Some components just don’t go well together, yet many can be combined to create a delicious skin recipe. Combining particular active substances can cause irritation, dehydration, and inflammation, which can be irritating. It can also weaken the skin’s protective barrier. However, how can you determine what makes the ideal skincare partner and what doesn’t? Here’s the dirt on the craft of creating skincare matchmakers…
AHAs, BHAs, and Retinol
The super component retinol promotes the shedding of dead skin cells, increases collagen, increases skin cell turnover, and inhibits free radical activity to shield cells from harm. To get technical, retinol is a naturally occurring precursor to retinoic acid and a derivative of vitamin A. Retinol is absorbed by the skin and transforms into retinoic acid, the active form of vitamin A, which is then used by the skin.
The truth is that certain compounds, including as exfoliating acids like AHAs and BHAs, which also encourage the shedding of dead skin cells, might make retinol more sensitive. You run the danger of weakening the skin barrier by using these products in the same evening (you shouldn’t use any of them in the morning). This might cause dehydration, tightness, and redness.
If your skin is particularly sensitive, I suggest utilizing these active components every other week or perhaps every other evening. Interestingly, I would suggest that polyhydroxy acids, or PHAs, are the exception to the rule because they are a kinder form of AHA that also functions as a humectant and exfoliates the skin.
Vitamin C and Retinol
When combined, the potent active chemicals retinol and vitamin C can cause discomfort despite their incredible ability to improve skin. Retinol shouldn’t be taken with vitamin C because it needs to be acclimated to and may irritate certain people. However, this does not imply that you cannot incorporate both into your regimen! Our chemist Gabriela advises using vitamin C in the morning under your broad-spectrum SPF because vitamin C fights free radical damage brought on by UV exposure while SPF protects the skin from UV rays. After that, use retinol at night to aid in the skin’s normal processes of cell division and repair, which take place while you sleep.
A different choice is to use retinyl palmitate, a complex fatty acid that is an ester of retinol and palmitic acid. All skin types are known to accept this better because it is kinder. This kind of vitamin A can be combined with vitamin C, but only in a formulation where they have already been used together, like Skingredients Skin Protein, where all of the amounts and components have been compatibility tested to make sure they function well together.
*Retinol and retinyl palmitate are inappropriate for expectant mothers.
AHAs, BHAs, and vitamin C
Although vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that protects your skin from damage, it is an unstable component that needs a specific pH equilibrium to function. Applying vitamin C is rendered useless if it upsets and destabilizes the pH equilibrium while layered with an AHA or BHA skincare product.
Even if you’re correctly using broad-spectrum SPF, exfoliating acids can make our skin more vulnerable to UV damage, therefore our in-house chemist Gabriela Duffy Morales suggests using AHAs and BHAs in the evening. Alternatively, utilize an AHA or BHA on the evenings you don’t use retinol, and continue taking vitamin C in the mornings.
