Mixing your skin care can be (almost!) as bad as mixing your drinks.
You might think using more than one product can get you gorgeous skin
quicker, but the effects can be detrimental – think dryness, irritation
and sensitisation. Not to mention the fact that those hard-hitting
ingredients you’re paying a lot of money for can become “deactivated”
Retinol and AHAs/BHAs
Retinol-based treatments are popular when it comes to anti-aging and
dealing with acne. But be warned – use it with acid exfoliators such as
AHAs (as featured in popular night treatment Liquid Gold) or the BHA salicylic acid (Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clearing Gel)
and your skin can end up dry and irritated. Choose one or the other –
or use your retinol serum at night and your acid product in the morning,
so there’s a time-lapse between the two and you’re not literally
layering them on. (Other acne treatments that contain benzoyl peroxide
should also be avoided with retinol for the same reason.
Vitamin C and AHAs
Another skin ‘hero’ beloved by facialists, Vitamic C
is renowned for repairing and protecting the skin from UV and pollution
damage – it also works wonders for pigmentation. But it’s a delicate
so-and-so, and using an AHA (see above) underneath/on top of it
(resurfacing alpha hydroxy acids, such as glycolic and lactic acid),
like January Labs Retexturising Night Cream can disturb its pH balance and render it less effective. So if you’re investing in a potent Vitamin C night serum such as Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum make sure you get your money’s worth by not chasing with an acid.
Salicylic acid with other acids
Salicylic is a godsend for blemished skin, as it dissolves the
‘glue’ that binds dead skin cells together and deep cleanses pores like
nothing else (making it less attractive to spot-causing bacteria). But
don’t mix it with other acids – unless they’re in the same product and
have been formulated properly to work together. Otherwise you can end up
irritated, plus noone needs to exfoliate THAT much – one product on its
own should be enough.
