What Not to Mix with Salicylic Acid?
In today’s blog post, we’ll show you how to layer skincare ingredients and what results you can expect once you’ve established a well-rounded, effective skincare routine.
The main ingredient we’re focusing on today is the popular and effective beta hydroxy acid (BHA) called salicylic acid. So if you want to learn more about what ingredients you can and can’t mix with it, stay tuned because everything will become clearer by the end of today’s blog post.
What is Salicylic Acid?
Salicylic acid is one of the most commonly used beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) and is an oil-soluble chemical peel. It’s derived from willow bark and is hailed as an effective and highly efficient ingredient for fighting skin blemishes. You’ll find that, unlike alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), it can penetrate deeper into the skin and reach the underlying layers and pores to remove excess sebum, bacteria, and impurities that can build up over time and ultimately lead to acne and breakouts.
Oily and blemish-prone skin types generally benefit more from using salicylic acid than dry or sensitive skin. This is because salicylic acid has a smaller molecule size than other acids, allowing it to penetrate deeper into the skin. This is often why salicylic acid is too strong for some skin types and causes signs of dryness, irritation, and redness.
If you want to learn more about salicylic acid, read our blog post on its benefits and how to incorporate it into your skincare routine.
What should not be used with salicylic acid?
Here are examples of ingredients that are best avoided with salicylic acid.
Retinol and Salicylic Acid
These two ingredients are two of the most potent ingredients in numerous skincare products. The combination of these two ingredients is like a highly effective, double-strength skin nightmare, causing severe dryness, sensitivity, and increased sensitivity to light. If you want to use these two ingredients in your daily routine, try using a cleanser or toner with salicylic acid during the day and using retinol at night. This will help you avoid irritation but still achieve the desired results.
Glycolic and Salicylic Acid
These two chemical peels remove dead skin cells from the upper layer of the skin. Glycolic acid is considered one of the most potent AHAs, so mixing it with salicylic acid can lead to severe irritation and redness. Instead, if you use these ingredients, consider using them at different times of the day. I recommend using salicylic acid at night because it can penetrate deeper into the skin to clear bacteria, dirt, and impurities from the pores.
Now let’s look at skin ingredients that can be mixed with salicylic acid.
What can salicylic acid be mixed with?
The easiest way to determine which ingredients pair best with salicylic acid is to consider their beneficial properties and see if they complement what BHA does for the skin.
Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid
Since niacinamide is a water-soluble ingredient and salicylic acid is an oil-soluble ingredient, the two ingredients immediately balance each other out and work better together. Niacinamide has moisturizing properties, which means it can absorb every gram of moisture around your face and lock it on the surface of the skin. It maintains this effect throughout the day, keeping the skin’s protective barrier hydrated and full of complexion. By continuously moisturizing the skin, niacinamide can counteract the signs of dryness or redness that are usually caused by using salicylic acid. This allows the two ingredients to work harmoniously together to achieve impressive skin results.
Can salicylic acid and vitamin C be mixed?
When layering skincare ingredients, there’s one factor you always need to keep in mind: pH. I understand if the pH of your skin and skincare is the last thing on your mind, but hopefully over time it will become second nature.
Vitamin C has a reputation for being an unstable ingredient to formulate with, but modern technology and developments in recent years mean that vitamin C can be formulated effectively and maintain a relatively low pH. Salicylic acid, however, is a completely different story, as it’s more acidic. When the two are mixed together, you get – you guessed it – an imbalance and all sorts of breakouts. If you want to use both ingredients together, it’s best to use vitamin C as part of your morning routine. Then in the evening, you can use a salicylic acid serum or similar product to counteract any damage, buildup, and impurities that your skin has absorbed into your skin that day.
Can salicylic acid and hyaluronic acid be used together?
Yes! Some people think that salicylic acid and hyaluronic acid are a better combination than Batman and Robin. Similar to niacinamide, hyaluronic acid acts as a humectant, providing tremendous hydration to the skin, strengthening the skin barrier, and restoring balance, leaving the skin looking plump and youthful, with significantly reduced fine lines and wrinkles. Using these ingredients together helps keep your skin healthy and happy, with no signs of irritation or redness.
Can I apply a moisturizer after using salicylic acid?
Regardless, I highly recommend using a moisturizer after using salicylic acid. This will not only soothe and relax the skin after you apply the potent BHA to it. You’ll also find that the moisturizer not only helps balance and hydrate the skin, but it also forms a physical shield on your face, blocking as many skin-damaging free radicals as possible while helping all the ingredients (including their ingredients) work their magic.
Can I use more than one product with salicylic acid?
As mentioned before, salicylic acid is one of the most potent ingredients in skincare. Simply put, using more than one product with BHA is not a good idea. This isn’t because the ingredient isn’t right for your skin type, but because the acid’s small molecular size means it penetrates the farthest of all the acids, which combined with the exfoliating properties, can be too much for the skin.If you use salicylic acid in multiple products, you will find that your skin becomes irritated and dry, and redness and sensitivity may occur.
Here is a quick summary of which ingredients can be used with salicylic acid and which ones should be avoided. If you have any skincare questions, don’t forget to check me out on the Procoal Instagram.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
