Can I use The Ordinary Azelaic Acid with Paula's Choice BHA?

Do you need both?

Salicylic acid helps exfoliate and unplug blocked hair follicles, making it relevant when clogged pores are the main concern. Azelaic acid reduces inflammation and can help fade dark spots left after acne clears. Those are general ingredient benefits, not a promise about what this particular pairing will achieve. Choose the product that matches your main goal rather than giving every bottle a shift.3

How should you fit them into your routine?

1. 1Test a new product before using it across your face. Introduce one product at a time so a reaction is easier to trace.
2. 2On an azelaic acid day, apply a small amount after water based products and before heavier treatments. The Ordinary permits morning or evening use.
3. 3On a BHA day, leave out the azelaic suspension and follow your Paula's Choice bottle's application directions.
4. 4Follow exfoliation with moisturizer. Use sun protection during the day.

You do not need to fill every available day with an active product. Exfoliation frequency depends on skin type and how aggressive the exfoliation is; stronger exfoliation generally needs to happen less often. Leave days without exfoliation rather than treating alternate days as a compulsory schedule. Using both in one routine is not a requirement for owning both, despite what a crowded bathroom shelf seems to imply.5

How do you test a new product?

For general home testing, apply the usual amount to a small area underneath your arm or at the bend of your elbow twice daily for seven to 10 days. Leave the product on for its normal duration and watch for red, itchy or swollen skin. The Ordinary has its own patch test directions: apply a small amount to clean upper forearm skin, keep it dry and rinse after 24 hours. Do not use the suspension if that test causes redness, burning, itching, blistering or irritation.124

Who should be more careful?

Dry or sensitive skin needs a gentler approach to exfoliation. Prescription retinoids, retinol and benzoyl peroxide can make skin more sensitive or cause peeling; adding exfoliation can worsen dryness or trigger breakouts. Aggressive exfoliation can also increase dark spots, especially in darker skin tones. Do not exfoliate sunburned skin or areas with open cuts or wounds.5

What should you expect, and when should you stop?

Most acne treatments take at least four to six weeks to start making a noticeable difference. That is a general acne treatment timescale, not a deadline for this combination or for fading dark spots. Redness and scaling can occur with topical acid treatments; they are not results you need to chase.36

If the suspension causes irritation, rinse it off, stop using it and consult a physician. For a reaction to any new product, gently wash it off and do not use it again. Seek a dermatologist's help for a severe reaction or when you cannot identify the trigger. Acne that is widespread, scarring or not clearing with topical treatment also needs medical attention rather than more exfoliation.134