AHA and BHA acids in cosmetics: your cheat sheet

Oh, what a hot topic we have prepared for you, sis 🔥

Let's talk about AHA and BHA acids, which are often associated with something dangerous, but in fact are a magic wand in the fight against dullness, enlarged pores and visible signs of aging on your face.

We promise: we will tell you without horror stories, and after reading you will get a cheat sheet of which acids in cosmetics provide maximum benefits for your skin.

Let's go!

What are acids?

Facial acids are active ingredients that are used to exfoliate dead skin cells and accelerate the regeneration of the dermis. This is a kind of controlled destruction of the epidermis using biological or chemical ingredients 👆

The coolness of using products with acids is that they act not only on the surface, but also actively penetrate deep into the dermis and stimulate the production of natural collagen and elastin, reduce inflammatory foci, fight acne, regulate sebum secretion, even out the tone and texture of your face 🤗

There are several types of acids and they differ in composition, method of action on the skin and, accordingly, in the result 👍

The most popular are alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) and beta-hydroxy acids (BHA).

What are AHA acids?

AHA acids are components that do not penetrate deep into the dermis, but act very powerfully on the surface ✨

They are also sometimes called fruit acids and the most common types are:

• lactic;
• mandelic;
• glycolic acid.

Lactic acid in cosmetics combines two super-actions: exfoliation and hydration. A great product for you, sis, if you have a sensitive skin type 🥰

The delicate action of lactic acid causes minimal irritation, which quickly passes, leaving the face wow-moisturized and radiant. This is a completely friendly product, but when paired with retinoids and peptides, they sometimes quarrel, so it's better not to combine them in one routine 🫶

Mandelic acid for the face is the most gentle. Well, really, our girls have never felt uncomfortable using almond peeling ❤️

All this is thanks to the mega-large acid molecule that works on the surface of the dermis, and penetrates into the deeper layers very slooowly 🐢

Mandelic acids stimulate the production of natural collagen, improve the microrelief of the skin, even out the tone, and are also acids for the face with acne 😉

If your priority is a light exfoliating effect, then choose a 5% concentration of mandelic acid, and for thorough exfoliation, we recommend that you pay attention to more concentrated formulas, up to 10%.

The only component that you should not combine mandelic acid with is niacinamide. The trick is that this preparation works at a lower pH level than is necessary for an almond product and these components will simply neutralize each other and the effect will be zero 🙃

Glycolic acid gives a head start to all other acids in terms of exfoliating effect. Thanks to the tiny molecule, it penetrates into the deep layers of the dermis and quickly breaks down dead cells.

But there is also a danger here: it is not the most delicate acid, so we cannot advise you to use it on sensitive and irritated skin, sis 😮 This acid is best suited for oily and age-related, but not sensitive skin.

The exfoliating activity of glycolic acid is the reason why you should not combine it with other exfoliating components. This can cause discomfort and even irritation. And glycolic acid is not very friendly with vitamin C and retinoids. So, this drug is cool in itself and does not want to see any auxiliary components in its company 🤭

AHA acids are a great tool for achieving smooth and radiant skin. If you are not yet familiar with this type of acid, perhaps now is the time to add them to your skin care ritual.

What are BHA acids?

BHA acids are products that penetrate deep into the pores, cleanse them of dirt and excess sebum. These acids are great for fighting acne, narrowing pores, and reducing the number of blackheads.

The most popular of this type of components is salicylic acid, which is simply in the top 🤩

It has:

👍 antiseptic effect;

👍 bactericidal effect;

👍 sebum-regulating function;

👍 cleansing effect;

👍 option for lightening pigment spots and post-acne scars.

Salicylic acid in cosmetology is also used to improve the microrelief of the skin, so peeling with this drug has a great rejuvenating effect 🎉

We suggest you try the BHA products that have won the hearts of our sis:

And there are also products that combine both types of acids: AHA acids are used for exfoliation, and BHA products cleanse pores and fight acne. Well, just a super combo for comprehensive skin care 👍

How to use acids correctly?

Here, in fact, is the promised cheat sheet for you, sis, how to use acids correctly 😍

1. Start with a low concentration. Choose products with a content of 5-10% AHA acids and 1-2% BHA, especially if you have sensitive skin prone to allergic reactions.

2. Don't rush. Our girls recommend not to use acid products more than 2-3 times a week, especially when you are just starting to use such products. Give your skin time to adapt to the new product, and then increase the number of uses if necessary.

3. Be sure to use SPF! Last but not least, be sure to use sunscreen after using products with AHA and BHA acids. Acids are quite photosensitive, as they significantly increase the reaction of your skin to solar radiation. Exfoliation with acid peels reveals your new, clean and radiant dermis to the world, but it is very sensitive to sunlight and the appearance of age spots. Acid care should be very carefully accompanied by the use of a high-protection sunscreen 🌞

Who should avoid using acids

Although we told you about the coolness of all acids for your face, there are still contraindications to their use 🥲

Main contraindications:

🚫 pregnancy and breastfeeding;

🚫 psoriasis;

🚫 herpes;

🚫 inflammation on the skin in the active phase;

🚫 scratches, cuts and other damage to the integrity of the dermis;

🚫 neoplasms;

🚫 eczema and other skin diseases.

Also, our girls do not advise using acids if your skin is prone to allergic reactions ❌

Effects of using AHA and BHA acids

So if everything is so complicated, then maybe it's better without acids?

No, acid products provide so many wonderful things for your face! 🥰

These components are superheroes in the following processes:

• skin regeneration;
• smoothing microrelief;
• exfoliating effect;
• wrinkle reduction;
• improving skin elasticity;
• stimulating the production of natural collagen and elastin.

Acids provide better penetration of active substances, so your favorite home skin care will become much more effective after using products with acids.

We hope that our cheat sheet on the use of AHA and BHA acids will be useful to you and your beauty treatments will give impressive results to your skin 🤗