Hi Michelle, would you be so kind to let us know which skin care ingredients should not be used together? For instance, I've read that niacinamide shouldn't be used with Vitamin C for whatever reason.. would greatly appreciate it, thank you so much for always being so gracious, thorough and informative ❤️
Vitamin C and Niacinamide are fine to use together, it can create a reaction which is usually a bad thing but in this instance it’s fine. If you are experiencing a reaction then let one product dry before applying the other. For a more scientific explanation see here.
Vitamin C shouldn’t be mixed with most AHA’s/BHA’s/acids (lactic, glycolic, etc). AHA’s destabilize Vitamin C because they change the PH level and Vitamin C is a very vulnerable ingredient and requires specific PH levels to work efficiently. If you are a Vitamin C lover i’d recommend searching for the freshest doses available, things that come in one use pipets or ampoules. Vitamin C usually loses it’s efficiency when exposed to light or oxygen. Look for Vitamin C products like Clinique Fresh Pressed Vitamin C Daily Booster, this product is exposed to very little light and oxygen even when using. Try to avoid products with Vitamin C that require lots of opening like a cream and stick to serums that pump out product.
Avoid mixing Retinol with Benzoyl Peroxide/any acne treatments because they counteract each other’s benefits. Both products are also irritants and can cause peeling on their own, so using them together can cause major irritation especially on sensitive skin. Benzoyl Peroxide does work really well however with Salicylic and Glycolic Acid, so anyone with acne should steer towards these ingredients.
As listed above, Benzoyl Peroxide goes well with Glycolic and Salicylic Acid. Great to know for anyone out there with acne prone skin, make sure your skin care routine has these ingredients. This can be a bit drying so it’s best for oily, acne prone skin. Think 16 year old skin.
Retinol and Ferulic Acid. Ferulic acid is an antioxidant that helps with sun damage (good because Retinol makes your skin more prone to sum damage).
Retinol and Vitamin C. These two are both amazing for anti aging. Vitamin C is a tricky product to get right so you want to find vitamin c products that really keep it fresh and being able to use the product up asap. The longer vitamin C sits out the less effective it becomes. Always buy it in dark/non glass bottles and keep it out of light! Vitamin A, C and E all work great together. Vitamin A = Retinol.
Vitamin C and Vitamin E. As explained above, Vitamin A, C and E are all besties. These are all antioxidants and protect your skin from the elements, keeping it looking youthful.
Retinol and AHA’s/BHA’s. This is usually viewed asa no go, and if you have sensitive skin then this might be too a little too intense. Retinol is not an exfoliant like AHA’s/BHA’s and Retinol could use the help of exfoliation to work even better. However this can be a little intense on the skin. You shouldn’t be using retinol every night anyway but listen to your skin if you’re experiencing irritation. See more explanation on Retinol here.
Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid. Retinol is known to be drying so follow up with a good moisturizing products especially ones that keep water/hydrating into the skin like Hyaluronic Acid. They work together to keep skin young and plump!