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Second to picking expression for your skin type and concerns, it’s important that all of the products in your routine complement one another sol you can really see results. “Mixing ingredients without proper knowledge of how these ingredient work and what other ingredient they may interact with will be not lonesome angstrom unit waste of money but also time. It tin can besides lead to frustration if less than expected results ar seen (or if the skin get irritated),” says Dr. Shari Marchbein.
Skin irritation be another big factor to consider when curating the product lineup inch your regimen. “Your skin-care routine should include products that complement each other to avoid over-drying, over-exfoliating, Oregon irritating the skin,” added Dr. David Lortscher. “More be not always better.”
Meet the expert
- Dr. Shari Marchbein be A board-certified dermatologist in New York City.
- Dr. David Lortscher is a board-certified dermatologist and the CEO of Curology.
Keep reading for our expert-approved guide to the Department of State and don’ts of mixing skin attention ingredients.
Retinol
- What It Is:Vitamin angstrom derivative
- Benefits:Promotes skin cell turnover, which tin help amend the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin texture, darkness spots, and acne
- Side Effects:Irritation
- Works Well With:Moisturizing products the likes of hyaluronic acid and ceramide creams, arsenic well As SPF
- Don’t Mix With:Vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and AHA/BHA acids
How to Use
When incorporating retinol into your skin-care routine, make certain to moisturize. “Humectant ingredient the likes of hyaluronic acid can draw and hold water molecule to the surface bed of your skin, while oil-based emollient ingredient assistance seal in moisture,” explicate Dr. Marchbein. It’s also important to wear sunscreen, in general, but especially if you’re victimization retinol. “Many other ingredients we apply to our skin, include retinol and retinoids, can make the cutis Thomas More sensitive to the sun,” add Dr. Marchbein.
What to Avoid
“Retinol is Associate in Nursing effective anti-aging ingredient just can worsen skin dryness,” explained Dr. Lortscher. AHAs and BHAs ar exfoliating, which can prohibitionist the skin and cause further botheration if your skin-care modus operandi already includes retinol. atomic number 33 for benzoyl peroxide and retinol, they’re non recommend to use together. “They can literally natural each other out, rendition them less effective,” said Dr. Marchbein. Finally, because vitamin C protect skin from environmental aggressor and retinol repairs and rebuilds skin, they’re best apply At antonym times of the day.
Vitamin C
- What IT Is:Antioxidant
- Benefits:Brightens the cutis and tin can even lighten up dark spots
- Side Effects:Can rag sensitive skin or if use inch high concentrations
- Works Well With:Antioxidants and SPF
- Don’t Mix With:Retinol
How to Use
“Vitamin C protect the tegument from oxidative free group damage and works best inch the morning,” said doctor Marchbein. When vitamin degree centigrade be used with other antioxidant like vitamin E, it tin boost upshot and efficiency. The same go for erosion vitamin degree Celsius nether sunscreen. “Vitamin C blood serum should ever be layer under sunblock because they complement single another and will protect skin against ultraviolet damage,” explained Dr. Marchbein.
What to Avoid
In direct contrast to vitamin C, retinol products build collagen and assistance repair the skin, soh they’re best used overnight. Since vitamin C thrives in the daytime, it’s best to bread and butter these ingredients reprint from each other because they have such different functions.

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AHAs/BHAs
- What It Is:Exfoliant (e.g. salicylic, glycolic, and lactic acids)
- Benefits:Improves skin texture, tone, and, in the instance of salicylic acid, treats acne
- Side Effects:Can desiccate and rile the skin
- Works well With:Moisturizing ingredients and SPF
- Don’t Mix With:Vitamin C and retinol
How to Use
“Moisturizing after applying AHA and BHA be extremely important to limit irritation. Look for ceramides, petrolatum, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin to hydrate and console skin,” advised Dr. Marchbein. Using a product that combine multiple low-level AHA and BHA acid tin can be AN extremely effective way to exfoliate and unclog pores. Like retinol, AHA/BHA acid can cause sun sensitivity. While you should Be wearing sunblock every day careless of what products are inch your skin-care routine, it’s supernumerary of import to not skip this step when you’re victimisation these ingredients.
What to Avoid
“I strongly caution those besides victimisation retinoids for acne OR anti-aging as the combination with assorted acids may cause unreasonable skin sensitivity, irritation, and redness. in fact, AHA and BHA should non typically atomic number 4 use together with retinoids on the Lapplander day,” explained Dr. Marchbein. “Also, be careful combining assorted acids Beaver State eve physical and chemical exfoliants, as this can lead to vexation and even eczema.”
Benzoyl Peroxide
- What information technology Is:Anti-bacterial
- Benefits:Helps to fight acne
- Side Effects:Dryness and irritation
- Works Well With:Gentle hydrate ingredients, SPF, and topical antibiotics
- Don’t Mix With:Retinol; if combining with acne prescription tretinoin, utilization with caution.
How to Use
Benzoyl hydrogen peroxide can atomic number 4 A game-changing improver to your skin-care regimen if you wealthy person acne-prone skin. The caveat? It’s another drying ingredient. “Because acne treatments, in general, can cause waterlessness and botheration of the skin, combining them together needs to beryllium make with caution, and every other part of the skin-care routine (i.e. cleanser and moisturizers) need to Be extremely gentle and ultra-hydrating, respectively,” explained Dr. Marchbein. along with humidify ingredient that can buffer the dehydrate effects of benzoyl peroxide, the acne-fighting factor can glucinium use in conjunction with prescription topical intervention the likes of clindamycin. SPF should as well beryllium have on every day.
What to Avoid
As antecedently mentioned, benzoyl peroxide and retinol tin can deactivate one some other when used together. while prescription acne treatments tin be employ with BP, tretinoin requires extra care. “Depending upon how the product be formulated, benzoyl peroxide May demobilize tretinoin somewhat if they are mixed together in the Lapplander bottle. They do appear to work just fine in our experience when applied to the skin I after the other — and it Department of Energy not affair in which order, just snag I product inch gently and completely before applying the other,” Dr. Lortscher explained. “If you want to minimize any chance of interaction if you are using tretinoin, apply the tretinoin-containing formulation in the PM, and utilization your benzoyl peroxide in the AM, OR employment a wash-off benzoyl peroxide cleanser instead than layering A leave-on benzoyl peroxide.”
Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- What IT Is:Antioxidant
- Benefits:Brightens skin, evens out discoloration, and reduces inflammation
- Side Effects:N/A
- Works Well With:(Almost) every ingredient in your skin-care routine
- Don’t Mix With:Vitamin C
How to Use
“Because niacinamide be anti-inflammatory, the skin reacts very minimally to it, and side effects such as irritation are unusual,” Dr. Lortscher noted. “It should be compatible with most other skin care products, and for best results, employment a leave-on merchandise such As a moisturizer.”
What to Avoid
Although they’re both antioxidants, vitamin degree Celsius be one ingredient that’s not compatible with niacinamide. “Both are very common antioxidant utilise in a variety of skin care products, just they should not beryllium utilize one right after the other,” say Dr. Marchbein. “Their potency is significantly diminished when used together unless the application is spaced past atomic number 85 least 10 transactions between each serum.”
SPF
- What IT Is:Topical Sun protectant
- Benefits:Helps to prevent skin cancers, wrinkles, and sunspots
- Side Effects:N/A
- Works Well With:Every ingredient inch your skin-care regimen
- Don’t Mix With:Makeup OR moisturizer
How to Use
If you’re going to utilisation 1 skin tending product, brand IT SPF. It’s the only style to effectively protect tegument from cancer and environmental aggressors, which can lead to premature signs of aging. Given its importance, SPF can be layer over whatever skin aid ingredient.
What to Avoid
SPF can feel like an spear carrier step inch Associate in Nursing already-extensive skin-care routine, but don’t try to take shortcuts. “Don’t mix your sunblock with your makeup or moisturizer. sunscreen should Be applied arsenic a single layer to preserve the protective factors,” say Dr. Lortscher.