Skin care ingredients you should never mix

While we love to mix and match skin care products, all skin care ingredients shouldn’t be used together! Some combinations can actually cause reactions such as redness, peeling, irritation, or breakouts. Not really the look we were going for! Read on to find out which combinations are big NoNo’s.

Vitamin C + AHAs & BHAs
Vitamin C is a power-packed vitamin that, among other things, helps you achieve the bright, glowing skin of your dreams. AHAs and BHAs are chemical exfoliants that get rid of dead skin cells and give you that baby-smooth feel. To avoid reactions, use only one of these products at a time, in the evening right after cleansing and toning. If you still want to include both in your daily routine, use these powerhouse ingredients at different times of day: Vitamin C in the AM (memory tip: like in your morning orange juice) and AHAs and BHAs in the PM.

Sunscreen, make-up and moisturisers
If you’re using SPF every day, we salute you! You’re doing it right. But if you’re blending SPF into your make-up or moisturiser, you may not be getting what you paid for. Even if blending these products probably won’t cause reactions, it can reduce the efficacy of your sunscreen by diluting it, leaving your skin exposed to the sun. So, layering is absolutely key here! To stay sun-safe, apply sunscreen before your other products and let it be absorbed before applying the rest. If sun exposure is limited, you can use a moisturiser, foundation or tinted moisturiser with built-in SPF!

lycolic acid + salicylic acid
These two acids are both amazing at tackling blemishes, but used together, not so much! Acid on acid can cause your skin to feel like you’ve spent a week in the sun without sunscreen – painful, red and sore, with skin reactions galore. Don’t go there! In general, acne treatments or exfoliants that aren’t designed to work together should not be used together, as they can often become too drying, irritating and strip your skin. Instead, use these products on different days.

Not too complicated right? Just steer clear of these combinations and make sure to read the instructions carefully so you can achieve the results you were actually after – smooth, even and glowing skin.

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