ACID
APPRECIATION
In the beauty world, new ingredients burst
onto the scene in a whirlwind of hype and
expectation on what seems like a weekly
basis, but very few stand the test of time;
delivering on their promise use after use.
However, one group of actives has managed
to reach that level of Holy Grail status and
it’s time they had a proper introduction;
welcome to the wonderful world of acids.
Clearing Up The Confusion
Using a product on your face that contains
acid doesn’t sound like the most appealing way
to get smooth skin. Acids sound harsh, aggressive and make the uninitiated’s skin burn at the
thought of them – we all remember Samantha’s
horrendous chemical peel in Sex and the City.
But banish these thoughts because a skin care
routine without acids is like a bike with no
wheels; basically, you won’t get very far.
As a collective, the majority of the acids used
in skin care are included because of their ability
to exfoliate and renew the skin, which helps
with everything from preventing breakouts to
correcting pigmented skin. There are also other
actives that come with the acid suffix but
possess none of the traditional exfoliating
benefits, instead, they focus on hydrating and
plumping the skin.
More popular than ever, acids are added to
cleansers, toners, serums, moisturisers, masks
and yes, exfoliators, and thanks to more brands
using them and more experts extolling their
virtues to the masses, the demand for acid-infused products shows no sign of waning. So
which acids are worth your time?
Acids Decoded
Alpha-Hydroxy Acids or AHAs are mainly
water-soluble active compounds made up of
acids that typically derive from fruit or milk
sugars. They essentially eat away at the bonds
holding dead or damaged cells onto the surface
of the skin. Sounds disgusting, but their impressive cell-shifting abilities is what makes
them so effective at tackling visible ageing,
dullness, sun damage and congestion.
The most well-known AHA is Glycolic Acid,
ISSUE #02 | WINTER 2016 | SkinHealthMagazine.com 26