Hello lovelies, welcome or welcome back. In today’s post, I will be sharing skincare ingredients that work well together. These are skincare ingredients combinations that either stabilize or improve the effects of these ingredients when coupled together. So if this is something you would like, then…

Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or something … and let’s dive in

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Skincare Ingredients That Work Well Together

These days we have easy access to skincare ingredients that cater to several skin concerns. So understanding these ingredients and how to mix them correctly is important. Some skincare ingredients should not be mixed because they either cancel each other out or cause skin irritations.

We now have easy access to skincare ingredients that cater to several skin concerns. So understanding these ingredients and how to mix them correctly is important. Some skincare ingredients should not be mixed because they either cancel each other out or cause skin irritations.

In today’s post, we will be focusing on the skincare ingredients that work better together. These ingredients work synergistically to bring you your desired results.

This is a follow-up to the previous post where I shared the skincare ingredients you should not mix.

The key to mixing skincare ingredients is to avoid ingredients that neutralize each other and expose the skin to more irritation, but rather mixing irritating and drying ingredients with calming and moisturizing ingredients.

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Vitamin C and Sunscreen 

Vitamin C wears so many hats. It is an antioxidant that protects the skin from free radical damage. Every day we are exposed to UV radiations from the sun, and environmental stressors such as smoking and other pollutants and these give rise to free radicals that alter cellular DNA, leading to the breakdown of collagen, causing fine lines and wrinkles. They also induce melanogenesis, leading to hyperpigmentation.

Now, this is where vitamin C shines through, it counteracts this process and prevents cell damage. It also blocks the key enzyme tyrosinase needed in the synthesis of melanin so it can play a key role in the treatment of hyperpigmentation.

Sunscreens, on the other hand, protect the skin from UVA and UVB rays. These rays are the leading cause of photoaging. They cause collagen breakdown, sunburns, and age spots. We don’t want these… at least not now.

Since Vitamin C and sunscreens are both protectives against the environment, it makes sense to use them together and in the mornings.

Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Ferulic Acid

Vitamin C is the most abundant antioxidant in the skin followed by vitamin E. While these are both essential vitamins, the human body cannot produce them and so they have to be taken in orally or applied topically to the skin.

When taken orally, the amount of vitamin C that gets to the skin is negligible, so our best bet is to apply them directly to the skin.

With all the amazing benefits of vitamin C, it’s an ingredient that is very unstable, especially L-ascorbic acid. They are broken down by air and light.

A study done in 2004 showed that Combining vitamin E with Vitamin C increased the stability and sun protective effect by 4 fold, adding Ferulic acid (a plant-based antioxidant ) further stabilized the combo and provided an even higher 8-fold protection.

Products with this combo are

• The SkinCeuticals vitamin C E Ferulic  serum( vitamin C 15%, Vitamin E 1%, Ferulic acid 0.5%)
• Paula’s Choice super antioxidant concentrate serum ( tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate), vitamin E, peptides and ceramides.

Retinol and Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is a potent but gentle humectant that pulls in moisture from the surroundings and seals it in. It is naturally produced in the skin and is essential for skin barrier health. Studies have shown that it can hold up to 1000 of its weight in water. so this is a hydration powerhouse.

Retinols are vitamin A derivatives that increase the cell turnover rate of our skin. In other words, it makes the skin act like much younger skin, producing fresher skin cells quickly. Retinols, while beneficial, are very drying and sensitizing and so combining them with hyaluronic acid will help douse this effect.

Products with this combo are

• Cerave retinol resurfacing retinol serum
• Naturium retinol complex serum

Retinol and Niacinamide

Niacinamide is another antioxidant that is essential for those of us with oily, acne-prone skin with that added topping of hyperpigmentation ✋. It controls sebum control, is essential in the synthesis of ceramides which form the core of the lipid barrier of the skin, and helps fade dark marks and discolorations. Niacinamide would help fortify the skin barrier.

Products with this combo are

• La Roche- Posay pure retinol face serum
• Eva naturals skin clearing serum

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AHAs and BHAs

This combo comes in very handy when you need that occasional deep exfoliation. alpha-hydroxy acids ( glycolic acid, lactic acid, and mandelic acid) are water-soluble and so don’t penetrate the skin as easily as beta hydroxy acids which are lipid-soluble. The AHAs give superficial exfoliation while the BHAs get into the pores, clean them out while loosening the glue that holds dead skin cells together.

You have to be careful though, you don’t want to overdo this combination because it can leave you with severe skin irritation but done rightly can give you that spa results at home.

Product with this combo are

• Cane & Austin acne retexture pad
• Drunk elephant TLC Sukari babyfacial

Please endeavor to use sun protection during the day when using any form of skin actives.

See ya,