Is It Okay to Combine and Layer Totally different Skincare Serums?

Once you open TikTok or Instagram, it looks as if each “Get Prepared With Me” video options somebody slathering on layer after layer of fancy skincare serums. The strain to have an intensive skincare routine is actual, and typically it might really feel such as you’re speculated to be utilizing each serum and lively ingredient underneath the solar for that elusive “finest pores and skin ever.” It’s no shock, then, that folks surprise if they need to be layering serums. What number of do you have to be utilizing? What sorts are you able to combine collectively? There are even “recipes” on-line for creating your personal bespoke routine by mixing varied serums collectively earlier than making use of them. At first, it would look like an amazing thought. In spite of everything, there are such a lot of high-performance skincare elements on the market nowadays, why not add a few of them collectively to present your pores and skin as many advantages as potential?

Fortunately, although, the reply to all that is refreshingly easy. Mixing and layering your serums received’t provide the finest outcomes—you need to be rotating one after the other as a substitute. Maintain scrolling to be taught why layering and mixing aren’t the best way to go, the right way to rotate your serums, and which elements it is best to by no means combine.

First, What Is a Serum?

A serum is a concentrated skincare product with lively elements. They’re sometimes light-weight and water or lotion primarily based as a result of this enables them to penetrate deeper into the pores and skin the place they’ll create probably the most change. The place a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer are the constructing blocks of a strong routine, you attain for a serum to focus on particular issues and create tangible change. Be it pimples, dehydration, discoloration, or indicators of growing old—there’s a serum for that. 

A serum ought to all the time be utilized after you’ve cleansed and utilized toner, then adopted up with moisturizer.

Learn what’s a serum, and do I actually need one?

Ought to You Layer Serums?

As I stated earlier, there are such a lot of superb lively skincare elements obtainable that it looks as if utilizing a couple of would maximize outcomes. However What really occurs whenever you layer serums on high of each other? 

Let’s say you begin by making use of a niacinamide serum then layer a vitamin C serum on high of that. The primary serum goes to penetrate the pores and skin because it’s meant to, however it would most likely additionally go away a little bit residue behind on the pores and skin’s floor. This implies the second serum has a little bit of an impediment and won’t be capable to penetrate as successfully. The extra serums you add, the extra diluted they grow to be. To return to our instance, this might imply the vitamin C serum you apply is now half as efficient because it’s meant to be.

Whereas it’s tempting to load up on a number of merchandise and elements, your pores and skin can solely soak up a lot. Consider it as a sponge; sooner or later, a sponge has absorbed all it might and water will simply pour over it. This occurs together with your pores and skin as nicely. Belief me, through the use of every little thing directly, you’ll simply find yourself throwing your cash down the drain. 

One other concern is that many serums embrace very lively elements. Once you apply too many sturdy elements to your pores and skin directly, you run the chance of irritation. That may solely trigger injury and undo all the great you had been attempting to do together with your serums. 

If you happen to’re intent on layering, I don’t recommend greater than two serums—one with an lively ingredient like retinol or exfoliating acids, and one which’s purely a hydrating serum. These are likely to play properly with others and might add a little bit further layer of moisture if that’s what you’re in search of.

What About Mixing Serums?

So layering is all good, however what about mixing every little thing collectively to create on super-serum? Hate to burst your bubble, nevertheless it doesn’t work this manner both. 

Even when the elements in two totally different serums can technically be mixed, you continue to run into the difficulty of dilution. Once more, you’d be losing your cash by not getting full advantages from the product. 

Let me additionally make this level. Not all serums are equal. Chemically talking, one components could also be designed to penetrate through a sure mechanism. One other product might not have the identical penetration enhancers. Chances are you’ll be making them chemically much less environment friendly, by disrupting their meant processes. Principally, it’s such as you’re complicated the serums by mixing them collectively.

Lastly, I by no means advocate mixing water-based merchandise with oil or emollient-based merchandise. I do know some folks like to combine their serums into moisturizer, and I’m not a fan since this will actually mess with the efficacy of a serum. It’s finest to use a serum, let it dry down or get cheesy for a number of seconds, then apply a skinny layer of moisturizer on high. 

How Can You Get All of the Advantages With out Layering Serums?

It’s true that you simply’ll get the best profit through the use of quite a lot of lively elements, so right here’s one of the best ways to include a number of serums into your routine.

As an alternative of Layering Your Serums, Rotate Them 

Consider your serums like a exercise routine—selection provides you with one of the best outcomes, however you wouldn’t wish to do all of your exercises on the identical day or it could result in fatigue. The identical goes for serums. By specializing in one after the other as a substitute of layering your serums, you’ll get the utmost profit with none interference for a well-rounded strategy.

Btw, in case you’re studying this and considering to your self, “This sounds an terrible lot like skincycling,” you’re completely proper! The idea of rotating your serums in a selected order isn’t new, however the viral #skincycling pattern has introduced higher consciousness to this idea. Because it’s one thing many people estheticians have been preaching to our shoppers for years, I couldn’t be happier that it’s gaining traction. 

If you happen to don’t already know, skincycling is a information to rotating serums in your nighttime routine. A serum schedule, if you’ll. It’s an amazing blueprint to observe, however know that skincycling can look totally different for everybody. For instance, not everybody makes use of a retinol serum, and that’s okay! It’s essential to make use of the elements that help your skin type and your skin goals. Those that do use retinol might not be capable to tolerate the identical frequency of use. It’s all about experimenting a little bit and determining what works finest for you. Or, in case you’re confused, I all the time advocate in search of the recommendation of a skincare skilled. Our virtual consultation program makes this accessible to everybody. 

The way to Rotate Your Serums

Pores and skin is exclusive (that is your complete philosophy my model relies on), so not everybody can observe the very same schedule. That stated, that is the final information I developed as a blueprint. Bear in mind, that is one thing to construct in direction of—in case you’re beginning retinol for the primary time you’ll wish to work your manner up slowly. 

For nights one and two, use a retinol serum just like the Advanced Resurfacing Serum.

Night time three is an exfoliating acid serum. The rationale I recommend that is that it takes about 48 hours for retinol to extend cell turnover from inside and push the previous pores and skin cells to the floor. The exfoliating acid serum will assist shed these dry, expired cells which are being pushed out by the retinol. This may assist handle the floor dryness typically related to retinol use. Once more, the kind of exfoliating acid serum you utilize will rely in your pores and skin kind and particular person wants. To search out out which sort you want, you may take this Skin Type Quiz. 

On the finish of the week, a hydrating serum plumps and nourishes these recent new cells which were revealed by the combo of retinol and exfoliation. It additionally provides your pores and skin a relaxation from actives in order that it might relaxation and restore.

And once more, that is only a basic information! Every serum schedule must be tailor-made to your distinctive pores and skin.

Search for a Serum With A number of Useful Components

One other sneaky strategy to get a number of advantages with out utilizing a number of merchandise is to discover a serum that has a couple of useful ingredient. What I recommend in search of is a well-rounded serum that can in the end profit your pores and skin in additional methods than one. For instance, these exfoliating acid serums embrace elements like glycerin, allantoin, and aloe to assuage and hydrate, offsetting any doubtlessly irritating results from the acids. Or, you would search for a retinol serum that features anti-aging peptides to reinforce the general firming impact of the components, in addition to hydrating elements to make it straightforward to tolerate.

This manner, you realize every little thing has been correctly formulated to work in tandem and can be capable to correctly make its manner into your pores and skin.

Which Serum Components Ought to You NOT Mix?

Some elements play very nicely with others whereas different elements very very similar to to be the star of the present. 

Vitamin C (unstable kinds like Ascorbic Acid and L-Ascorbic Acid) + Retinol = not really useful. They’ve totally different pHs that may battle with each other.

Vitamin C (unstable kinds like Ascorbic Acid and L-Ascorbic acid) + AHAs = can be utilized collectively however might trigger irritation for delicate pores and skin varieties. Proceed with warning. 

Vitamin C (steady kinds like Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate) + AHAs = can safely be used collectively with out the chance of irritation. (However I do advocate utilizing vitamin C within the morning and AHAs at night time. Take a look at the proper morning routine.)

Retinol + Benzoyl Peroxide = not really useful. Benzoyl peroxide oxidizes simply. Retinol does as nicely, and it might make them each much less efficient.

Retinol + Retinol = not really useful to double dose. If you happen to’re utilizing a well-formulated retinol serum, it ought to have interaction your retinol receptors to do their job. Once you layer on one other retinol serum, in an effort to extend the outcomes, you’ll wind up with pointless and undesirable irritation.

The Backside Line

With a plethora of serums and elements that may have a optimistic impact on our pores and skin, it may be tempting to make use of them all of sudden. However, this isn’t one of the best ways to maximise outcomes in your pores and skin (or your pockets). First, be aware that your pores and skin can solely soak up a lot at one time. Second, do not forget that layering too many serums or mixing them can dilute their efficacy. Mixing elements at house just isn’t like mixing elements in a lab! (This is identical motive I’m not a fan of DIY skincare recipes!) 

As an alternative, rotate your serums and attempt to use only one every night time. This may enable the serum to work as successfully as potential with out interference so that you simply get the utmost profit. It’s all about discovering the serums that focus on your particular pores and skin issues and making a schedule that works for you.

Superstar Esthetician & Skincare Knowledgeable
As an esthetician educated in beauty chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching pores and skin, educating her viewers, and constructing an award-winning line of merchandise. Her hands-on expertise as an esthetician and trusted skincare knowledgeable has created a real-world answer — merchandise which are formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get precisely what it must appear and feel its finest. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives across the globe, her huge real-world information and fixed analysis are why Marie Claire calls her “probably the most passionate pores and skin practitioner we all know.”