Nov 2, 2023
Categories
Skin Care
You can boost your skincare results by combining powerful ingredients — but not every pairing is safe. Some ingredients work great together, while others can cause irritation or damage. Use this guide to avoid risky mixes and find ingredient pairings that actually help your skin. Read on to learn more.
Table of Contents
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FAQ
Conventional Retinol Explained
Mixing Skin Care Ingredients
Tips on Mixing Your Skin Care Products
FAQ: Mixing Skin Care Ingredients
Can you mix skin care ingredients?
“Mixing some strong topicals, such as conventional retinol, with certain ingredients will increase the potential to irritate the skin,” say our Product Support Representatives. “This can show up as sensitivity to touch or heat, redness, dryness, peeling and itchiness.”
Be careful with powerful prescription-style topicals like conventional retinol. Whether you can safely combine ingredients depends on your skin’s condition. If a medical professional has told you to avoid something, follow their advice.
What skin care ingredients work well together?
These combos play nicely:
– Conventional retinol + hyaluronic acid
– Vitamin C + niacinamide
– Salicylic acid + hyaluronic acid
– Vitamin C layered (not mixed) with SPF
– Niacinamide mixes well with almost anything
What should not be mixed?
Avoid combining:
– Conventional retinol with AHAs or BHAs
– Vitamin C with conventional retinol
– Salicylic acid with conventional retinol
– Don’t mix SPF with other products
Let’s talk about conventional retinol
Conventional retinol and retinoids speed up skin cell turnover, causing strong exfoliation that can lead to dryness, irritation and peeling. It’s powerful enough to cause problems on its own and can be worse when mixed with the wrong products. If you’re unsure, don’t mix or layer conventional retinol with unknown products — and ask a skin professional if you need help.
Eminence Organics products do not contain conventional retinol. Conventional retinol is a synthetic form of vitamin A that can dry skin and cause peeling if overused.
Eminence Organics uses two gentler alternatives: bakuchiol (from the babchi plant) and a Natural Retinol Alternative made from tara tree and chicory root extracts. These alternatives can be used safely with other skincare products without the irritation, dryness or peeling linked to conventional retinol. If you prefer conventional retinol, read the rest of this guide to avoid risky pairings.
Mixing Skin Care Ingredients
Conventional Retinol
Do mix: Conventional retinol + hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid gets along well with almost everything, and it’s especially helpful with conventional retinol. Hyaluronic acid adds hydration that can offset retinol’s drying effects, easing irritation and helping the skin stay moisturized. Use a hyaluronic serum or moisturizer to balance retinol’s drying tendencies.
Don’t mix: Conventional retinol + AHAs/BHAs
AHAs, BHAs and conventional retinol all speed up cell turnover through exfoliation. Using them together can cause over-exfoliation, dryness, irritation and long-term damage to the skin barrier. You don’t have to stop using either — just don’t use them at the same time. Alternate days, or use retinol at night and AHAs/BHAs during the day. Remember, retinoids should be used in the evening because they increase sun sensitivity.
Vitamin C
Do mix: Vitamin C + niacinamide
Niacinamide and vitamin C are both gentle, useful ingredients, and they work great together. Old research suggested they shouldn’t be combined, but that study is outdated. Together they offer hydration, brightening and smoother skin.
Don’t mix: Vitamin C + conventional retinol
Vitamin C and conventional retinol don’t pair well. Using them together can cause redness, irritation and peeling, and both can increase sun sensitivity. Retinol can also affect the pH of vitamin C, possibly making it less effective. The simple fix: use retinol at night and vitamin C in the morning. Always apply SPF over vitamin C and rinse your face in the morning to remove any leftover retinol.
Niacinamide
Do mix: Niacinamide mixes with almost everything
Our Product Support Representatives say you can combine niacinamide with most skincare ingredients, including retinols, hyaluronic acid, AHAs, BHAs and vitamin C.
Salicylic Acid
Do mix: Salicylic acid + hyaluronic acid
Salicylic acid and hyaluronic acid are a good pair. Salicylic acid exfoliates and reduces inflammation, while hyaluronic acid hydrates and locks in moisture. Together they help clear, smooth and hydrate the skin.
Don’t mix: Salicylic acid + conventional retinol
Although it might seem logical to pair salicylic acid (for breakouts) with retinol (for fine lines), using them together can dry and irritate the skin. That can cause the skin to overproduce oil and lead to more breakouts. Instead, separate them: use salicylic acid during the day for breakouts and keep retinol for nighttime.
You can also watch our Lead Skin Care Trainer, Natalie Pergar, discuss ingredients you shouldn’t mix in more detail in the In The Mix video.
SPF
Do: Layer (not mix) SPF with vitamin C
Some research suggests vitamin C under a good sunscreen can give extra sun protection. Apply your vitamin C serum first, then layer sunscreen on top — don’t mix them together.
Don’t mix: SPF with other products
You should layer SPF over your other skincare, but don’t mix sunscreen with other products before applying. SPF needs to maintain its formula to protect against UV light. Mixing it with makeup or moisturizer can reduce its effectiveness. Let your skincare settle, then apply sunscreen as the last step.