Last time I talked about retinol and the anti-aging effects on the skin. This time I would like to introduce products that are similar but completely different. Weird I know, but hang in there, I’ll explain.
Let’s talk about ACIDS! Acid? You are probably wondering if I’m talking about the melting of your skin kind of acid, don’t worry I’m not. I am talking about chemical acids, the acids found in chemical peels you get in the dermatologist’s office. It’s a scary name I admit. When I first learned about chemical peels I was doing all this research because I’d never had a full chemical peel before, so I didn’t want to hurt my skin trying to do it myself. Luckily, there are products on the market that are similar to a full chemical peel session, and others that work just as well or better. A chemical peel is a chemical exfoliation of the skin. The basic definition of exfoliation is the gentle removal of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin. All of your skin, all over the body sheds skin cells throughout the day. Every 30 days the skin on your body is pretty much all new again, but daily skin cells on your face naturally fall off. You can’t physically see this happening, but believe it or not, we lose about 30,000 to 40,000 dead skin cells off the surface of our skin every single minute of the day. This is not a bad thing because pretty, new skin is under all that flakiness. Unfortunately, as you age the “shedding process slows down and may even stop altogether”, and especially so if you were one of those people who didn’t feel the need to wear sunscreen. That is the goal if you want good, hydrated skin. You need to fluff off the old skin cells and make room for the new ones. Exfoliation puts that system into hyperdrive. Exfoliating gets rid of skin cells that are still lingering on the skin, causing texture, dryness, acne, etc. You name it, exfoliation can help.
AHH! There are so many, it’s crazy. I want to try and simplify this for you because each do different things for different problems, and some go better with certain skin types. I don’t know if you remember me mentioning the PH level of the skin, but certain ingredients have their own pH. Toners have a pH 5–7. Sunscreens: pH 5–7.5. AHA and BHA Exfoliants: pH 3.2–3.9, so acids lie in the narrow range between 3 and 4. With 3and 4 being the most effective. It doesn’t hurt to look up the pH of a product you want to consider, at least you’ll know if it’s good or not.
AHA’s are water soluble. They are a group of natural and synthetic ingredients. They only help the uppermost layer of the skin. They are “generally preferred for normal to dry, sun-damaged skin, due to their ability to enhance natural moisturizing factors within the skin”. Some AHAs include glycolic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, malic acid, and mandelic acid. The most famous, and probably the most used AHAs are glycolic acid and lactic acid.
Now BHAs, their chemical name being ‘Butylated Hydroxyanisole Acids’, are antioxidants that help soften and dissolve keratin, one of the main proteins in our skin, to help remove leftover skin cells.
BHA works on skin’s surface and deep inside the pore; it’s oil soluble, so it’s most often preferred for normal to oily skin prone to bumps, clogs, blemishes, and enlarged pores. BHA also has natural skin-calming properties, so it’s gentle enough for skin that’s sensitive or prone to redness or rosacea. This well-rounded, gentle ingredient is even suitable for bumpy skin disposed to milia.
Say scientists from the Co. Paula’s Choice and Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
One of the most famous BHAs is salicylic acid, which I’m sure you’ve probably used or heard of before. Salicylic acid helps to reduce inflammation and unclog pores. It’s very good for oily skin. I used a salicylic acid cleanser all throughout high school, and it seemed to work pretty well, but it does not help with anti aging effects as much as it does for acne. There are also products that have BOTH AHA and BHA in them. You can totally mix two acids, but I recommend using them interchangeably throughout the week. For example, use a glycolic acid solution one day, and the next day use your salicylic product. Or you can do one acid in the morning and a different one at night. Or use one product for a whole week, then the other product the following week. As you can see there are numerous ways to incorporate an acid into your skin care routine. Just experiment first, because sometimes doing too many acids at once will make your skin red and inflamed, which you do not want. Your skin will become flaky, dry and sensitive. Below is a picture of Nuetrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash, a salicylic cleanser with a 2% concentration, which is the highest for a face wash. Salicylic ointments range between 3-6 %, and gels 0.5-5%. You really don’t want to over due it if you’re experimenting with acids, because they can become a problem if you use too high a concentration. Luckily, salicylic acid is so gentle you can use it as a spot treatment throughout the day. This face wash is relatively cheap and a good go to acid wash for oily, acne-prone skin.
Photo by Dominique Johnson 
Photo by Dominique Johnson
Now before we go I want to go over some of the different AHA acids I mentioned. Just so you can get the feel of them and see if you think one will work for you.
Glycolic acid “The most popular and time-tested superficial peeling agent is glycolic acid, an AHA derived from sugar cane” says Dr. Soleymani in The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. Glycolic acid is often considered the first-line choice of chemical peeling agents for treatment of melasma. Melasma is hyperpigmentation of the skin, similar to dark spots. If I try to pop a pimple and I push too hard I ALWAYS scar, I absolutely hate it. I have had to learn the hard way. You should never try to pop a zit unless you are absolutely sure that it’s ready, and can be done easily. My acne scars take years to go away, and acids can help speed up that process. Glycolic acid will not magically get rid of scarring, but it can help lighten skin. Glycolic acid “stimulates new cell generation, resulting in improved skin texture, tone, and a brighter complexion” and helps to increase production of collagen and elastin in the skin. All of this helps repair the skin and protects it from free radicals. Here is a link to a list of vegan and cruelty-free glycolic acid products https://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/cruelty-free-glycolic-acid-beauty-products/ .
Lactic and Madelic acids These acids are popular because they are similar to glycolic acid but with less side effects. These acids are far gentler than glycolic acid. If you are new to chemical exfoliation I recommend starting with a gentler acid and work your way up, otherwise you may really burn and inflame your skin. You can always go up, but sometimes it’s hard to go backwards. Mandelic is even gentler than lactic acid. So there are plenty of options, just take your pick 🙂 “Mandelic acid is another alpha-hydroxy acid, one that’s derived from bitter almonds. Like glycolic acid, it’s an exfoliating agent that’s useful for preventing acne, treating sun damage, and evening out pigmentation”. Due to its larger molecular structure, it doesn’t penetrate the skin as deeply as glycolic acid, so it’s less irritating to the skin.
Azaleic acid Now this acid can do wonders if you use it correctly. This a great acid for acne. Healthline calls it “the holy grail to saying goodbye to pimples”. If you have really sensitive skin this will be too strong, so if you’re wanting to try this please be cautious. This acid is found in a lot of acne creams sold over the counter. It’s generally found at 15 to 20 percent concentrations in creams that are designed to be applied all over the face, morning and night. Azaleic acid also helps lighten post-acne scars. Here are a few places to purchase The Ordinary Azaleic Acid Suspension 10%. >> https://www.ulta.com/azelaic-acid-suspension-10?productId=pimprod2007104 >> https://www.sephora.com/product/the-ordinary-deciem-azelaic-acid-suspension-10-P427411 >> https://theordinary.deciem.com/us/rdn-azelaic-acid-suspension-10pct-30ml.html This is a very popular product, plus The Ordinary is a great company that sells plain skin care ingredients, with no additives, for FREAKISHLY CHEAP prices. This is sold for 8 dollars! So definitely give it a try.
Below I have taken pictures of some products I currently own! I will also upload a video that will explain some of them.
Photo’s by Dominique Johnson
So I have been talking and talking about acids, so now let me talk about a few I use in more detail. Below is a quick video introducing some Exfoliators 🙂 Hopefully you will find one that works for you.
References
C., D., J., E., C., & J. (2021). The Difference Between AHA and BHA Exfoliants. Retrieved April 02, 2021, from https://www.paulaschoice.com/skin-care-advice/exfoliants/difference-between-aha-and-bha-exfoliants
Lab Muffin, M. (2017, September 7). A Guide to the Confusing World of Face Acids and Which Ones to Use. Retrieved April 03, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/face-acids-types-anti-aging#where-to-start
Rodan, K., Fields, K., Majewski, G., & Falla, T. (2016). Skincare Bootcamp: The Evolving Role of Skincare. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open, 4. doi:10.1097/gox.0000000000001152
Skincare & ACIDS: AHA, BHA, LHA, and PHA. (2020, December 8). Retrieved April 03, 2021, from http://pirataskincare.mozello.com/httpscutechicpawsblogspotcom/params/post/2341650/
Soleymani, T., Lanoue, J., & Rahman, Z. (2018). A Practical Approach to Chemical Peels A Review of Fundamentals and Step-by-step Algorithmic Protocol for Treatment. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. doi:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6122508/?tool=pmcentrez&report=abstract
SkinCare for Vegan's By Vegan's 