If you’re going through the effort of investing in a skincare routine, it’s probably fair to assume that you want the ingredients to work together to improve your skin and create a healthy and glowing complexion. While many ingredients do co-exist effortlessly and can be used in tandem to remedy varying skin concerns you may have, there are other ingredients that don’t play well with others and may actually negate the effectiveness of your products.
We spoke with Dr. Purvisha Patel, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare to find out the ingredient that should never be used with others to create the most successful skincare routine without inadvertently diminishing the efficacy of your beauty regimen.
Benzoyl Peroxide
Commonly found in skincare products that work to combat acne, benzoyl peroxide is one ingredient that should not be used in combination with your anti-aging products as it’s known to deactivate the function of retinol, stopping your body from creating the boost of collagen it needs to appear younger and healthier. “Benzoyl peroxide is a bleaching agent that oxidizes the skin to help kill bacteria that causes acne,” explains Patel. “It can be very drying and when used in combination all over the face, and not as a spot treatment can cause the skin to become dry and irritated/red.”
Not only can using benzoyl peroxide with retinol negate the effectiveness of the powerful anti-aging ingredient, but it can also cause intense irritation on the skin when used with other harsh ingredients. “Don’t mix ingredients that should not be used together and layer them correctly,” suggests Patel on how to prevent your skin from experiencing increasing irritation from your beauty routine. “Benzoyl peroxide does not mix well with hydroquinone (now known to be a toxic skin lightener). Both ingredients cause skin irritation and when mixed, the effects compound each other,” adds Patel.
Removing benzoyl peroxide from your skincare routine may be the simple solution, but if you’re still looking to treat acne while fighting off signs of aging, timing your skincare routine to differentiate between morning and night can be extremely beneficial. Retinol should be used in the evening anyways as it makes your skin more susceptible to sun damage, so using acne products that contain benzoyl peroxide in the morning can help the ingredients to not overlap. That said, applying sunscreen after using both ingredients is essential as sun damage and UV rays are the most common cause of a variety of skin issues and premature aging.
How you layer your products together within your skincare routine will also dictate the success of the ingredients and their effectiveness on your skin, so Patel explains which other ingredients should steer clear of each other. “Strong concentrations of exfoliating agents (retinol, AHA and BHA) should not be used together, as this can cause increased skin peeling and even redness/irritation,” she notes. “Visha Skincare Advanced Correcting Serum has the perfect combination of retinol, vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid and a natural lightening agent to help with fine lines and wrinkles as well as acne reduction in one product.”
Staying aware of the ingredients within each product you use can help to not only protect your skin, but ensure your beauty routine is actually helping you in the long run so both your acne treatments and your anti-aging products are beneficial to their respective goals.
