retinal is a vitamin A night serum with retinal, made with retinal, and Paula's Choice Clinical PRO Retinaldehyde is a dual-retinoid treatment for people already comfortable with these. The Ordinary's Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion is an emulsion made for wrinkles and uneven texture.

What I would skip: starting any of these on consecutive nights, and layering two retinoids together. Skip exfoliating acids on the same evening too. If skin is peeling, stinging or red, take a week off, use only moisturizer, and see a doctor or dermatologist if it does not settle. Retinoids are generally not advised during pregnancy, so ask your doctor first if that applies to you.

The schedule I give friends is simple. Week one, one night. Week two, two nights, not in a row. After a month, three nights if skin is comfortable, and it is fine to stay at two forever. Apply after cleansing on dry skin, with a small amount, then moisturize.

Sunscreen every morning is not optional with any retinol, and the cerave resurfacing retinol serum is no exception. Keep the eye area and corners of the nose and mouth light, and go slowly around them. If a night goes badly, do not push through it: skip the serum until skin is calm again and pick up where you left off. Judge results by how your skin looks after eight to twelve weeks, not after a fortnight. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30, Ceramides by Day and Bakuchiol Serum, the Retinol Substitute That Actually Holds Up.