What should you not use with vitamin C?
You have a vitamin C serum and want to fit it into your existing routine. But can you use it with retinol, niacinamide and acids? Here’s the short answer and how to avoid irritating your skin.
In short
- Most ingredients can be used in the same routine as vitamin C. It’s mostly a matter of timing.
- Use vitamin C in the morning and retinol or acids in the evening. Start gradually, and cut back if your skin becomes irritated.
- Vitamin C and niacinamide can be used together, and sunscreen should always be part of your morning routine.
Why should you consider what you combine with vitamin C?
Pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is delicate. It does not keep well when exposed to air, light and heat1. At the same time, using several strong ingredients at once can irritate the skin, causing stinging, redness or peeling.
It’s rarely dangerous, but it’s frustrating, and it can make you give up a routine that would otherwise benefit your skin. Fortunately, you rarely have to choose. You can often space the ingredients out over the day and introduce new ones gradually.
If you’d first like to know what vitamin C does for the skin, read our guide vitamin C for the skin.
What can you use with vitamin C?
| Ingredient | With vitamin C? | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Retinol | Yes, but at different times | Vitamin C in the morning, retinol in the evening. |
| Acids (AHA and BHA) | Yes, but at different times | Acids in the evening or on days without vitamin C. |
| Benzoyl peroxide | Yes, but at different times | Use them at different times or on different days. |
| Copper peptides | Yes, as directed | Follow the product instructions. |
| Niacinamide | Yes | You can use them in the same routine. |
| Hyaluronic acid | Yes | You can use them in the same routine. |
| Vitamin E | Yes | The two work well together. |
| Sunscreen | Yes, always | Sunscreen as the last step in the morning. |
Can you use retinol and vitamin C together?
Yes. You can have both retinol and vitamin C in your routine, but it’s easiest on your skin to use them at different times of day. Use vitamin C in the morning, when the antioxidant can work while you’re out in daylight. Use retinol in the evening, when it has time to work undisturbed.
Both can make your skin a little sensitive at first. If you’re new to retinol, start with a couple of evenings a week and build up slowly. Read more in our guide to retinol.
- Cleanse your skin with a mild cleanser.
- Apply a couple of drops of vitamin C serum.
- Moisturise with your day cream.
- Protect your skin with sunscreen.
- Cleanse the day away from your skin.
- Use your retinol or your acid, but not both on the same evening.
- Finish with your night cream.
Can you use vitamin C and niacinamide together?
Yes. You may have read that the two cancel each other out. That advice comes from older laboratory experiments with pure substances, not from skincare as you use it. You can safely use them in the same routine. Our Pigmentation Serum actually has both in the same bottle.
If you’d like to know more about niacinamide, read how to use niacinamide in your skincare.
Can you use vitamin C with acids?
Acids such as glycolic acid (AHA) and salicylic acid (BHA) remove dead skin cells. Combined with vitamin C, this can be too much for your skin, especially if it’s sensitive. So use acids in the evening or on days when you don’t use vitamin C.
Read more about acids in What you need to know about AHA, BHA and PHA and in our guide to salicylic acid.
Vitamin C and benzoyl peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide is used for spots and can break down vitamin C, stopping it from working as it should. Both can also dry out the skin. Use them at different times of day or on different days.
Vitamin C and copper peptides
If you use copper peptides and want to combine them with vitamin C, follow the product instructions. If the manufacturer advises against using them at the same time, use them at different times of day. You can safely use other peptides, such as Argireline, with vitamin C. Read more in our guide to peptides in skincare.
Myth or fact?
Vitamin C and niacinamide cancel each other out.
Myth. You can use them in the same routine.
If you use retinol, you can’t use vitamin C.
Myth. You can use both. Use vitamin C in the morning and retinol in the evening.
The more active ingredients, the faster the results.
Myth. Too many at once can irritate the skin. A simple routine you stick to gives the best result.
These go well with vitamin C
- Sunscreen: Vitamin C and sunscreen complement each other. Sunscreen protects against the sun’s rays, and vitamin C is an antioxidant that works together with vitamin E in the skin2.
- Hyaluronic acid: provides moisture and makes it easy to add vitamin C to a simple morning routine. Read more in the guide to hyaluronic acid.
- Vitamin E: is also an antioxidant, and the two work well together.
A tip from us
Start with one new product at a time, and give it a couple of weeks before adding the next. That way, you’ll know what your skin likes and what might irritate it.
Find vitamin C with us
Our vitamin C serums are fragrance-free and fit into your morning routine. Vitamin C & Ginseng Serum gives tired skin a glow, and Pigmentation Serum with niacinamide and vitamin C is for you if you want a more even skin tone. If you’re not happy with your purchase, you have our 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Vitamin C & Ginseng Serum
A vitamin C serum that strengthens skin's collagen, gives tired skin a glow a...
Pigmentation Serum
Fragrance-free serum for pigmentation spots with niacinamide and vitamin C, w...
Vitamin C serum 10 ml
Our vitamin C serum 10 ml gives plenty of glow, smooths and evens the skin an...
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Frequently asked questions
Can I use vitamin C and retinol on the same day?
Yes. Use vitamin C in the morning and retinol in the evening. This makes the routine easier to adjust. Start gradually, and use the products less often if your skin becomes irritated.
Can I use vitamin C and hyaluronic acid together?
Yes. They work well together. Use vitamin C serum first and a product with hyaluronic acid afterwards, or apply a cream with hyaluronic acid on top.
Which goes on first: vitamin C or niacinamide?
It doesn’t matter much which goes on first. The rule of thumb is thin before thick: use the lightest product first and let it absorb before applying the next.
Can I use vitamin C and salicylic acid on the same evening?
It’s best not to if your skin is sensitive. Use vitamin C in the morning and salicylic acid in the evening, or use them on different days.
Can I use vitamin C under makeup?
Yes. Let the serum absorb, apply your cream and sunscreen, and wait a couple of minutes before applying makeup.
Sources
- Vitamin C and Skin Health. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. lpi.oregonstate.edu
- Al-Niaimi F, Chiang NYZ. Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2017. PubMed
