Active ingredients are the reason skincare works. They're also the reason most people end up with a red, stinging, peeling face three weeks into a new routine.
The pairs to keep apart
- Retinol + AHA/BHA — both increase cell turnover. Together they strip the barrier faster than it rebuilds. Alternate nights.
- Retinol + vitamin C — not dangerous, but they prefer different pH levels. Vitamin C in the morning, retinol at night.
- Two exfoliants — a glycolic toner and a salicylic cleanser is already two. Pick one.
The pairs that work well
- Niacinamide + almost anything — it's one of the most cooperative actives there is.
- Hyaluronic acid + everything — pure hydration, no conflicts.
- Vitamin C + sunscreen — vitamin C boosts your SPF's protection.
A schedule that works
Every morning: cleanser, vitamin C serum, moisturiser, SPF.
Monday / Thursday nights: retinol.
Wednesday / Saturday nights: exfoliant.
Everything else: just cleanse, hydrate and moisturise. Recovery nights are doing real work.
If your barrier is already damaged
Tight, stinging, flaking, suddenly reactive to products you've used for months — that's barrier damage, not a purge. Stop every active. Cleanser, a ceramide or panthenol moisturiser, sunscreen. Nothing else for two weeks. It will come back.
Reactive skin? Our serum range includes gentle, barrier-first options.