I say you need to pair skincare products correctly, and you say, ‘you mean SPF after toner, right?’ Wrong.
With the rise in awareness around active ingredients like hyaluronic and salicylic acids, peptides and serums are becoming more confusing to work around. Which products should we be using together? How should we layer them? And are there any combinations that simply wouldn’t do?
Without proper knowledge of how ingredients work, and how they can be paired, you run the risk of wasting your money. More importantly, however, you may also experience skincare disasters. Dr Alek Nikolic, a renowned specialist in aesthetic medicine and owner of an online skincare store, SkinMiles, highlights which ingredients we should pair together for the best results.
Winning Combinations
When looking to pair skincare products, look out for these in combination with each other.
Retinoids + Peptides
Retinol is one of the most popular ingredients that people like to include in their routine. It is a chemical derivative of vitamin A that boosts skin-cell turnover and collagen stimulation, while peptides are small-chain amino acids that help build collagen and elastin. While they work wonders on their own, when combined together in a nightly routine, they create a recipe for skin that looks and feels smoother and firmer.
Retinoids + Hyaluronic Acid
Retinol can be drying, so the golden rule of using a vitamin A product is that it should always be followed up with a big hit of moisture, and what better way to do that than with hyaluronic acid. Thanks to its miraculous capacity to hold water, the naturally occurring humectant works to draw in and lock in moisture. It is the best ingredient for counteracting any dryness that may be experienced.
READ MORE: Why Layering Your Skincare Products Like This Will Save You Money
Vitamin C + Vitamin E
Although they have their own claims to fame, vitamin C is especially known for its brightening benefits, while vitamin E is loved for its soothing and skin conditioning properties. Both of these vitamins are potent antioxidants that help prevent and repair environmental damage to the skin.
That being said, it makes sense that when combined, they become even more powerful at protecting the skin from free radicals and reducing signs of ageing. But that’s not the only reason they work well together. Vitamin E becomes inactive when they protect the skin from free radicals, but when combined with vitamin C there is a synergistic activation of the vitamin E, so that it can carry on acting as an antioxidant.
Vitamin C + Ferulic Acid
Similarly, you can boost the effects of vitamin C even further by looking for a product that contains ferulic acid. Like vitamins C and E, ferulic acid is also a powerful antioxidant. Its main benefits include decreasing fine lines and wrinkles, brown spots, and other signs of premature ageing, as well as increasing the effectiveness of other antioxidants.
READ MORE: Let’s Talk About How To Really Hydrate Your Skin
Glycolic Acid + Salicylic Acid
One of the best skincare combinations to look for is a mix of AHAs and BHAs, or more specifically, a mix of glycolic and salicylic acids. This is because, when combined, these two acids become an exfoliating powerhouse.
Glycolic acid loosens the top layer of the skin, which allows salicylic acid to deeply penetrate and clean out pores. And while these acids are well-loved on their own, they work better together, especially if you have oily or acne-prone skin.
All of the Above + SPF
It goes without saying that sunscreen should be stable in the morning skincare routine.
“A broad-spectrum SPF 30+ should be applied religiously every day of the year, not only to prevent skin cancers, wrinkles and sunspots, but because exfoliation from many other ingredients we apply to our skin, including retinol, vitamin C and acids, can increase the likelihood of sun sensitivity,” says Dr Nikolic.
READ MORE: Here’s Exactly What To Eat For Glowing Skin, According To Aestheticians