Here's Why You Shouldn't Mix Copper Peptides And Vitamin C In Your Skincare Routine

There are various beauty products and skincare ingredients that shouldn't be used in combination with one another, and the reasons why you shouldn't combine them can differ based on the properties of those products or ingredients. Some of them might seem more obvious to you than others, particularly if you have background knowledge in a related area, but we would argue that you should do your research when it comes to adding any new product or ingredient into your skincare routine to avoid any possible issues that could arise.

There are two more skincare ingredients you don't want to mix into your routine: These are copper peptides and vitamin C. In addition to explaining more about why you shouldn't mix copper peptides and vitamin C in your skincare routine, we'll also clarify when and how you can use both of them safely if you want the benefits of each one.

Dermatologist Caren Campbell, MD, told Well + Good that there is one significant reason not to mix copper peptides and vitamin C in your skincare routine, explaining, "Copper peptides should not be used with vitamin C as they can oxidize Vitamin C and reduce its antioxidant effect." Backing up the same point, dermatologist Azadeh Shirazi, MD, shared with Shape, "Copper can oxidize ascorbic acid (aka vitamin C), causing it to break down too rapidly [and] resulting in diminished benefits." While this might not be the worst outcome you could end up with from combining skincare ingredients, reducing the benefits provided by your vitamin C means that you aren't getting the effects you've paid for.

On top of this, Lab Muffin writes that the combination of vitamin C and both iron and copper could have a more negative effect on your skin, causing issues like irritation and acne. If you're worried that you could have a skin reaction to the combination of these ingredients — or if you think that you might have had one already — you should plan to discuss your options with a dermatologist.

The good news is that you can use both copper peptides and vitamin C as elements in your skincare routine. The caveat, though, is that you shouldn't use the two ingredients at the same time. Procoal London advises applying copper peptides and vitamin C at different times during the day — vitamin C in the morning and peptides at night. When it comes to the order in which you apply them, however, it's recommended to take the products themselves into consideration, rather than following any specific rule.

Instead of using copper peptides and vitamin C at different times of day, you could choose to apply them on different days, which is one option dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD, suggested to Shape. Some companies, such as Dermaesthetics, even advocate for using both copper peptides and vitamin C in your skincare routine to boost the anti-aging benefits of each one.

Ultimately, how and when you use copper peptides and vitamin C in your skincare routine likely will come down to a matter of personal preference combined with the advice of a dermatologist.