In your seek for the proper skincare merchandise, you might have come throughout numerous completely different acids. Hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, and extra. Simply the phrase “acid” could seem a bit intimidating when it conjures up pictures in your thoughts of harsh chemical compounds stripping your pores and skin of any useful pure oils.
Nevertheless, when used appropriately and appropriately, every of those over-the-counter acids can present a variety of advantages to your pores and skin. Two of the extra widespread acids within the skincare lineup are glycolic acid and salicylic acid.
Each of those elements may be derived naturally, or created in managed situations of a laboratory. They’re extraordinarily widespread in quite a lot of facial cleansers, pores and skin serums, toners, and extra.
No matter their origins, let’s take a more in-depth take a look at glycolic acid vs salicylic acid, and the way they can carry a variety of various advantages to your pores and skin.
What’s Salicylic Acid?
One of many plant-based beta hydroxys, salicylic acid may be discovered naturally in each the leaves of Gaultheria procumbens, or the Wintergreen tree, in addition to the bark of Betula lenta, or the Candy Birch tree.
Salicylic acid is a lipophilic molecule, which implies it’s interested in lipids and blends higher with oils than it does with water. This makes it an impressive ingredient to have in your skincare merchandise if you’re vulnerable to oily pores and skin.
Whereas salicylic acid is a topical ingredient, its molecules are sufficiently small to soak deep into your pores and skin the place it may possibly successfully take away constructed up dust, sebum, and different undesirables out of your pores. As well as, it can be used for quite a lot of anti-inflammatory functions.
When to Use Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid can soak deep into your pores and skin, which makes it your best option for anybody that’s vulnerable to clogged pores and associated points akin to pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads. When used appropriately and repeatedly, cleansers akin to our CLEAR CELL salicylic gel cleanser can clear your pores and skin on the deepest stage in an effort to restore a wholesome glow.
One of many advantages to salicylic acid is that whereas it is without doubt one of the extra highly effective beta-hydroxy acids, when used appropriately it doesn’t have the identical pores and skin drying impact as another related elements. This makes it an outstanding alternative for anybody with mixture pores and skin, or who could undergo from common pimples breakouts.
Our CLEAR CELL clarifying pimples spot therapy blends 2% salicylic acid with different pores and skin nourishing elements akin to tea tree oil, ginger root extract, and purified maris aqua. This supplies efficient cleaning of your pores, whereas additionally offering soothing anti-inflammatory properties.
What’s Glycolic Acid?
Whereas salicylic acid is a part of the beta-hydroxy group, glycolic acid falls into the alpha hydroxy class. Whereas it doesn’t have the identical deep penetrating properties of salicylic acid, glycolic acid can present a mild but efficient cleaning and soothing really feel to the floor of your pores and skin.
When discovered naturally, glycolic acid is without doubt one of the molecular makeups of sugarcane, however can be formulated in a laboratory if extremely managed situations are essential for a selected high quality of acid. It is without doubt one of the extra light acids present in skincare ingredient lists, however can nonetheless present wonderful exfoliating properties.
When to Use Glycolic Acid
Top-of-the-line and mostly practiced methods to make use of glycolic acid is with facial peels. Usually known as ‘fruit peels’, these light but soothing glycolic-based peels are excellent for eradicating the highest layer of lifeless pores and skin cells via light exfoliation. This course of additionally helps encourage new cell development and renewal for a brighter and younger look.
As well as, glycolic acid could be very generally utilized in skincare routines for these with pimples. When used frequently, glycolic acid alone or together with different hydroxy acids akin to these present in our IMAGE MD restoring facial cleanser cannot solely exfoliate and cleanse your pores and skin, however may also brighten up boring complexions.
Top-of-the-line methods to utilize glycolic acid is when concentrating on the indicators of getting old, particularly across the eyes, lips, and different delicate pores and skin. Since alpha hydroxy acids are extra light than their beta-hydroxy companions, they’re nice for focused serums.
We love our AGELESS whole eye elevate crème as a result of it combines glycolic acid with vitamin A to particularly goal the looks of high quality traces round your eyes and puffiness under the eyes. It has been formulated to depart your pores and skin feeling refreshed and revitalized.
Which Is Proper For Your Pores and skin?
As with each ingredient, getting the very best outcomes in your pores and skin can rely upon a variety of various elements. Basically, each salicylic acid and glycolic acid can impact decreasing the looks and redness of pimples, however the anti-inflammatory advantages salicylic acid can provide make it the superior alternative.
For chemical peels, each salicylic and glycolic acid can be utilized, however the barely extra aggressive method from salicylic acid can doubtlessly be extra drying in your pores and skin than glycolic acid.
Should you plan to make use of chemical peels repeatedly, glycolic acid is the extra most popular alternative – however for a one-time focused method to sure pores and skin points, the extra aggressive salicylic acid could also be most popular by your dermatologist.
Since salicylic acid has a extra drying impact in your pores and skin than glycolic acid, it’s a a lot better alternative for shiny pores and skin. If you’re vulnerable to dry pores and skin or have common pores and skin, utilizing a salicylic acid facial peel can take away an excessive amount of sebum and pure oils resulting in extra points than while you began.
Briefly, glycolic acid is a more sensible choice for people with non-oily pores and skin, that aren’t vulnerable to pimples breakouts, could have some hyperpigmentation, or wish to goal the indicators of getting old.
Salicylic acid, however, could also be higher if in case you have oily pores and skin, are vulnerable to pimples breakouts or clogged pores, and are looking for a focused therapy for these points.
