Skincare Tips

Are you sure you want to add retinol to your current skincare routine? Do you know that instead of lightening your acne scars and getting rid of blackheads, you might actually be destroying your skin barrier which will result in irritation and more breakouts? Here are some information you need to consider:

Skincare Routine

Your day and night skincare routine should at least look like this:

Morning

cleanser

moisturizer

sunscreen (30+ SPF)

Night

cleanser

moisturizer

You may consider toner, eye creams, and serums to help with

  • Acne
  • Skin hydration
  • skin roughness
  • Pores
  • Hyperpigmentation
  • Wrinkles
  • Brightness

and more.

However, overdoing it may lead to

  • Breakouts
  • Sensitive skin
  • Over-exfoliation
  • Dryness
  • Redness

etc.

You may also need to know that not all skincare products will suit your specific skin type of which there are 4: oil, dry, combination, and normal.

For oily complexions:

  • gel-based and bar cleansers

For dry complexion:

  • cream or lotion-based

There are people whose skin type varies depending on the weather so you may need to adjust your summer routine compared to your winter one.

Incompatible Ingredients

Some ingredients in skincare products not typical recommended to use together and need to be layered carefully include

  • retinol and benzoyl peroxide
  • retinol and vitamin C
  • retinol and salicylic acid
  • retinol and alpha hydroxy acids
  • retinol and beta hydroxy acids
  • vitamin C and alpha hydroxy acids
  • vitamin C and beta hydroxy acids
  • vitamin C and benzoyl peroxide
  • niacinamide and alpha hydroxy acids
  • niacinamide and beta hydroxy acids
  • hydroquinone and benzoyl peroxide

Here is a cheat sheet:

Retinol:

  • Retinol
  • retinyl palmitate
  • retinyl acetate
  • retinyl linoleate

Vitamin C:

  • vitamin c
  • ascorbic acid
  • ascorbyl glucoside
  • vitamin c glucoside
  • vitamin cg

AHA:

  • lactic acid
  • glycolic acid
  • malic acid
  • citric acid
  • tartaric acid

BHA:

  • salicylic acid
  • beta hydroxybutanoic acid
  • tropic acid
  • trethocanic acid

Niacinamide:

  • Niacinamide
  • vitamin b3
  • Nicotinamide

Note: If the product contains the multiple ingredients that are otherwise not recommended together, the product is most likely okay to use as the company team would have done many tests to ensure that the ingredients are well balanced and do not contradict each other. Also, don't forget to wear sunscreen!

Safety Precautions to Not Irritate Your Skin:

  • wait 5 minutes, or even better 30 minutes if you have time, between applying products
  • You can add a buffer by applying moisturizer before applying an active
  • Introduce your skin to the products one at a time and gradually (start once a week and then increase frequency until your skin is comfortable for daily use)
  • If you are patient, do a patch test to better see if the product is right for you

Helpful Habits Outside Skincare:

  • Wash pillows often
  • Consistent sleep schedule
  • Healthy diet
  • Some exercise
  • Use warm water instead of scolding hot water at least on face

Silly Mistakes:

  • Combining sunscreens
  • Not properly storing your expensive products
  • Not cleansing at least at night
  • Using harsh makeup wipes (opt for cleansing balm or double cleanser)

References:

CeraVe. (2023, June 13). Understanding the differences between AHAs and BHAs. CeraVe. https://www.cerave.com/skin-smarts/skincare-tips-advice/understanding-the-differences-between-ahas-and-bhas

Messaraa, C., Robertson, N. J., Walsh, M., Hurley, S., Doyle, L., Mansfield, A., Daly, L., Tansey, C., & Mavon, A. (2019). Clinical evidences of benefits from an advanced skin care routine in comparison with a simple routine. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 19(8), 1993–1999. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.13252

Northwestern Medicine Staff & Northwestern Medicine. (2016, November 10). Do you really need a skin care routine? Northwestern Medicine. https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/do-you-really-need-a-skin-care-routine#:~:text=The%20easiest%20way%20to%20remember,their%20face%20once%20a%20day.

Nutrition, C. F. F. S. a. A. (2022, February 25). Beta hydroxy acids. U.S. Food And Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/beta-hydroxy-acids

Retinol - Ingredient | Inside our products - L’Oréal. (n.d.). https://inside-our-products.loreal.com/ingredients/retinol

Rodan, K., Fields, K., Majewski, G., & Falla, T. J. (2016). Skincare Bootcamp: The Evolving Role of Skincare. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open, 4(12S), e1152. https://doi.org/10.1097/gox.0000000000001152

Sissons, B. (2021, April 20). What are the benefits of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA)? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/alpha-hydroxy-acid

The Dos & Don’ts of mixing skincare ingredients | Software. (n.d.). https://www.skin.software/journal/skincare-ingredients-that-dont-mix

Vitamin C - ingredient | Inside our products - L’Oréal. (n.d.). https://inside-our-products.loreal.com/ingredients/vitamin-c#:~:text=Vitamin%20C%20is%20used%20in,ASCORBIC%20ACID%20and%20ASCORBYL%20GLUCOSIDE