Sometimes there’s no holding back a beauty junkie. So many trends. So many enticing choices to make. Lots of great brands featuring promising ingredients to cure different skin ailments. It’s all so tempting!

But not all skin care elements work well together on your skin’s behalf. In fact, your skin may not react well with too much product. Products and ingredients may counteract with one another.

So how do you know when to scale back or charge forward? The easiest step would be to consult with your esthetician, especially if you have dermatologist’s prescriptions to fit into your skin care practice. This way you will know how to work in new products and ingredients to ensure proper balance for your skin. Otherwise, here is what you need to know.

What is Skin Care Cocktailing?

Skin care cocktailing is considered a viral beauty trend, but beauty lovers have been practicing this for years, whether they realize it or not. It is the process of layering on or mixing a variety of products into your routine to target various concerns. It is easy to want to immediately tack on new skin care ingredients to your current skin care process that could optimize the results for multiple issues. However, it is important to not overdo this. 

So here are some rules to adhere by when applying:

• DON’T mix ingredients together like your favorite cocktail drink before application. This can disturb the ingredient composition and cause irritation.

• DO apply each product in textural order instead, from lightest to heaviest or oiliest. Start with toners or serums before moisturizers.

• DO wait a minute or two before layering on each item to ensure skin absorption.

• DON’T add more than one new item at a time to your routine.

• DO use natural, organic and biodynamic products when combining.

What Happens to Skin When Overusing Ingredients?

We have seen first-hand how the skin reacts to large amounts of products and ingredients. A client to whom we had prescribed a specific skin care routine got excited about introducing new products. She was already safely using multiple products to address several concerns. However, she was excited by a popular brand’s retinol-based item and added it to her routine, without a consultation. This ended up causing eczema. 

Using too many products will increase the chance of a bad reaction to your skin. Some interactions can even render ingredients ineffective. This is because over cocktailing can disrupt the barrier function of the skin and pH balance. Skin contains a stratum corneum, which is the glue that holds the skin barrier together, the outermost layer. It is comprised of lipids, which defend daily aggressors. You don’t want to mess with this protection.

Too many active ingredients fighting to work together, a constant change of routine formulas or over-exfoliating will impair the skin barrier and cause too much water to evaporate. Losing moisture causes cracks that allow for irritants and germs to seep in. This can result in dermatitis or worsen existing conditions such as acne or rosacea. To help avoid, pay attention if your skin peels or becomes extremely dry, itchy or sensitive to the touch.

What Products Can I Start Mixing Together?

Let’s review the products needed for a standard, simplified skin care routine, as the ingredients in each product count towards the reaction to your skin. When cocktailing, include only products you truly need and remove the superfluous steps.

Your regular morning skin care practice would feature:

• Cleanser: Use a gentle cleanser created for your skin type.

• Toner or Mild Exfoliant: Only use a toner if your skin is extra oily or you want extra assurance that skin is cleaned properly for the next step, as it can be quite stripping. Consider using it in a mist or spray form for other skin types. Otherwise, if you have been regimented about your skin care routine for some time, use a chemical exfoliant with lactic or salicylic acid.

• Corrective Serum: Unless your esthetician has prescribed a specific product of ingredients to meet a skin care issue, a safe bet would be reaching for an antioxidant serum with Vitamin C and/or Vitamin E. Add a hydrating serum such as one with hyaluronic acid if your skin is extra dry. Extra hydration will not cause irritation.

• TIP: We recommend sticking to one to two serums, unless your esthetician recommends a third to treat specific skin needs.

• Moisturizer: If your skin is balanced with just a hydrating serum, feel free to cut this step. Otherwise, use a thicker product in the winter to soothe aging skin and protect from the cold, dry air and switch to a lighter version in the summer.

• SPF: Important to layer on daily throughout the year.

• Eye & Lip Creams: Don’t forget to moisturize the eyes and lips!

Your evening routine will differ by the following:

• Cleanser: If you wear makeup during the day, consider double-cleansing with an oil-based cleanser, such as Eminence Organics Stone Crop Cleansing Oil, followed by a gentle cleanser, such as the PCA Skin Facial Wash.

• Exfoliate: Use a chemical exfoliant, a mechanical exfoliant (like a scrub) or a retinol, if recommended by your esthetician. Some other tips:

• DON’T: Mix different exfoliants, such as lactic acid serum and a scrub or any of these products with a retinol. Choose one exfoliant or retinol.

• DO: Use less retinoids and exfoliants if you have sensitive or reactive skin. 

• DON’T: Overuse retinols, as its strength can easily compromise the skin.

• Masque: Use one to three times a week and apply a serum after washing off. Consider applying an overnight masque to step in for one of those three nights.

• Moisturize: Cap off with a night cream. This is a key step after using any of the above products to soothe your skin.

What Ingredients Can or Can’t Be Combined Within My Skin Care Routine?

Now that we are clear on what products are best to include in your routine, let’s review the most common ingredients represented in skin care programs and which mixes to look out for in regard to benefits and issues. 

Before getting started, it is important to note that the potency of the active ingredients makes all the difference when understanding what to combine. Here are the effects from mixing over-the-counter skin care brands vs. professional or medical-grade skin care:

• Over The Counter: Goods purchased at a mass retailer cannot sell ingredients at 2% or higher concentrations. Therefore, mixing these products with any ingredients is safe. However, this also means items are only strong enough to tame mild skin care issues.

• From Professional Skin Specialists: Products from a prescription or via your dermatologist, an esthetician or skin care practice feature ingredients with a potency of 2% or more. These are great for a targeted treatment to achieve the best results. However, these products cannot be combined with others that feature opposing ingredients, even if from over the counter.

• TIP: Keep in mind that many professional-grade brands are also sold through third-party skin care online retailers. Be sure to review the potency of an unfamiliar brand from a specialty store.

As for key ingredients, here is what you need to know:

• Strong Active Ingredients: Products featuring conventional retinols are great for skin repair and anti-aging. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) are very powerful exfoliants. Make sure to single each of these out in your routine and not pair with each other or any other ingredients. One exception: any hydration-based product whose only active ingredients include those such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides and glycerin. These make great counterparts as they provide moisture to these strong, drying ingredients.

• Peptides: These are fantastic healers for signs of aging, sun damage and inflammation. Interestingly, they can work more efficiently when paired with other ingredients such as vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and niacinamides, which are great for balancing the skin tone. But their efficacy is compromised when applied alongside AHAs or retinols.

• Antioxidants: These include vitamins C and E and help prevent skin damage as they inhibit oxidation. There are protective and anti-aging benefits in these. They work great under an SPF for added protection as well as a mild exfoliant such as a glycolic acid, depending on your skin type and needs. But don’t mix with stronger actives as they will offset any benefits.

Consider Scheduling a Skin Cocktailing Consultation

As you can see, there are so many products, ingredients, factors and exceptions involved to create the perfect skin care recipe that works for your individual skin needs. Everyone has different pH balances, skin concerns and ingredient reactions, which makes it hard to be sure which mix of skin care elements is best for individual needs.

Make it easy on yourself by resisting the urge to use more products than you need to avoid overusing and mixing ingredients you shouldn’t. Stick to the basics and add on organic and hydrating options. Consider multitasking serums, a hot trend, that do the work for you, but do not use more than two. You can split using serums between your daytime and evening routines.

But have fun researching new brands, products and ingredients you’d like to explore and bring that list to your esthetician to advise you on what to try and how. Together, you will find your perfect recipe to healthy, glowing skin!  

Moonstone Online Skin Care Consultation

Not sure which skin care products or treatments will take care of those pesky skin conditions or concerns? Simply don’t have time to book an in-person treatment?

No problem! Take advantage of this 30-minute chat via Zoom and we’ll go over your skin concerns, clarify your skin goals and guide you in the products and services that are ideal for your skin health.

Includes $25 credit to use on product orders over $100.