What skincare products should not be used together? One reason that damages the skin may be due to the ingredients in the skincare products that we use incorrectly. Let’s take a look at which skincare products should not be used together and how to choose them.
Skincare products that should not be used together
What are there?
1. Vitamin C + Retinol
Both Vitamin C and Retinol are probably the names of many skincare ingredients that are favorites of many people because of their many properties. They can reduce wrinkles, brighten the ยูฟ่าเบท skin, and stimulate collagen for youthful skin that looks smooth and soft. However, if used together, the skin may be damaged without realizing it! Because Retinol works well at pH 5.5-6, but Vitamin C works at pH less than 3, so instead of applying both products to get good results, they reduce each other’s effectiveness instead. Another thing is that both products can irritate the skin. If used together, there is a chance that irritation, burning, and redness will occur.
- How to use it correctly: Choose to apply Vitamin C in the morning, along with sunscreen, and nourish with Retinol at night.
2. Vitamin C + AHA
Although they both exfoliate and help reveal radiance, these two ingredients should not be used together. Because Vitamin C and AHA are both acidic, they can make your skin unbalanced, weak, and irritated due to their high acidity. In addition, AHA also reduces the effectiveness of Vitamin C.
- How to use them correctly: If you want to use both, use Vitamin C in the morning, and use AHA at night to protect your skin from sun damage.
3. Vitamin C + Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl Peroxide is a key ingredient in acne medications like Benzac because it dissolves pimples very well. However, it can cause burning, itching, and redness. And when used in combination with Vitamin C, which also exfoliates and is an acid, it can irritate and inflame the skin even more.
- How to use it correctly: Those who have acne should treat it first, then use Vitamin C to increase brightness and reduce dark spots later.
4. Retinol + Benzoyl Peroxide
Using these two skincare products together will reduce the exfoliation and wrinkle-reducing properties of Retinol, while the acne-fighting properties of Benzoyl Peroxide will not be fully effective, and may cause excessive dryness and irritation. Simply put, using them together is not worth it, and it also risks damaging your face.
- How to use it correctly: It is recommended that you choose to use one or the other, or use it at different times.
5. Retinol + AHA/BHA
This pair is a clash of ingredients that help exfoliate the skin. It sounds good because Retinol is often found in wrinkle-reducing skincare products. It works to stimulate cell turnover, just like AHA and BHA. Many people think that using them together will double the exfoliation. But they’d be wrong. If we use both at the same time, it will cause excessive cell turnover, which can lead to irritation, itching, and thinning of the skin, making it more sensitive to the sun, and making it darker more easily.
- How to use it correctly: Both ingredients should be used at night. It is recommended to use them alternately for safety.
6. Retinol + Scrub
As mentioned, Retinol is an ingredient that many people choose to use because it evens out skin tone, exfoliates, and reduces wrinkles. However, the downside is that it can irritate the skin easily. Therefore, when used with a scrub, it can irritate the slightly inflamed skin, causing itching, burning, and peeling.
- How to use it correctly: If you are currently using Retinol, then stop scrubbing your skin or use the right amount. Scrubbing once a week is enough.
7. Salicylic + Glycolic
Salicylic Acid is a BHA, while Glycolic Acid is in the AHA group. Both of these have properties that help exfoliate the skin. They actually work well together, but there is a greater chance of irritation if the concentration is too high. Instead of improving dark spots and wrinkles, it can make the skin dry and peel easily, which is considered damaging and making the skin weaker. So what is BHA ?
- How to use it correctly: You should choose to use only 1 product and should leave some time between uses. You should not use it every day.
8. Niacinamide + AHA
Although these two ingredients do not irritate the skin, they do not complement each other. Niacinamide or Vitamin B3 helps strengthen the skin’s barrier and works best at a neutral pH, while AHA is a substance that causes the skin’s pH to be unbalanced. When used together, the two ingredients do not work as well as they should and it is a waste.
- How to use it correctly: It is recommended to choose to use only one or change to using AHA with Ceramides, which are good fats that help moisturize the skin, make it look full of water, and glow after old skin cells have been exfoliated.
9. Niacinamide + Vitamin C
Niacinamide has the properties to help restore the skin, tighten pores, reduce dark spots and adjust dull skin tone. Vitamin C also helps protect the skin from pollution, fight wrinkles and increase radiance. Both ingredients help strengthen the skin to be smooth and bright. In general, if it is skincare products that are formulated in the same bottle and produced by a company with standards, they can be used together. But be careful that when both ingredients are combined at high temperatures for a long time, Vitamin C may bind with Niacinamide and can create a new substance called “Niacin”, a yellow substance that can cause allergies and irritation in people with sensitive skin.
- How to use correctly: If we are not sure or the ingredients are separated into different bottles, we should apply them alternately every other day or every other week. However, if we really need to apply them together. We should leave a gap of at least 30 minutes between the two products.