Retinoids don't combine well with AHAs, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or vitamin C due to potential stability issues and skin sensitivities, and soap-based cleansers can also reduce vitamin C's skin benefits.
Combination skin
Avoid products that are too heavy for your oily areas or too light for your dry areas. Instead, consider using different products for each zone or opt for products specifically designed for combination skin. Avoid over-drying toners. Skip alcohol-based toners that can worsen dryness in certain areas.
No, your skincare products do not have to be from the same brand. While some people prefer to use products from the same brand for consistency in formulation and ingredients, it's perfectly fine to mix and match products from different brands.
Avoid using harsh, alcohol-based toners, over-exfoliating your skin, and using heavy, oil-based products. These can exacerbate the imbalances in your skin, leading to issues in both the oily and dry areas. Remember, skincare is a personal journey, and what works for one person may not work for another.
Vitamin C can help to regulate oil production, which is beneficial for those with combination skin that tends to be oily in the T-zone.
The problem with mixing is that it changes the product on a chemical level which can affect the efficacy of the product, meaning you won't get the desired results. In every skin care line, each product is designed to do a certain task.
You can generally use the same product in the morning and at night, Dr. Farris said. But if your daytime moisturizer contains sunscreen, use a different one before bed. As with cleansers, there are plenty of effective, inexpensive moisturizers available, she said.
DON'T MIX: AHA/BHA and niacinamide
Niacinamide is used to treat hyperpigmentation and reduce fine lines and wrinkles, while alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) are chemical exfoliants. To understand why niacinamide shouldn't be mixed with AHAs and BHAs, you need to consider pH.
For combination skin, choose our oil-free, Ultra-Light Facial Moisturizing Lotion. It's formulated with ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, and it includes a broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen to help protect from UVA and UVB rays that can lead to sun damage, dry skin, premature signs of aging and skin cancer.
There is something in cosmetics called the “1% line” - basically, everything after a certain point in the full list of ingredients of a product is under 1% concentration. This is important if you're paying specifically for active ingredients such as Vitamin C, niacinamide etc.
Here are some ingredients to never mix with vitamin C: Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs): Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Citric Acid, Tartaric Acid. Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs): Tropic Acid, Betaine Salicylate, Salix Acid. Salicylic Acid.
Niacinamide helps strengthen the skin's lipid barrier, which is crucial for maintaining moisture and protecting against environmental aggressors. By supporting the skin's natural content of ceramides and fatty acids, niacinamide helps to prevent transepidermal water loss, keeping the skin hydrated and resilient.
Korean skincare is known for its multi-step routine, with products being layered from thinnest consistency to the thickest. “This multi-step approach maximizes absorption of products and focuses on skin health and hydration,” Dr. Chang says. Toner and serums are popular additions to skincare routines.
It's also been developed with dermatologists and is accepted by the National Eczema Association. Although it can be used by most skin types, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is especially beneficial for those with normal to dry skin.
Retinoids don't combine well with AHAs, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or vitamin C due to potential stability issues and skin sensitivities, and soap-based cleansers can also reduce vitamin C's skin benefits.
For that reason, mixing peptides and glycolic acid is not recommended. Why shouldn't these acids be mixed with peptides? The reason peptides and salicylic acid as well as peptides and glycolic acid aren't efficacious ingredient combinations is because peptides are susceptible to hydrolysis when exposed to acids.
Can I use vitamin C with AHAs/BHAs? Vitamin C is effectively an acid (it's sometimes known as ascorbic acid), so layering it with AHAs and BHAs like glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids is a big no-no.