What Products Can You Use With Glycolics

There are many reasons to use glycolic every night: Younger looking skin, reduced acne breakouts, easier and faster makeup application, and even arguably, healthier skin! But of course there are also many other products that provide additional benefits. And you may want to use those as well. So what products can you use when using your glycolic, and which aren't compatible?

Of course, as with any other skincare product, you can and should use a cleanser and toner to prep your skin before your glyclolic.

After cleansing and toning, when layering multiple skincare products at the same time, I prefer that your glycolic be the first one applied. But sunscreen also should be first. Well, that's a problem...

...And that's why I recommend using your glycolic at bedtime... and your sunscreen obviously in the morning... simply so they don't compete.

The list of other skincare products that you can use with your glycolic is pretty long and includes moisturizers, antioxidants, eye creams, tensors, firming products, bleaches, peptides and so on.

And when I say that you can use them with your glycolic, I mean on the same day OR even after applying your glycolic at bedtime... as long as you wait for your glycolic to be absorbed... which shouldn't take more than 15 -- 30 seconds... AND ALSO, as long as you apply your other products, always from lightest to heaviest.

Rather than tell you everything you can use with your glycolic, it's much easier to tell you what products you shouldn't use because of their potential to cause irritation from their additive and less controlled and less predictable degree of exoliation. Examples of products you shouldn't use are chemical exfoliants like retinoids and other alpha hydroxy acids. Salicylic acid as a spot treatment for blemishes is okay but not as a whole face exfoliant. And no scrubs should be used like granular cleansers and especially those very abraisive nut shell scrubs. Luffas should also be avoided.

The bottom line is most other non exfoliant products can be safely integrated into your daily skincare routine when using your glycolic, which I still believe is the most important treatment for younger looking skin.