A new TikTok trend, sparked by a popular skincare company, is introducing a new way to apply skincare products. It’s called skincare smoothies.
No, we aren’t talking about the smoothies you drink in the morning or after a workout. This smoothie combines your favorite skincare products, mixed to create a single, powerhouse formula.
What’s the benefit? You receive the benefits of every product added to your skincare smoothie, all at once. But if you know the powerful ingredients behind most skincare products and that many don’t place nicely with other ingredients, it leaves many people wondering. Are DIY skincare smoothies safe?
Why Skincare Smoothies Are Picking up Steam
Pioneers of the layered skincare method must be pulling out their hair with this latest trend. Skincare smoothies are garnering attention across social media and it comes as no surprise. Consider the time and patience required to layer each skincare product.
- Apply product 1
- Wait for absorption
- Apply product 1
- Repeat step 2
And on it goes.
Because most people are following J.Lo and the Hadid sister’s 10+ skincare routine, you end up losing a chunk of time every morning. So, you can already see the number one advantage of the skincare smoothie: it's a huge time saver.
Other benefits include maximizing your skincare products. In some cases (NOT all), you can combine skincare products that make ingredients in other products more effective.
People are also customizing skincare smoothies to target specific issues of the day. For example, if you have dry skin, you won’t wake up to flakiness every morning, but on the mornings that you do, you can whip up a smoothie with added moisture.
But…
DIY Skincare Can be Dangerous
Unless you’re a chemist, it’s never safe to make or combine your skincare products. Like most, you probably have skincare products from different brands. The various brand products generally don't mix well together. If you select your products from one brand, like the skincare products by Routine 10, you can better guarantee success, as most brands design their products to work well together.
NEVER Mix These Ingredients
If your mind is set on making your own skincare smoothie, chances are we can say little to persuade you. So, if you’re planning to make a DIY smoothie, remember these combinations. These are the ingredients you do not want to mix.
Retinol
Almost everyone has a retinol product in their arsenal. Whether it’s a retinol serum to reclaim youth or a prescription product to minimize acne. If you want to incorporate this powerhouse ingredient into your smoothie, we don’t blame you. But don’t add benzoyl peroxide (usually found in acne medications) or AHAs and BHAs to the mix.
Vitamin C
We love vitamin C, and you probably do, too. If you get your hands on the Routine 10 Vitamin C + E Magic Serum, you CAN mix it with antioxidant-rich ingredients, but please don’t mix it with retinol and other vitamin A derivatives.
Face Creams
Face creams, lotions, and moisturizers are pretty safe to mix with other ingredients, as they generally contain nourishing oils and butter (there are some exclusions, like the Routine 10 Retinol Night Cream to restore skin as you sleep). Moisturizers work well with AHAs/BHAs and SPF.
Niacinamide
Consider niacinamide as the hipster that gets along with everyone, except the establishment. In this case, the establishment is vitamin C. NEVER mix these two ingredients. Every other ingredient is fair game with niacinamide.
Bottom Line – Be Cautious
We do not encourage you to play chemist unless you are using products from one brand and the manufacturer allows mixing. Otherwise, you could create a toxic formula that does more harm to your skin than good.
