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   I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t curious about trying every single new skin product that I saw. I’m sure we have all bought a hot new product out of impulse and were floored to find that our skin not only wasn’t totally transformed in an instant but that it reacted horribly! Most of the time we chalk this up to our skin not agreeing with the product but more often than you would think this can happen because the product doesn’t agree with what we already use in our skincare routine! Here is a fool proof guide to mixing and not mixing different ingredients in your skincare products!Beauty Chemistry 101: What to Mix and What not to Mix~Vanessa Sterling   DO NOT MIX Salacylic/Glycolic Acid with Retinols/Retinoids Using these two ingredients in tandem can lead to extreme drying, flaking and irritation which can ultimately lead to breakouts and skin that looks more aged. Retinols/Retinoids usually take about 10 days or more to leave your system so if you want to be able to get the benefits of both ingredients its better to start with your salicylic or glycolic regimen until you are satisfied with your results, discontinue your use and then start with your retinol/retinoid routine. If you have extremely oily skin and you find that your skin can handle using products with both of these ingredients at the same time stick to a cleanser with salicylic or glycolic acid because it has shorter contact with your skin than a cream ointment or gel. Start with the Murad Acne Clearing Solution .  Once you get your desired results switch over to the Tina K Correct K Line Diminishing Cream.     DO NOT MIX Exfoliators and Brighteners Not only is this combo extremely irritating but it can also make you more photo sensitive which can ultimately lead to an intensifying effect on your hyper-pigmentation.  If you’re looking to banish your dark spots and still exfoliate your skin cut the brightener and just use your gentle exfoliant and use a really good SPF. When your skin is protected is produces less melanin and because you’re exfoliating that pigmentation will gradually dust away on its own without the use of brighteners. I would recommend the Crop Natural Detoxifying Charcoal Facial Scrub   along with Glowbiotics Non-Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30 .     DO NOT MIX Vitamin C and Acids Vitamin C is one of the most power packed skincare ingredients out there however it is also an extremely unstable antioxidant which means that you have to be really careful with what you use with it. Using it along with Alpha-Hydroxy Acids and Salicylic acid can throw off the pH of the product(s) leaving them totally useless.     DO NOT MIX Retinols/Retinoids and UV Light As we know retinols/retinoids increase cell turnover which is why they do wonders for skin conditions like acne and wrinkles. The problem with this is that it also makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight than normal so make sure to apply and reapply SPF during the day and save your retinol/oid products for your nighttime routine. Don’t worry not all ingredients are incompatible you can still reap the benefits of using multiple power packed ingredients.     DO MIX Retinol and Ferulic Acid Ferulic Acid is an awesome antioxidant that helps enhance the properties of other skin loving vitamins and helps with sun protection as well. While retinol is great for skin firming, and boosting clarity and glow, when ferric acid is added to the mix it helps retinol do its job even better by helping it get deeper into the skin and promotes collagen production as well. Using La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Serum Intensive Dark Spot Correcting Serum along with Avene RetrinAL .05 Cream   will work wonders.    DO MIX Vitamins A, C & E Vitamin A (includes retinol and retinoids) helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles and increases the moisture and bounce in your skin. Vitamin C helps even out your skin tone and offers environmental defense and Vitamin E helps add another level of defense. When all of these vitamins are used together you have the perfect recipe for nourishing and protecting your skin from a bunch of different angles. Use the Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum along with the Crop Antioxidant Facial Cream  to give your skin the vitamins that it craves.   DO MIX Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid With its ability to hold 1,000 times its weight in water, Hylauronic acid does wonders when it comes to hydrating the skin. Even though retinol is great at stimulating cell turnover the downside is that it usually increases dryness which is why these two are a match made in heaven.  The DCL Profoundly Effective A Cream SPF 30  not only has both Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid but it’s also loaded with other skin loving ingredients to soften firm and hydrate your skin.

As a product specialist, here at askderm.com, there are a lot of questions that I get asked over and over. One of those questions is about what to apply and when. You now have all these wonderful products at home but how are they applied and when do you use them? Have no fear, I can help sort that out for you! It can be very confusing for novice skincare users as well as for advanced users the difference between serums, SPF's, and toners not to mention how to layer everything correctly.  AM Skincare - What to Apply & When Lets start with a morning routine. First use a proper cleanser and toner for your skin type. After toner apply a serum . Vitamin C or Glycolic based work better in the daytime. They tend to be more preventive , such as Obagi professional C serum great for counter acting free radicals that break down elastin in our skin and add brightness. Next apply a hydrator cream and eye cream that is specially formulated for the delicate skin around the eye. This will reduce fine lines and decrease puffiness. Now comes sun protection. I like the Avene Ultra Light 50 spf for the face. This contains Vitamin E to protect the skin and thermal spring water to soothe the skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Finish with makeup if needed. PM Skincare - What to Apply & When Continuing on for evening. Again cleanse your skin and follow with toner of your choice here I like to apply a retinol based cream. The Niadyne NIA 24 Intense Retinol Repair for example,  at night while the skin is resting offers an improvement in the overall firmness of the skin. Retinols do not mix well with the sun so use these in the evening. Again if you still feel dry apply moisturizer over ,and follow with your eye cream. Meg 21 Bright and Firm does just what it says . This will soften lines, add brightness ,and reduce puffiness. Remember just a tiny amount for this area. And don't forget your neck area. PM is the perfect time to apply a neck treatment. Wilma Schuumann Neck and Bust Firming Cream is applied in upward  strokes daily. So I hope this gave alittle insight to a healthy skin routine. Feel free to call our customer service number and let me create a personal skincare routine for you. Blog Written by askderm's in-house Cosmetologist  Carolyn is a NYS Licensed Cosmetologist. She has over 20 years experience in the beauty industry with make up, skin, and hair care services. Based on her expertise in the industry, Carolyn provides expert skin care & hair care knowledge to our customers.