This post may contain affiliate links meaning I earn money from companies mentioned in this post at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support

Chemical exfoliants are acids found in many skincare products ranging from serums, creams, toners, cleansers, and peels. There are lots of chemical exfoliants with percentages which further makes it confusing. For this reason, I have decided to write on chemical exfoliants to help you choose the best for you without confusing the terminologies.

The most used chemical exfoliants are glycolic acid, mandelic acid, lactic acids, and salicylic acids. I am sure you must have come across “The Ordinary” skincare line. They have a wide range of chemical exfoliants.

Before I go further with chemical exfoliants, I would like you to read my post on exfoliation and how the skin works, this will set the foundation in understanding why we need to exfoliate the skin.

chemical exfoliants in skincare

There are two common types of chemical exfoliants and that is AHA and BHA. You will mostly find the two together or alone. The less common types are PHA and Bionic acids.

These exfoliants are derived from fruit acids and are designed to exfoliate the skin. They have been around for more than 40 years used to treat skin disorders. These acids are effective in reversing wrinkles, hydrate, and improve skin elasticity. Now let’s have an in-depth look at AHA, BHA, PHA chemical exfoliants.

what is aHA exfoliant?

AHA is also known as Alpha-hydroxyl acids, they are the most studied out of all the hydroxyl acids. You can find them in may food and fruits and they work best within the concentration of 5% to 10% with a PH of 3 to 4. They are also water-soluble which makes it best for dry skin, sun-damaged skin without breakouts.

Glycolic acid

This AHA is derived from sugarcane. It is the smallest, simplest, commonest, and the strongest chemical exfoliant. And due to its small size, it can penetrate the skin easily and effectively. It could also be irritating to the skin if not used properly. A great example is found in The Ordinary Glycolic 7% Toning Solution.

Lactic acid

This is derived from sour milk or tomato. The size of lactic acid is about 3 microns making it the second most common exfoliant used in the beauty industry. It is considered to be gentler on the skin compared to glycolic acid and most suited for sensitive skin. You can find this in The Ordinary Lactic Acid

Malic acid

Derived from apples and pears. It is typically larger than both glycolic and lactic acid which makes it unable to penetrate the skin layers. You would usually find it in combination with other stronger AHAs in skincare formulation. You can find it in Kate Somerville resurfacing liquid

Tartaric acid

Derived from grapes/red wines. Tartaric acid is two times larger than the glycolic acid compound. It often helps to stabilize the PH of stronger AHA’s. You can find this in Dr. Dennis Gross Radiance Booster Serum

Citric acid:

Derived from citrus fruits. It is in the same fashion as tartaric acid, helps stabilize PH. It is also used as a preservative. You can find this in Skinceuticals Age Defense serum

Mandelic acid

Derived from bitter almonds. It is the largest AHA and due to this, it penetrates less quickly than glycolic acid. This is one of the reasons why mandelic acid is less irritating and more gentle on the skin. You can find this in The Ordinary Mandelic and Hyaluronic acid solution.

how does aHA exfoliant work on the skin?

The most common AHAs in the beauty industry are glycolic acid and Lactic acid. Due to their small size, these acids act on both the epidermal and dermal skin layers. When applied topically on the skin, they chelate Calcium ions in the cells. The decrease in Calcium ions in the epidermis causes exfoliation to occur by the removal of dull, dead, and rough skin cells. As a result of this process, new skin cells are regenerated. But care needs to be taken because too much of it might make the skin vulnerable to UV light

what is BHA exfoliant?

BHA; also known as Beta-hydroxy acid, is a type of acid found in willow tree bark, wintergreen leaves. BHA’s are known to be oil-loving meaning they bypass the oil that clogs pores, dissolves the mix of sebum, and loosen dead skin cells that lead to acne. BHA has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties which may reduce irritation. In addition to this, they also clear up blackheads and whiteheads. BHA’s main ingredient is Salicylic acid and it works best within the concentration of 1-2% with a PH of 3.

Salicylic acid

Salicyclic acid is fat-soluble. It works by going deep into the skin pores and dissolve sebum, which in turn, improves skin conditions. It is the commonest and less irritating due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Although salicylic acid is considered the most widely used BHA in skincare, most researchers claim it should not be classified as a true BHA because it does not function therapeutically and physiologically as a BHA. Despite this claim, consumers, FDA, and cosmetic brands classify it as such. You can find this in The Ordinary Salicylic Acid Mask

what is pHA exfoliant?

PHA; Poly-hydroxyl acid is known as the second generation of AHA. Its molecular structure is larger than AHA and BHA, meaning they can’t penetrate deeply into the skin. Even though it may sound like a drawback, it is great for sensitive skin because it is gentle on the skin than the other chemical exfoliants. It works by sloughing off dead skin cells and hydrate the skin at the same time. These properties make it great for all types of sensitive/ or dry skin such as eczema or rosacea. The main PHA ingredient is Gluconolactone

Gluconolactone

It is the most popular PHA found in skincare products. You may also find gluconic acid, zinc gluconate, or copper gluconate. They basically do the same thing; exfoliate. You can find this in Neostrata Bionic Lotion

Chemical Exfoliants for different skin conditions

for dry or thick skin

You would want to go for products that combine PHA and bionic acids. This combination has been shown to have an unparalleled efficacy in treating dry skin and they return the skin to its normal state.

For example, the combination of lactic acid, glycolic acid, mandelic acid, bionic acid, and gluconolactone in a formulation will successfully treat your dry skin. You can find this formulation in Neostrata’s resurface dry skin cream.

For Oily and acne-prone skin

For the treatment of oily or acne, you would want to go for products containing glycolic acid or salicylic acids. They both work effectively in reducing the bacteria causing acne and reducing oil production. You may go for any of the products mentioned earlier in the post

for sensitive skin

For this skin type, it is best to go for chemical exfoliants that are very gentle on the skin. PHAs are best for this skin type because they are less irritating. Use products that contain gluconolactone.

For hyperpigmentation

Using products that contain AHAs such as glycolic and lactic acid will work amazingly well for hyperpigmentation. Studies have shown that the combination of this duo inhibits melanin formation in the skin and therefore, brightens the skin. You can find this in DermaDoctor healthy toner

for wrinkled skin treatment

Although the golden treatment for treating wrinkles is with retinol. AHA has also shown to be very effective in treating wrinkles caused by UV lights. Look for products that contain glycolic and/or Lactic acid. They work well to improve hyaluronic acid levels in the skin thereby reducing the appearance of wrinkles

Conclusion

Using chemical exfoliants can be fun and addictive but it is important to not overdo it. You may want to check the signs of over-exfoliation to help whenever this becomes an issue. I hope this post has been comprehensive and helpful in finding the right chemical exfoliant for your skin.

Photo by Moose Photos from Pexels

Please leave this field empty First name * Email * SUBSCRIBE TO GET THE LATEST POST AND SKINCARE TIPS RIGHT IN YOUR INBOX.



We keep your data private. No spam, I hate spam too!

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Reddit

LinkedIn



Like this: Like Loading...