It’s no secret that you can enhance your skin care by combining various high-impact ingredients for maximum results. But unfortunately, not all skin care combinations play well. While some ingredients come together and complement each other pleasantly, others just don’t match – which can wreak havoc on your skin. With our handy guide, you can minimize the chance of skin-damaging product pairings and embrace your dream skincare collaborations. Read on to find out more.
FAQ | Conventional retinol explained | Mixing skin care ingredients | Tips for mixing your skin care products
FAQ: Mixing Skin Care Ingredients
Can you mix skin care ingredients?
“Mixing certain potent topicals, such as conventional retinol, with certain ingredients will increase the potential for skin irritation,” we explain Product Support Agents. “This can be revealed through increased sensitivity to touch, heat, redness, dryness, peeling and itching.”
We suggest you exercise extreme caution with prescription topicals such as conventional retinol. Each person’s ability to experiment and test mixologies depends entirely on their current skin condition. If you have been advised by a medical professional to avoid certain ingredients, follow your doctor’s advice.
What skincare ingredients work best together?
The following ingredient combinations work beautifully together:
- Conventional retinol and hyaluronic acid
- Vitamin C and niacinamide
- Salicylic acid and hyaluronic acid
- Layer (not blend) Vitamin C and SPF
- Surprise, niacinamide mixes with everything!
Which skin care should not be mixed together?
- Conventional retinol and AHAs and BHAs
- Vitamin C and conventional retinol
- Salicylic acid and conventional retinol
- Don’t mix SPF with anything!
Let’s talk about conventional retinol
While conventional retinol may be the ingredient on everyone’s lips, it poses significant problems. According Everyday Health, conventional retinol/retinoids stimulate skin cell renewal that naturally manifests as intense exfoliation to reveal new skin underneath. This can lead to dryness, irritation and even peeling. Although conventional retinol is strong enough to cause damage when used alone, and even more so when combined with the wrong product. When in doubt, don’t mix or layer conventional retinols with anything you’re unsure about. You can also reach out to a spa professional for clarity.
It is important to note that Eminence Organics products do not contain conventional retinol. Conventional retinol is a synthetic chemical derived from vitamin A, which can dry out your skin and cause flaking if overused.
Eminence Organics products contain two retinol alternatives: bakuchiol, which is the extract from the leaves and seeds of the babchi plant, and Natural retinol alternative, which is derived from botanical extracts of the tara tree and chicory root. Mixing products with these ingredients is no problem! Products containing bakuchiol and Natural Retinol Alternative can be used safely with other skin care products without risking the side effects listed above, such as irritation, dryness, peeling or peeling. However, if conventional retinol is your ingredient of choice, read the guide below to avoid dangerous combinations with conventional retinol and other powerful ingredients.
Mixing skin care ingredients
Conventional Retinol
Mix: Conventional Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid
Unlike conventional retinol, there aren’t many products that disagree hyaluronic acid, so we’re happy to tell you that these two make a great team. The hydrating benefits of hyaluronic acid pair beautifully with the drying nature of conventional retinol. A hyaluronic acid serum or even a moisturizer can counteract the drying effects of conventional retinol, reducing the effects of any irritation and helping the skin to renew and hydrate.
Don’t mix: Conventional retinol and AHAs and BHAs
Beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and conventional retinol work by stimulating cell turnover through exfoliation. It’s no wonder that using these types of exfoliating ingredients with conventional retinol is a no-no. The combination can lead to severe excessive peeling, dry, irritated skin and can even damage the skin barrier over time.
However, if you find yourself loyal to these products, you don’t have to give up one for the other. Just avoid using conventional retinol and BHA or AHA products at the same time. Alternate using your product on different days, or use conventional retinol at night and BHA and AHA throughout the day. It is worth noting that retinoids should be used at night due to the increased sensitivity to UV radiation they cause.
Vitamin C
Mix: vitamin C and niacinamide
We love both niacinamide and vitamin C individually for their overall ease of use and many benefits. But together, they’re even better. Some recent skin care busting a myth dispelled the once widespread belief that the two should not be used together, an idea that came from 1960s research that is no longer relevant to how we use and store products today. The news is very exciting considering that this powerful duo offers hydration, radiance and skin smoothing benefits from both ingredients.
Do not mix: vitamin C and conventional retinol
Unfortunately, vitamin C and conventional retinol are also incompatible. The combination of the two can lead to redness, irritation and peeling. In addition, the combination can make the skin sensitive to the sun (already a problem created by the use of retinol in AM). There’s also the risk that conventional retinol can mess with the pH of vitamin C that it can destabilize the product, making it potentially inactive as a skin care ingredient.
The fix here is easy though. Conventional retinol is best suited to a nighttime routine, away from any UV rays and left to absorb into the skin overnight. Vitamin C is best for use during the day because of its ability to fight damage caused by environmental stressors such as UV rays and pollution. Always layer an SPF on top to protect against sun damage and be sure to wash your face in the morning to remove any leftover retinol from the night before.
Niacinamide
Do Mix: Surprise, niacinamide mixes with everything!
According to our Product Support Representatives, “You are welcome to combine niacinamide with almost any skin care ingredient and product. We can recommend using it with retinols, hyaluronic acid, AHA, BHA and vitamin C.”
Salicylic acid
Mix: Salicylic Acid and Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic acid combines well with hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid deeply hydrates and helps skin retain moisture for a balanced complexion, while salicylic acid exfoliates and reduces inflammation. The combination of these ingredients gives you the benefits of each and results in clearer, smoother and more hydrated skin.
Do not mix: salicylic acid and conventional retinol
In theory, using salicylic acid and conventional retinol together makes sense. Salicylic acid clears breakout-prone skin while retinol softens fine lines. However, this is not a combination we would recommend trying. It shouldn’t surprise you to read that using salicylic acid and conventional retinol together increases the likelihood that the skin will dry out and can lead to irritation. What may be surprising is that this combination can result in the skin overproducing oil to compensate for this new dryness leading to even more breakouts. This catch-22 is solved by separating the two products. Use your salicylic acid products to treat breakout-prone skin during the day (it’s perfectly safe) and keep all retinol use to nighttime.
You can also watch the Lead Skin Care Trainer, Natalie Pergardiscuss skin care ingredients you shouldn’t mix in more detail in it In The Mix video.
protection factor
Do: Layer (not blendable) SPF with vitamin C
Fun fact: there is some research that suggests a vitamin C product under a good sunscreen can add extra sun protection. So don’t forget to apply your vitamin C serum beforehand to layer — not blend — with your sunscreen.
Don’t mix: SPF with anything
While you can layer SPF over almost any skin care product (and you should, every day!), it shouldn’t be mixed with other products before application. SPF is considered by many to be the most important product in your daily skincare routine, and maintaining the integrity of your SPF product is paramount to its effectiveness as a sun and UV protector. This is a product that cannot be enhanced by mixing with other skin care products and we would advise not to mix it with make-up or moisturiser. We recommend letting your skincare products sit on the skin and then layering sunscreen on top as the last step in your routine.
Tips for mixing your skin care products
It is important to be careful while combining skin care products to prevent any negative skin reactions. Follow these tips:
- First, consult our list above to check for incompatible ingredients.
- Do a patch on a tiny area of your skin to check for an allergic reaction or signs of irritation.
- Start with a small amount of each skin care product and gradually increase the amount to avoid overloading your skin.
- To avoid contaminating the entire product, mix the ingredients in the palm of your hand and not in the product container.
Learn about other powerful skin care ingredient combinations from visit the nearest Eminence Organics spa.
This article was originally written in October 2022.
