Safe rules of combining acids for your skin care

Nowadays, using multiple layers of skin care products is a trend. All are competing to combine their skin care products from serum, essence, lotion, face oil,to moisturizers that contain AHA, BHA, Retinol, vitamin C, and more. No exception to the combination of acids for skin care.

In fact, you shouldn't just combine various skin care products. Especially for facial skin that is more sensitive than skin on other parts of the body.

Why, really, should you pay attention to product combinations? This is important because it relates to the ingredients or active substances that are the main ingredients of these products. The combination of the two ingredients that are not right can irritate the skin or even make them useless because the properties of the active ingredients can inhibit each other.

So what combinations are recommended and which should be avoided? The following is an explanation by dr. Joshua Zeichner, skin specialist from Mount Sinai Hospital in the United States and dr. Michele Faber, a skin specialist and researcher from the Schweiger Dermatology Group in the United States.

Types of acids for skin care that can be combined

1. AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) + BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acids)

AHA and BHA have the properties of exfoliating dead skin cells. The use of AHA in combination with BHA can increase the effectiveness of both because the ingredients and the way they work are different. In general, AHAs are more targeted at dry skin because of their water-soluble properties. Meanwhile, BHA is intended for oily skin because the BHA components are oil-soluble so that they penetrate deeper and are effective in overcoming problems such as blackheads and acne.

AHA (for example: glycolic AC ID) can help to brighten facial skin, while BHA (for example: salicylic acid) can reduce oil production on the face.

However, the use of AHA and BHA must also pay attention to things such as their effective function at a certain pH. Our facial skin is generally at an acidic pH, namely 4.2 to 5.6. This acidic condition helps reduce bad bacteria on the face that develop in alkaline conditions, namely at a pH of 10.5 to 11.

BHA is effective when formulated at pH 3.5 and AHA will be effective when formulated at a pH less than 4.Therefore, when layering AHA and BHA, use BHA first because it is more acidic and oil-soluble, just continue with the more alkaline AHAs and water-soluble.

2. Topical AHA / BHA + vitamin C

Just like AHA and BHA, vitamin C must be formulated at a certain pH level to be effective. In addition, vitamin C must also be packaged properly because it is very easily oxidized and damaged.

The efficacy of vitamin C is at a pH level of less than 3.5 so to combine it with AHA / BHA, you should use the lowest pH first, namely vitamin C, then followed by BHA and finally AHA.

However, be careful when using AHA / BHA and vitamin C together, because it can cause irritation to sensitive skin.

3. Hyaluronic acid + AHA / BHA

Hyaluronic acid aka hyaluronic acid is one of the active ingredients that is starting to circulate in the market because of its function to moisturize the skin and maintain moisture content in the skin.

AHA and BHA are types of acids that are strong enough so that people with sensitive facial skin use both of them can cause irritation on facial skin. Combination hyaluronic acids with AHA / BHA helps to reduce irritation that can be caused by AHA / BHA and also plays a role in maintaining skin moisture.

This acid combination for skin care is fairly safe so it can be used together.

4. Hyaluronic acids + retinol

Retinol is a skin care ingredient that is quite effective in reducing signs of aging (such as fine lines on the face) and hyperpigmentation on the skin. However, retinol often makes the skin dry and irritated so it is suitable when combined with hyaluronic acids.

Because, in addition to increasing skin hydration, components hyaluronic acid also has properties anti-aging so that it can increase the effectiveness of retinol.

Don't use it together!

1. Hydroxy acids (AHA / BHA) and retinol

Avoid the combination of AHA / BHA with retinol because the properties of the three are quite strong. The use of AHA / BHA in combination with retinol at the same time can cause irritation to facial skin.

If you want to use AHA / BHA and also retinol, use them interchangeably. The first night use AHA / BHA, the second night use retinol, and so on.

For retinol, start by using it every 2-3 days, if your face is used to retinol, then increase it every night. Don't forget to try the lowest retinol concentration first and always use it sunscreen if you are using retinol or AHA / BHA.

2. Mixing acne treatment and retinol

Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid (salicylic acid) are the two types of products to treat acne that you will most often find in over-the-counter products on the market. However, these two types of acids for skin care are not recommended to be used together because the skin will become very dry and become irritated.

However, there are skin care products used by skin specialists that combine the two for acne therapy. Therefore, before mixing the two, you should first consult a dermatologist.

So it is with a combination benzoyl peroxide and retinol. Although there are products on the market for acne, the combination of the two can cause skin irritation. Then preferably before you start a combination benzoyl peroxide and retinol or acid combination for any skin care, consult your doctor first.