If you’re someone who loves trying out new formulations and keep abreast of the latest skincare innovations, it is likely your bathroom shelf looks like it’s been designed up by a beauty marketer who works for Instagram.

But is it good for your skin?

Maybe you’re using several brands across your regime, alternating days. Or perhaps, you might like a moisturiser and eye cream from one brand, but swear by a serum and toner from other brands. From anti-aging serums to hydrating creams, you have no shortage of products to choose from. Are you a skin-perfecting mixologist?

Generally speaking, those with problem prone, sensitive or acne skin may be likely to experience negative effects from mixing.

We like to approach this issue with cautious consideration, as there can actually be differences between professional skincare and drugstore skincare. The best way to zone in on this is to look at it from an ingredients perspective.

Why? Because many professional-grade and/or ingredient active brands are formulated to work together. They’re designed to be layered over one another, so you know that if you use a product from brand X, it will work with the other products in the range and not interfere with them. This is especially true if they are part of a regimen—and often even more true if they are part of a regimen that has been created by a dermatologist or other skincare professional.

However, there is some fine print: Some ingredients can’t be mixed, lest their efficacy is compromised or even destroyed. For example, Retinol and Vitamin C cannot be mixed together because they actually neutralise each other’s effectiveness. Even some of the best products on the market can backfire on your skin if you use too many active ingredients. The result is a slow irritated skin build-up. This is where being recommended a regime right for your skin becomes a beauty revelation that your skin will welcome.

Drugstore brands can be affordable and easy to see in value, but they're not always as effective as their pricier counterparts. They may lack active ingredients or contain fillers, preservatives, fragrance, and color—which means that you may not notice any difference when you mix drugstore brands with other brands.

Not all skincare brands are created equal.

Professional skincare lines often have higher amounts of active ingredients than drugstore brands do. They also undergo rigorous research and development to ensure that their products are effective—and Hyaluronic Acid is one of those actives!

Skincare is and should be as simple as possible. Our faces (and decolletage) need at the very least a routine that covers a great cleanse, hydration, weekly exfoliation, sun protection, damage repair, and ageing protection. It’s why Hey Bud has created many of their skincare bundles. We were finding our customers needed easy to follow routine that weren’t complex, and right for their skin type. Our Clear Essentials bundle offers customers a super basic yet effective routine that keeps skin problems at bay and the daily good skin necessities covered off.

It’s always a good idea to stick with the same brand for your skincare products.

Another major plus? If you're on the lazy side, then sticking with one brand may be the way to go. If you’re not really all that across ingredients and labels and prefer to leave it to the professionals, then this is a safe option.