Want to know one of my number one skincare tips as an aesthetic doctor?
It has to be the retinoid sandwich.
Whenever I discuss this with patients I’m always shocked that they’ve never heard of it before - even if they’ve been skincare aficionados for years!
So what is the retinoid sandwich?
Let’s find out.
What is the Retinoid Sandwich?
Simply put, a retinoid sandwich is a delicious layer of moisturiser, retinoid, and then moisturier.
Why do you use it?
It’s perfect for areas of increased dryness or skin irritation. This is a great tip for a new retinoid user, or someone who has been using retinoids for a long time with small areas of skin irritation.
But I heard that it doesn’t really work?
The criticism of the retinoid sandwich is that the first layer of moisturiser acts as a barrier, diminishing the efficacy of the retinoid product. However, many studies support the use of moisturising products with retinoids to increase tolerability without stopping efficacy. Beyond the hydrating effect of the moisturiser. The underlying concept is similar to stepping back with your retinoid and using it every other night rather than daily.
So if you’re struggling with using your retinoid daily, use the sandwich technique!
Let's start with a phrase you've said a hundred times without thinking about it: "mad as a hatter."
It isn't just a bit of whimsy from Alice in Wonderland. For centuries, hat-makers used mercury to turn animal fur into felt — and breathing its fumes, day after day, in poorly-ventilated workshops slowly poisoned them. The result was a syndrome doctors called erethism: tremors (the "hatter's shakes"), crippling anxiety and irritability, memory loss, personality change. An entire trade was, quite literally, being driven mad by a heavy metal. Mercury is a spectacular poison — it wrecks the kidneys and the nervous system — and we have known this for a very, very long time.
Which makes what I'm about to tell you all the more depressing. Because mercury didn't just disappear when the hat factories shut down. Today, it's in skin-lightening creams — and it's still poisoning people, right now, in 2026.