Can You Mix Serums?

Serums are the heavy-lifters in any skincare routine, working to hydrate, correct and protect the skin on the daily but is it possible to have just one? We struggle. A question we’re asked all the time – can you mix serums, or does that negate their good effects?

Can You Mix Serums?

It might seem like cheating if you’re strict about your skincare routine, but it’s not, we promise. 

You can mix serums! We don’t recommend going right on them though, in a skincare free-for-all – there are a few things to consider before you start cocktailing everything you own like a skin alchemist.

What Order To Apply Your Skincare Products

If you’re going to mix serums, ordering is important. Just like you wouldn’t apply your SPF before you’ve cleansed, you wouldn’t throw serums on at random.

You can mix serums together in the palm of your hand before massaging them into your skin. This works best if all the serums are of the same consistency – otherwise, they won’t blend together super smoothly, and you might end up with serums that feel (excuse this word), curdled.

If all of your chosen serums are not the same consistency, then it’s important to start with the serum with the lightest formula, and move up to the thickest one. 

The more products on your skin, the trickier it can be for your skin to fully absorb the product. Starting with the lightest and carrying through to the heaviest just makes sense.

Which Serum To Put On First

It’s important as well to think about the ingredients that your skin needs the most at any given time. In general, when it comes to serums, it’s useful to apply the most potent serums first, as close to your skin as possible. This means that we suggest serums rich in vitamin A, vitamin C or niacinamide go first.

What Serums Not To Mix

The good thing about serums is that they are often packed with potent ingredients, which is great news for your skin – but all of these potent ingredients don’t always go perfectly together. So when asking if you can mix serums, the answer is yes, but there are a few exceptions.

There is intense debate about mixing retinol with other serums. However, it is possible to mix a serum containing retinyl palmitate (another form of vitamin A) with another product, if you wish, which means that you can mix Skin Protein with another serum if you would like!

We don’t recommend mixing alpha-hydroxy acids or beta-hydroxy acids with vitamin A. This is because vitamin A prompts skin regeneration, but AHAs and BHAs prompt exfoliation. Sometime, this is too strong a combination for the average hooman. 

This is key: you should never mix your SPF with a serum. Your SPF needs to be the final thing put on your skin every day, as it forms a barrier between your skin and everything else. Everything applied after SPF will be ineffective, and if you mix your SPF with your serum, you can make your SPF less effective, too. 

How Many Serums Can I Use?

In the Skingredients Core 4, we have two products which work as serums. These are 02 in the range, Skin Veg, and 03, Skin Protein. 

Skin Veg is a hydrating, anti-ageing, brightening and exfoliating serum to use twice daily. It contains plenty of nutrients and ingredients important for long-term skin health and short term radiance, too. It also works to allow the serums which will follow it to penetrate more effectively into the skin. It can work to hydrate and plump your skin, prevent and treat pigmentation and to even your skin tone!

Skingredients Skin Protein is a vitamin A, C, and E serum, which contains retinyl palmitate, the fat form of vitamin A to re-educate skin and prompt cell turnover. It’s an anti-ageing serums which helps to reduce redness, and brighten pigmentation. It also can help to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, as well as helping to reduce pore size. 

You can mix these two serums together, or pre-serum with Skin Veg, before applying Skin Protein – along with another serum of your choice, if you like!

While there isn’t a limit on how many serums you can use per day, everyone’s skin has different abilities when it comes to absorbing product, and there is no point applying more product than your skin will easily handle. Let’s say 3 in any given application is more than enough. The only true test is to apply as much as you want and then see if your skin hoovers it all up. If you’re left with a layer of moisture after 30 minutes, that is simply too much for your skin.

Mixing serums together can be a great way to save time, when time is of the essence. Layering them one after the other is also a good way to make sure that you’re tackling your own particular skincare concerns on a daily basis – and choosing the serums from your stash which best suit your immediate skincare concerns and mood, too. So yes, when it comes to serums, you can mix them – but it might be a good idea to check in with your retailer to make sure you’re getting the most effective use from your serums as possible! 

Our Top Tips For Mixing Serums

First and foremost, you need to find a serum which does as much as possible for your skin, so you don’t feel the need to own a small army of bottles. For example, instead of having separate serums for soothing and hydrating – why not find one that does both? 

And the same when it comes to your vitamins – instead of a serum which just contains vitamin A and another for getting your vitamin C – you can find a product which has A, C, and often even more in it!