Facial Acids

Hey BFFs, welcome back to another BF blog post! For today’s topic we are covering facial acids. This will be an easy to use cheat sheet for you to reference the next time you find yourself looking for new skin care products!

Now to start, we know the phrase facial acids sounds terrifying, but used the right was and in the right concentrations, they can actually be miracle workers. They can help correct a multitude of problems, such as, hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, wrinkles, scarring, and acne. So let’s dive right in!

Ascorbic Acid, better known as Vitamin C: This is best known for helping make your skin look brighter, and even It helps prevent premature aging, fade fine line, and acne scars. So long story short, I hope you are already using it..if not, this is  your sign. It can be found in concentrations as high as 20% and usually in serum form.

Azelaic Acid: This one is commonly found in prescription products. It keeps pores clean, kills bacteria, and reduces inflammation. If you have sensitive skin it can cause some sensitivity, redness, and peeling. This can be found in concentrations of 15-20%.

Ferulic Acid: This one is BFFs with Vitamin C and Vitamin E, and can often be found working together in the same product. The combination of the 3 are a powerful trio that fights off free radicals.

Glycolic Acid, the most popular AHA: This one is particular interesting, because it is a smaller molecule, so it is very effective in getting into the skin. Glycolic acid is effective at exfoliating, reducing fine lines, preventing acne, fading dark marks, AND increasing skin thickness..got it all?You can find it in a multitude of a different types of products. It’s usually in concentration under 10%. Please note, glycolic acid can increase sun sensitivity, so please use extra sun protection to prevent sun damage.

Kojic Acid: This one is known for its lightening and anti-aging properties. Kojic acid is produced by a bacteria that is formed in the fermentation process of turning rice into sake. While it is an effective product, it can cause irritation. It can be found in concentrations of 1-4%.

Lactic Acid: This another popular AHA, and is found to be more gentle than glycolic acid. Lactic acid is best known to be hydrating and more effective at fighting sun damage.

Mandelic Acid: This one is another exfoliating agent that also helps evening out pigmentation, preventing acne, and treating sun damage. However, unlike glycolic acid, mandelic acid has a larger molecule, so it doesn’t penetrate the skin as deep, and makes it gentler on skin.

Salicylic Acid, also referred to as a BHA: This is used to exfoliate and keep pores clean. Using Salicylic acid can help reduce acne. It can be found in cleansers, serums, and spot treatments. Its concentrate will range from 0.5% to 2%.

So, now that we covered most of the popular facial acids, we are going to break it down even further.

If you have acne prone skin, try introducing one of these: Azelaic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, or Lactic Acid

If you have mature skin, try introducing one of these: Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, or Ferulic Acid

If you want fade hyperpigmentation, try introducing one of these: Kojic Acid, Azelaic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, or Ferulic Acid

To round this out, we get that adding a facial acid can be scary, but start small, and always do a patch test. All in all we hope you guys found this helpful in choosing the right facial acid for you! If you have tried anyone of these, let us know in the comments! See ya next week BFFs!