For those that may have just entered through the gates of the skin care world, skin care products such as face acids may sound alarming. Afterall, when we speak of the word ‘acid’ it is often in the context of an ingredient that needs to be handled with great care and can potentially cause severe damage.
Face acids are the new stars of the skin care industry that are often used as chemical peels. With the right concentrations, face acids can remove dead skin cells and reveal brighter, glowing skin.
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Wising-Up on Face Acids
Believe it or not, but for every skin woe, there is a face acid waiting to be discovered. It may take only a few trial and errors before figuring out the most suitable face acids for your face. But these errors can be prevented if you know your skin type and can read out the ingredients that work magic for it.
Glycolic Acid:
An alpha-hydroxy acid, glycolic acid is derived from sugarcane and owing to its gentle strength, it is often the most recommended face acid to beginners. It also has very small molecules that help it penetrate deep in the skin and dissolve the dead skin on the surface skin.
Glycolic acid also dissolves excess oil and thus works wonders for oily and acne prone skin. Moreover, it’s collagen stimulating properties helps fade or minimise the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and results in clear smooth skin.
Hyaluronic Acid:
The past few years have been a witness to the much deserved growing stardom of hyaluronic acid in the skin care industry. Owing to its humectant properties, hyaluronic acid helps retain the moisture in the skin, making it one of the best options for the dry skin face type.
Moreover, it also helps revitalise the skin barrier and improves skin vitality. For those with the dry skin type, hyaluronic acid is thus among the most suitable face acids.
While it is the most recommended facial acid for dry skin type, it is also suitable for all other skin types. Due to its moisture retaining properties, hyaluronic acid is an elixir for your winter woes.
To get the most of this face acid, you can opt for an hyaluronic acid serum or a simple hydrating serum. Serums are skin care products that are formulated with the highest concentration of the main ingredients and are easily absorbed by the skin.
SkinQ’s Hydrate Serum is formulated with the goodness of hyaluronic acid that helps attract moisture to the skin, sodium hyaluronate - a derivative of hyaluronic acid that helps soothe the skin and vitamin E to protect the skin from radical sun damage. It is most suitable for those with dry, sensitive skin type and anyone in search of a skin hydrating serum!
Salicylic Acid:
A type of beta hydroxy acid, salicylic acid is regarded as one of the best face acids for those struggling with acne, whiteheads or blackheads. Salicylic acid works to unclog the skin pores by dissolving the dead skin cells. It also helps to minimize the appearance of large skin pores and helps tighten the skin pores. For those with acne prone skin or the oily skin type, salicylic acid can be the miracle ingredient for all their acne woes.
Developed by experts at SkinQ, our Acne & Oil Control Serum consists of salicylic acid as its main ingredient to help unclog skin pores and prevent the appearance of acne, blackheads and whiteheads. Apart from that, the formulation of our salicylic acid serum also consists of the benefits of active ingredients such as niacinamide, azelaic acid and retinol liposomes to give you clear, smooth and radiant skin.
Azelaic Acid:
Derived from barley and wheat, azelaic acid is beneficial for those with skin concerns such as acne, uneven skin tone and rosacea. It consists of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help prevent the development of acne. Azelaic acid is regarded as the best face acid for those with the sensitive skin type.
Mandelic Acid:
Mandelic acid is an Alpha hydroxy acid that promotes skin cell turnover and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while also resulting in brighter and glowing skin. Its exfoliating properties help prevent the development of acne and treat skin concerns such as pigmentation, rosacea and sunburn. Moreover, mandelic acid is also less irritating than other AHA which makes it suitable for people with the sensitive skin type.
Niacinamide:
A derivative of vitamin B3, niacinamide is regarded as one of the best active ingredients that also helps minimize the appearance of skin pores, fine lines and wrinkles, treat hyperpigmentation, manage sebum or natural oil production and protects the skin from oxidative stress such as UV rays, pollutions, etc. Moreover, it also helps in the treatment of skin conditions such as eczema and severe acne. Niacinamide acid is suitable for all skin types.
L-Ascorbic Acid:
To put it out in simple words, l-ascorbic acid is the purest form of the dearly loved vitamin C. While vitamin C acid is suitable for all skin types, not all forms of vit C have the same formulation. For those vitamin oily to normal skin type, l-ascorbic acid is the most suitable form of vitamin C acid. L-ascorbic acid has antioxidant properties that helps protect the skin from oxidative stress such as UV rays, pollution, etc. and minimizes the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and hyperpigmentation, promotes collagen production, improves skin texture and evens out skin tone.
Lactic Acid:
Lactic acid is another alpha hydroxy acid or AHA that is a common ingredient found in skin care products. Suitable for the sensitive skin type, lactic acid is usually used in the treatment of pigmentation and anti-ageing. It works by exfoliating dead skin cells and stimulating cell renewal to reveal brighter, smooth and firmer skin.
Kojic Acid:
Consider a miracle face acid, kojic acid helps in minimizing the appearance of acne scars, hyperpigmentation, sun damage and uneven skin tone. As a skin lightening acid, it helps manage melanin production in the body and has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Except for those with extremely sensitive skin type, kojic acid is suitable for all skin types.
Starting Out
Starting out with any skin care product can be daunting but when it comes to face acids, the initial stage can be ‘frightening’ in simple terms. Here are a few things to keep in mind before introducing a face acid to your skin:
- If you’re still new to face acids, it is recommended to choose an acid that is suitable to your skin type and skin concerns.
- Dermatologists and experts recommend opting for low concentration face acid such as hyaluronic acid before introducing your skin to other face acids of stronger concentration.
- Always patch test a face acid before using it all over your face.
- For those with sensitive skin type, ensure to introduce your skin to the face acid at a slow pace.
- Whether directly indoors or outdoors, always apply the exposed skin with a sunscreen gel of minimum SPF40.
Wrapping Up
Though face acids may sound scary, they can be the secret elixir to all your skin woes when used correctly. But it should be noted that overdoing any skincare treatment can easily backfire.
It is always recommended to consult your dermatologist before starting out any new skin care treatment or product.