There are some things that just go well together and absolutely no one can hate those combinations. Be it a steaming cup of tea with Parle G biscuits or rains and hot fritters (be it of onions, potatoes, or why not both!). Things like this make you think that they were made for each other. But then there are those things that could never go anywhere together, and the mere thought of them makes you feel things, definitely not good things.
This logic applies to skincare ingredients as well! We already know about some ingredients’ brilliance for our skin- Vitamin C brightens, retinol exfoliates, and hyaluronic acid plumps- and some of these work wonders when combined on your skin. Applying one ingredient on top of another is the art of layering. One of the best combinations with amazing results is Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid. It is the quickest way to get balanced, happy skin. If you're using two different products, Vitamin C goes first as it has a low pH value so that it penetrates into the skin quickly.
However, certain ingredients should NEVER be combined, your skin will have to pay the price. Mixing the products that don’t go along together can lead to irritation, redness, or even burning sensations. Hereby, we come to aid you through this ride: Which combinations of skincare products should you avoid?
COMBINATIONS TO AVOID
Mindlessly applying products won’t give you the results that you are looking for. Bad combinations may lead to breakouts, irritation, dryness, and many other skin conditions.
- Oil Based + Water Based Products
The basic thing that we have learned since elementary school is that oil and water don’t go together. Your products should have the same consistency. The molecules of oil are bigger than that of water. Luckily it won’t have any side effects, but it will be a waste. You should not use oil-based and water-based products as neither will absorb leaving a sticky residue on your skin.
- Vitamin C + Retinol
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects the skin from sun damage, reduces dark spots, best source to build collagen, and prevents premature aging. Retinol, while being from the vitamin A family, isn’t something you would want to be wearing in the daytime as it is photosensitive. The reason why you shouldn’t combine the two is that the two have different pH values, thus making them useless on your skin. To attain the best of both, apply vitamin C in the daytime, and retinol at the night.
- Retinol + Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA)
Both of the above-mentioned ingredients have a plethora of benefits. So it is alright to wonder what magic it could do if put together. But do not try it! We will tell you why. To start with, both are, in simpler words, vitamin A. Both of them serve as anti-aging agents. The reason why you shouldn’t combine them is that both of them tend to exfoliate the skin, which can lead to skin irritation, which leads to redness, flaking, and peeling of the skin.
- Benzoyl Peroxide + Retinol
These two ingredients are best known for preventing the breakout of skin. While benzoyl peroxide is great for inflammatory acne, it can damper the effects of retinol. The two react with each other chemically and thus canceling each other out.
- Niacinamide + AHA
Niacinamide is a skin conditioning agent that is rich in vitamin B. It helps in the repair and protection of skin structure. The reason to not use it along with AHA is that it neutralizes the acid, producing nicotinic acid, which will result in skin flushing and irritation.
While the skincare world is filled with numerous product that works amazingly together, providing maybe a 12-step routine, some products should not be mixed. Sometimes, without realizing it, you might end up using a combination that may be useless, or worse, damaging to the skin. Now that you know which ingredients to avoid mixing or layering, here is a tip from our side.
Add Vitamin C to your daily skincare routine, followed by sunscreen for the day. Retinol at nighttime is a great way to soothe the skin from all the pollutants that had affected the skin during the day.
