Can I use salicylic acid with retinol and niacinamide?

Author: Neal Considine  |  Last update: Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Can niacinamide and salicylic acid be used together? The simple answer is yes. They complement each other well. Being oil soluble, salicylic acid can penetrate deeper into the skin layers, but it can also dehydrate and irritate skin.

Can retinol and salicylic acid be used together?

Retinoid or Retinol and Salicylic Acid

But on its own, each can dry out the skin, so together they should be combined with caution. The risk is overdrying, which can lead to irritation and make the situation worse.

Can I use salicylic acid cleanser and niacinamide together?

Luckily for us, yes, niacinamide is perfectly safe to use with salicylic acid due to the fact it contains humectant properties. This allows the ingredient to absorb moisture from the surrounding atmosphere and other product formulas and locking them into the different layers of the skin.

Should I use niacinamide before or after salicylic acid?

What goes first salicylic acid or niacinamide? It is considered the best idea to apply niacinamide before salicylic acid. This is because the humectant traits of niacinamide ensure the natural skin barrier contains the correct levels of water.

Can I use niacinamide with retinol?

Pairing the two ingredients is safe and can make retinol easier to use. Niacinamide helps hydrate the skin, which reduces the risk of irritation caused by retinol. Niacinamide and retinol can be combined in one product or used as separate products.

How To Use Salicylic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide And Retinol (Normal to Oily Skin Mild Acne)

Is Retinol or salicylic acid better for acne?

“Vitamin A derivatives help to clear acne, as they help to regulate skin cell turnover,” says Marisa Garshick, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City. Unlike salicylic acid, which exfoliates dead skin cells and dissolves clogs, and benzoyl peroxide, which kills acne-causing bacteria, retinoids work from the inside out.

What can you not mix with salicylic acid?

But overall, stick to using water-based products and serums together. AHAs and BHAs, such as glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids should never be used with Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an acid, too, and is unstable, so the pH balance will be thrown off by layering these ingredients together and might as well be useless.

Can retinol worsen acne?

Applying retinol is a long-term treatment which promotes fresh skin, fewer blemishes and reduction in acne breakouts. Whereas in the short term, it can lead to acne breakouts, skin peeling, dryness, and a range of other frustrating temporary outcomes. The purge phase usually lasts for two to six weeks.

Can you purge with salicylic acid?

Products that may cause purging

Retinoids such as Tretinoin, acids such as salicylic, and benzoyl peroxide are just a few of the products that cause purging. These products contain active ingredients that increase the skin cell turnover rate, therefore causing your skin to purge.

Is salicylic acid good for acne?

It's well-known for reducing acne by exfoliating the skin and keeping pores clear. You can find salicylic acid in a variety of over-the-counter (OTC) products. It's also available in prescription-strength formulas. Salicylic acid works best for mild acne (blackheads and whiteheads).

Does salicylic acid make acne worse before it gets better?

Acne treatments — especially those that contain active ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid — are drying and a bit harsh on your skin. If you use too many treatments at the same time, your skin may become irritated, and you may actually suffer more breakouts as a result.

What can you not mix with retinol?

Don't Mix: Retinol with vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and AHA/BHA acids. AHA and BHA acids are exfoliating, which can dry out skin and cause further irritation if your skincare routine already includes retinol. As for benzoyl peroxide and retinol, they cancel each other out.

What can you not mix with niacinamide?

Niacinamide & Acidic Ingredients. It's the same rule as above, just switch retinol for niacinamide. Don't mix niacinamide with acidic skincare ingredients like AHA's/BHA's and vitamin C.

Can I use a retinol serum and retinol cream together?

The best product you can use in conjunction with retinol, according to Dr. Zeichner, is a moisturizer, which can help hydrate skin and reduce the risk of irritation from retinol. “Some people even prefer to mix their retinol with a moisturizing cream to dilute it out,” he says.

Can I use niacinamide in the morning and salicylic acid at night?

Using both together will however can become too much for the skin and lead to irritation, rashes, redness, flakiness and all-round discomfort. Much like vitamin C and niacinamide, if you are wanting to use both separate the products completely and apply salicylic acid in the morning and retinol for the evening.

How do you use niacinamide with salicylic acid?

So, one morning you could apply salicylic acid after cleansing, and the night morning, niacinamide. Or, you could do the same thing at night, depending on what works best with your skincare routine. Again, you'll want to be mindful of pH levels when layering your other products on top of these ingredients.

Is salicylic acid better than niacinamide?

Niacinamide and salicylic acid are both great ingredients for treating acne and have a variety of other benefits as well. Salicylic acid is the better option for treating acne, while niacinamide is great for fading scarring and hyperpigmentation.

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