Super skincare ingredient pairings you're not likely to find in one bottle

Knowing which hot beauty ingredients of the moment to use can be confusing enough (is vitamin C better for me... or retinol?), let alone figuring out whether we can use them together. And it turns out, even skincare pros can find it challenging.

"It's not easy, and there are definitely some things that interact with each other. It's really hard to know," says dermatologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto Dr. Nowell Solish. "Most dermatologists wouldn't even know either. It's usually the chemists that put this stuff together."

Still, there's good reason to layer some go-to skincare — with the help of some expert advice to guide you. 

"Sometimes, one plus one is three," says Solish, nodding to the fact that one skincare ingredient paired with another can lead to multiple benefits. "A classic example is [researchers] found that when you mix vitamin C and vitamin E together, they pair well and help even more. You get more improvement of fine lines but also pigmentation on the skin." 

Layering products in the right order can make a big difference, too. Solish explains that you generally want to start with the lightest product, typically a serum, and finish with the heaviest, likely a moisturizer. "If you put on something really thick and greasy, like a heavy moisturizer, and then you're trying to put a serum on top, it's very unlikely that the serum is going to penetrate." Sunscreen works in any skincare combination, adds Solish, who is also co-director of the non-melanoma skin cancer clinic at Women's College Hospital. He notes that it's better to apply chemical sunscreens, which are absorbed into the skin, early in your process. Physical sunscreens, which sit on top of the skin and deflect UV rays, can be added as a later step.

"The issue with products is if you combine too much, you don't know how stable they'll be," says Solish. "Otherwise, someone would just sell one product with 20 things together and there you go — but that doesn't mean it will work." Some proven-effective ingredient combinations — like retinoids paired with skin-lightening agents such as kojic acid or hydroquinone — are difficult to blend, so they're often sold separately. This is why many people will use a retinoid and a lightening or brightening cream with it, he says. "If you can tolerate it, they work well together."

Here, Solish guides us through some duos that you're not likely to find in one bottle — skincare pairings that work well together to combat some of our biggest beauty woes.

The concern: Hyperpigmentation from acne
The fix: Topical antibiotic + kojic acid

"Acne and hyperpigmentation is a common combination because … when those acne lesions are resolving, they get pigmented," says Solish. Typically, those lesions can turn from red to brown, and can bother people as much as the acne ever did. With red, inflammatory acne, he'll prescribe a topical antibiotic or a soothing cream to help calm skin. "Then you want [to add] a retinoid or a kojic acid, something like that to help with the pigment a little bit." 

The concern: Fine lines and wrinkles
The fix: Vitamin C + vitamin E for day

If you're looking to target fine lines and wrinkles, there are some great options out there, says Solish, who suggests using different products for day and night to attack areas of concern from all angles. He typically recommends his patients start off with a serum. "In that serum, I want things like vitamin C, vitamin E, peptides [such as] Matrixyl." Applying a serum with these key ingredients in the morning, before moisturizer and sunscreen, will help stimulate collagen production. At night, he recommends using products that can be more irritating, such as retinol or prescription-strength vitamin A. He'll also suggest bakuchiol, which tends to be "tolerated much better."  

The concern: Enlarged pores
The fix: Benzoyl peroxide + a pore minimizer

"The truth is nothing shrinks the pores," says Solish. Fortunately, there are things you can do to minimize their appearance. "When you have an enlarged pore, it can look dark because the sebum or oil in the pore oxidizes with the air," Solish explains. "Either retinoids or benzoyl peroxide, which are both over-the-counter, can help stop the oxidization, so it isn't as dark-looking in the centre." On top, he likes to apply a pore minimizing product. "A lot of them have silicone or silica … tiny nanoparticles that don't get absorbed by the skin but reflect light back … if light is reflecting back, it makes [the pore] look less visible."

The concern: Dry aging skin
The fix: Hyaluronic acid + a thicker moisturizer

Post-menopausal women lose water more quickly through their skin than younger women, explains Solish, noting that hormonal changes cause the barrier function of the skin to not work as well as it used to. Luckily, he has a two-step solution: "Often with older patients, I'll say you need more than one moisturizer. You need one to bring moisture to the skin and one that's going to be a barrier. Use hyaluronic acid first and then put something thick and oily on top to trap it." The combo will help to add moisture to the skin while also stopping it from evaporating. 

The concern: Dry and dull skin
The fix: Fruit exfoliator + an appropriate moisturizer

For dry and dull skin, Solish recommends starting with a product that's going to exfoliate, whether it's manual or chemical. "A retinoid is one, but there's lots of them — citrus ones, ones that have watermelon or things in them — that help exfoliate the skin," he says. "When you exfoliate, because you're changing the barrier, you often want a moisturizer with it," Solish adds. For millennial clients and those who get greasy, he suggests applying a lighter, water-based moisturizer, such as one containing hyaluronic acid, after exfoliating. "If it's really dry skin, especially if you're older and you're exfoliating, then [you] would use more of a greasy one." How to determine which is which? Solish offers this tip: a light moisturizer will feel cool to the skin, while a heavier, oil-based moisturizer will warm up as it's rubbed in. 

The concern: Acne
The fix: Clindamycin + benzoyl peroxide

With acne, having a daily regimen is key. "Most of the prescription creams have [an] antibiotic — usually clindamycin —  mixed with either benzoyl peroxide (which is the exfoliant that is going to break down the clogged pores); or they're mixed with retinoids and antibiotics," says Solish. He actually recommends getting aggressive with bothersome acne. "Pick a non-irritating [topical] medication to use once a day and then a more irritating one to use [an]other time during the day, because people can't tolerate twice a day of irritating acne products."  

The concern: Milia
The fix: A physical exfoliator + retinoids or benzoyl peroxide

"The best way to get rid of milia is to go for extractions, but if you're prone to milia, it's because you're using something too rich or too oily," explains Solish. Firstly, it's important to stop using overly heavy products, which are clogging pores. "Then you want … a physical exfoliator, like a device, plus a chemical exfoliator, which is either retinoids or benzoyl peroxide on top," he says. "Those are the things that will break down the milia."

Carly Ostroff is a Toronto-based fashion and beauty writer, content creator and TV expert. Follow along with her @carlyostroff.