Even if you have spent hours researching premium skincare ingredients and their specifics, you may not be sure exactly what you’re putting on your face daily. Even the most knowledgeable consumer can feel overwhelmed by the unfamiliar and new ingredients in skin care. Building a comprehensive skincare regimen can be one of the most influential and essential ways to care for your skin. This is why many people strive to find products best suited to their needs. With the growing popularity of skin care education, it’s now widely understood that the order you apply your products can affect their effectiveness. Many people are unaware that the order in which you use products can positively or negatively impact their effectiveness.
Today’s skincare products are far more sophisticated than they used to be and can be very effective in treating the skin condition they were created to treat. Mixing these ingredients topically may increase their efficacy but can sometimes irritate, including redness, peeling, and itchiness. Learning a few rules will help you avoid accidentally creating a harmful cocktail of ingredients that could sabotage your skincare efforts. Understanding which components go well together will help you maximize the effectiveness of some of your favorite products. It is also essential to be aware of the best-avoided elements. This is your 101 in ingredient mixing.
The Don’ts
The most important part of this lesson is understanding better ingredients that can harm your skin if combined. Even though these mixtures are best avoided when layering your products, you can still use both elements. You will need to alternate days to apply both components to allow your skin to absorb the first before using the other.
Retinol and Hydroxy Acids
Retinol, a manmadertificil derivative of Vitamin A, is used in many skincare products to combat aging. It is a derivative of Vitamin A that is artificial and part of the retinoid group. When applied to the skin, it becomes retinoic acid. Retinol reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines by improving the skin’s ability to retain water and exfoliate. There are many over-the-counter products with varying potencies and strengths.
Both beta hydroxy acid (BHA) and alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) are organic compounds that act as chemical peeling agents. They are highly effective at treating acne and removing dead skin cells. These two exfoliants are very similar, but they work differently. AHAs such as glycolic acids remove the topmost layer of dead skin from your skin. BHAs, such as Salicylic Acid, clean your pores and penetrate deeper, helping you get rid of current breakouts while preventing future ones.
Due to the strength of all these ingredients, using an exfoliating agent on the same skin day as retinol may cause irritation and drying. Unfortunately, this is a widespread mistake, as women tend to over-exfoliate, which can decrease the skin’s natural barrier. We recommend exfoliating your skin no more than a few days a week. If you use retinol, you should alternate the two products.
Benzoyl Peroxide & Retinol
Benzoyl Peroxide is a powerful ingredient that helps fight pore bacteria. This is a significant cause of acne. It works by introducing air into the pores. Since bacteria cannot survive in an oxygen-rich atmosphere, their population is reduced. It also reduces acne. It can also clear out cellular debris and prevent breakouts by clearing the pores.
Benzoyl peroxide, however, can cause a drying effect that may reduce retinol’s ability to retain moisture in the skin. Many professionals have warned against mixing the two ingredients. Some modern products contain benzoyl and retinol in their formulas, as they claim that both can remain stable when combined. It’s best to keep the two ingredients apart if you have sensitive skin or are concerned about irritations.
Do’s and Don’ts
Here’s the fun part: skin cocktailing hacks. Some ingredients in skincare products work together to enhance the results. You may be able to create a skincare mix that helps you achieve your goals, depending on the skin problems you’re trying to resolve.
Niacinamides and Ceramides
When working optimally, the skin is a barrier against the external world. It helps protect yourself from various environmental stressors while retaining moisture. Ceramides, naturally present in the skin, are crucial for its health. If ceramide levels are out of balance, your skin’s protective barrier becomes ineffective and can cause dryness, irritation, and itching. Unfortunately, the natural levels of your ceramides are easily reduced by hot water, soaps, and certain chemicals. By using products that contain ceramides, you can rebuild the barrier and prevent further damage.
Niacinamide, also a vitamin B3 derivative, is highly effective at reducing skin irritation. It also increases the effectiveness of ceramide while strengthening the skin’s protective barrier.
Vitamin C & Vitamin E
Vitamin C is a powerful ingredient that can produce excellent results on the skin. It is volatile, which makes it hard to use as a skincare product. Many manufacturers pair it with Vitamin E to stabilize it. Vitamin E occurs naturally on the skin. It has antioxidant properties that help to protect and limit damage from harmful free radicals. Sun exposure and other environmental factors can deplete your natural levels. These two vitamins work well together.
Hyaluronic Acid & Retinol
The body naturally produces hyaluronic acid, an essential component of skin moisture. As we age, the internal levels of hyaluronic acid begin to decrease. This leads to a loss in skin volume and tone. Topically applying it can help add moisture to your skin [8] while improving its resilience [9]. This, in turn, will restore a fuller look to your skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Combining these effects and retinol’s ability to increase skin hydration will dramatically impact the appearance of aging.
Vitamin C and Retinol
Vitamin C, an antioxidant, helps to protect your skin from harmful free radicals. Neutralizing these can reduce the visible signs on your face, such as wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots, and moisture loss. Vitamin C’s most popular and notable benefit is that it brightens your complexion and reduces discoloration. It also evens your skin tone and gives you a radiant glow. Combining retinol with vitamin C will refresh tired, dull skin and give you a more vibrant, youthful, and firmer complexion.