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Layering skincare products can be tricky.

So what skincare ingredient pairings should you stay away from?

woman applying skin cream

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Because beta hydroxy acidslikesalicylic acidand benzoyl peroxide are both exfoliating ingredients, you may risk irritating your skin.

Keep the two separate to give a shot to prevent redness and peeling.

Dr. Green adds, “These ingredients all cause cell turnover and some degree of exfoliation.

When combined, it would cause severe skin irritation.”

Instead of amplifying the benefits, mixing the two will only degrade the potency of the retinoids.

“When used together, they can cause skin irritation.”

She recommends usingvitamin C in the morningand then your retinol at nightwith cleansing between, of course.

And then, theres also the matter of ingredient deactivation.

Like vitamin C, retinol may be somewhat unstable.

It probably won’t end well.

To avoid inflaming your skin, use only one at a time.

You also might end up with a face that’s itchy for days.

The eye area is an easy spot to overdo itbe mindful of the active ingredients in your eye creams.

Oil-Based + Water-Based Products

“Your products should have the same consistency,” Dr Green explains.

This means that oil- and water-based productsitems with different consistenciesshouldn’t be on your face simultaneously.

Thankfully, it won’t be dangerous if you do, but itwillbe a waste.

[Not combining these products will] ensure proper absorption.