Free tool
Do your actives go well together?
Retinoid, acids, vitamin C… Pick two actives: we’ll tell you whether they go together, and how to split them between morning and evening to avoid irritation.
Check two actives
Avoid together
Not on the same evening
Both speed up skin renewal, and together the risk of irritation goes up. Alternate evenings.
General guidelines taken from our article “Active ingredients that don’t go together”. They are no substitute for the advice of a dermatologist or a pharmacist.
An example week
Mornings protect, evenings alternate
| Time of day | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | Gentle cleanser · Vitamin C · Moisturiser · Sunscreen | ||||||
| Evening | Retinoid | Exfoliant | Retinoid | Rest | Retinoid | Exfoliant | Rest |
On rest evenings, a hydrating serum is enough.
Warning signs
Lasting tingling, redness, peeling or burning skin: take a break from all actives for a few days and go back to a minimal routine (gentle cleanser, moisturiser, sunscreen). Then reintroduce one active at a time. If the irritation persists, see a dermatologist or a pharmacist.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Retinoids should be avoided. For the other actives, ask your doctor, midwife or pharmacist for advice before using them.
Read next
Unsure about your routine?
In Elumea, the AI advisor answers your questions about actives and the order of your products.