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Skincare ingredient pairing cheat sheet
Which actives mix, which need AM/PM timing and which to keep apart, on one printable page. Enter your email, click the confirm link we send you, and the PDF lands in your inbox. Free, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
What's inside
- A colour-coded chart of the 11 most-used actives, each checked against the others: Retinol, tretinoin, vitamin C, niacinamide, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, hyaluronic acid, ceramides and sunscreen.
- The pairs to keep apart or go slow with, and why.
- Which pairs to split between morning and night, or alternate.
- When to use each active (AM, PM or either), plus a simple layering order.
- Every verdict links to a sourced answer on doesitmix.com.
Short answer
Most actives mix fine. Keep retinoids and exfoliating acids on separate nights, keep benzoyl peroxide away from tretinoin and vitamin C, use vitamin C in the morning and retinoids at night, and finish every morning with sunscreen.
A few examples from the sheet
- Retinol + tretinoin: No, not together. Do not layer retinol and tretinoin; they are both retinoids.
- Retinol + vitamin C: Yes, with timing. Use vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night.
- Retinol + glycolic acid: Yes, with timing. Use retinol and glycolic acid on alternating nights rather than together.
- Retinol + salicylic acid: Yes, with timing. Use retinol and salicylic acid on alternating nights rather than together.