Please answer this question!?!?!?

So, I have a question regarding retin-a. I realize you're supposed to wait 20-30 minutes after you shower to use it. When I went to bed after immediately putting it on it made me skin worse because I think it rubbed off on my pillow. So I've been waiting like an hour or two before I go to bed and I'm not sure if it's working better, because it worked really well the first week and now it seems not to. I may have been going to bed like half an hour after I put it on. Does anyone who has used retin-a have any advice as to when to put it on and consequently go to bed after?