The active ingredient mistakes we see every week in consultations

Most people who walk into our consultations don't have bad products. They have great products being used in confusing combinations. Skincare TikTok is partly to thank, partly to blame.

Mistake one. Stacking too many actives at once. Retinol on Monday, AHA on Tuesday, vitamin C every morning, niacinamide somewhere in between, and a peel on Sunday because, well, why not. Your skin barrier is not built for that. It's built to be supported, not stress-tested. We usually ask clients to pick one hero active and one supporting cast member, and rotate the rest.

Mistake two. Using retinol without enough moisture. Retinol is a beautiful ingredient. It also asks a lot of your skin, especially in the first few weeks. If you're not pairing it with a proper moisturiser and giving it rest nights, you're going to end up with flaking and redness, then blame the retinol, then quit. Sandwich method, twice a week to start, plenty of moisture. That's it.

Mistake three. Pure vitamin C in the wrong formula. Ascorbic acid at 20 percent sounds powerful and it can be, but if it's been sitting on a warm bathroom shelf for four months it's basically doing nothing except oxidising and possibly irritating. If your vitamin C has turned orange or dark, it's done. A stable, lower-percentage formula you actually use beats a high-percentage one that you don't.

Mistake four. Treating dry skin like oily skin. So many people come in convinced they have oily skin when they actually have dehydrated skin that is overproducing oil to compensate. Stripping cleanser plus mattifying everything is the worst thing you can do. Add hydration and the oil often settles within weeks.

Mistake five. No SPF, then a heavy treatment routine. This is the one that breaks our hearts a little. You can do every active, every serum, every facial we offer, and undo it all in one unprotected afternoon in the sun. SPF every morning is not optional. It's the whole foundation.

If any of this sounds familiar, come in for a consultation. We will literally lay your current products on the table and rebuild a routine that actually works together. No judgement, no upsell, just a calmer shelf and happier skin.