Don’t Mix Retinols and Acne Products

You should never use a retinol at the same time as an ingredient like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid acid. Retinol speeds up cell turnover and causes slight peeling of the skin. If used at the same time as an acne spot treatment your skin will end up very thin, dry, and irritated. If we had to recommend one of the other, we would definitely suggest opting for a high quality retinol since they also help with prevent signs of aging and control sebum production.

Use AHA Acids Carefully

Alpha Hydroxy Acids are a staple ingredient in brightening products like the night serum from Drunk Elephant. They reveal brighter skin overnight by peeling off the top most layer of the skin. They’re great, but only help with surface level texture and discolouration and since they peel away skin, you should be careful when you use them. Just like our first tip, you don’t want to use AHA’s while you’re using a retinol or on nights when you exfoliate. We like to use ours roughly once a week on nights that we don’t use any other active ingredients.

A Clean Face is a Happy Face

Never go to bed without making sure your face is properly cleaned and that all your makeup is off.  Double cleanse if you have to.  We like to finish with a cotton swab and some micellar water to make sure we got everything.  You also want to talk to a professional and make sure you’re not using a face wash that’s too harsh for your skin type.  Your cleanser shouldn’t strip your skin of its natural oil and balance.  Once you know your face is clean, move on to step 2 of your bedtime routine. 

Don’t Pick 

No matter how much you think you might be helping move things along, you are not helping yourself when you try and pop a blemish.   All you are doing is making it last longer, risking scarring, and possibly causing another blemish.  So just take a breathe and step away from the mirror. The only person who’s even going to notice it is you! 

Don’t OVER Do Anything

Generally, people with skin that’s off balance (very dry) tend to think that exfoliation if the key, but this cause even dryer skin. On the flip side, there are others with very oily skin that over wash their faces and of course, this is absolutely not the answer and will cause your glands to produce more oil causing breakouts. There is no one solution to combination skin. You will have to find your own routine.  Oil production is not always a function of cleanliness and you shouldn't wash your face more than twice a day. Sometimes, you just need to hydrate your skin and let it find its own balance.

RELATED ARTICLES