Do you remember the skincare trend that had us all curating our own routines using potent, single-ingredient products? The freedom, control, and transparency was refreshing to an industry that lacked all of the above, and for the first time, you had complete control over your own skincare ingredients. Although there were many who found exhilarating results from this new, refreshing approach, there were also some skincare disasters from unadvisable skincare cocktailing. This happens when certain ingredients (such as retinoids) are combined with other incompatible ingredients (such as AHA’s), leading to unhappy skin.

It can also be confusing if you’re not a skin expert to carefully curate your own routine, and that’s why we believe in pre-formulated skincare, with total ingredient transparency. This means that your products are carefully and rigorously formulated by our skin experts using effective ingredients and dosages, while being completely transparent with our ingredient list. Skincare cocktailing isn’t a bad thing, on the contrary, the best results can come from combining and layering! Find out everything you need to know about skincare cocktailing for your melanin-rich skin.

What are the benefits of layering products?

The key to an ideal skincare routine is to keep it simple. Stick to a straightforward plan that’s easy to execute every day, and use different products that offer varying roles within your routine. Each product contains several active ingredients that allow them to work in synergy together, acting as one piece of the puzzle. Layering your products (rather than pre-mixing them), reduces the risk of disturbing the delicate balance of each formula and potentially leading to undesired outcomes on the skin. Instead, you can be assured that your products will harmoniously compliment each other in order to achieve your skincare dreams.

Ideal skincare combinations, for optimum results.

To make the most of your morning routine, use the layering approach for your vitamin C, followed by your daily broad-spectrum sunscreen. Not only does this combination bolster UV protection, but it also helps to fight against free radical damage caused by UV rays and pollution. As for the evenings, combine a ceramide-based moisturiser with a topical retinoid to counteract any potential irritation, while enjoying the anti-ageing and cell-metabolising benefits of the vitamin A derivative. It’s a win-win!

Combinations for every concern.

While our entire range can work as a complete set, there are some super-charged combos that we think you should know about when targeting specific concerns:

When fading and preventing hyperpigmentation, look no further than our soothing Tonic Oh! Treatment Lotion, which effectively calms the skin, minimising hyperpigmentation-triggering inflammation. Then follow up with our potent Sevenly Delight Brightening Concentrated Serum to take advantage of all seven hyperpigmentation-fading active ingredients.

To treat acne and breakouts, cleanse the skin with our Green Bae Cleansing Gel, which delicately removes unwanted oil and debris, before gently promoting cell turnover with our To Be Clear Exfoliant Mask. As our cleansing gel doesn’t strip the skin of moisture, applying a 3-minute chemical and enzymatic exfoliating mask safely assists with the control and prevention of acne breakouts, without ever over-drying.

Dryness can be tackled with our Come Clean Cleansing Oil, which thoroughly cleanses and nourishes pores when melting away makeup, sunscreen, and pollution. Finish off your routine with our rebalancing Day Hack Matte Moisturiser to lock in moisture, while providing a thirst-quenching layer of hydration for your skin.

When in doubt…

Trust the melanin-rich skin experts to create your ideal routine and formulation using only the very best ingredients that protect the health of your skin. We believe in total transparency, and jump at every opportunity to help, assist, and educate wherever we can! See our Skin Routine Guides for more information, and send us a message if you have any queries. Happy skincare cocktailing!