Diving into the world of skincare is not always sunshine and roses. When you think you have mastered the topic of one ingredient, here comes 100 others. And out of all the remedies and ingredients you discovered that could possibly suit your skin types, how familiar are you with incorporating acids into your skincare routine? 

Salicylic, Hyaluronic and now Glycolic Acid. Commonly known for their ability to brighten, smoothen and most importantly, refine skin texture, Glycolic Acid is best used for you aged 30 and above. To help reduce the appearance of pigmentation, discolouration and might lessen the forming of fine lines.

From A-lister celebrities, to beauty gurus to dermatologists, are obsessed with this brand. But what makes them so special, anyway? How do one insert the use of Glycolic Acid into their beauty regime? Here’s what Beauty Insider knows about Glycolic Acid—and what you should know, too. 

(Source: Unsplash)

What Exactly Is Glycolic Acid? 

Simply put, Glycolic Acid came from the line of the ‘’Alpha’s Side’’ of the acid family. It is a chemical exfoliant that belongs under AHAs. One of the most hard working acids when it comes to repairing the look of your complexion. They were produced (surprisingly) from a sugar cane, and also an addition of multiple types of acid like lactic, citric and mandelic.

What Are The Advantages Of Glycolic Acid? 

Similar to exfoliators for face scrub, Glycolic Acid’s work as a barrier—or a divider that divides—or loosen the material that holds the dead skin cells to the other skin’s outer surface. To make it more understandable, Glycolic Acid works closely with stratum corneum, to help pump out the oxygen, keeping your blood flowing throughout your body.

According to Dermatologist, Dr Anjali Mahto, a face exfoliator should be a regular part in your beauty regimen, and so does Glycolic Acid. Because their role is literally the same thing. When you correctly use Glycolic Acid, it will help to give an instant improvement or repair to your skin by actively removing the dull, dead and dry part of your skin cells.

Not only that, with incorporating only a few drops of Glycolic Acid per day, it will hugely bring balance and work twice as effectively in improving cellular turnover. And praise to its ability to penetrate faster into the the dermis perimeter of your skin, those parts of your skin beneath the epidermis where the collagen are mainly produced.

(Source: Unsplash)

Which Skin Types Suitable For Glycolic Acid? 

Normal, oily, dry, or even combination skin types—you are all welcome and permissible to use Glycolic Acid. However, if you’re dealing with severe sensitive skin problems, we advise you to seek your dermatologist advice first. This is due to Glycolic containing few elements that may lead to further sensitivity and inflammation problems. For you dealing with sensitive skin, try to adapt with the use of retinol first. See if your skin could handle it. But for those of you who don’t have sensitive skin, we suggest you start slowly with a very minimum concentration, let’s say once per week? Then adjust accordingly on skin’s needs and tolerability.

If you find that your skin is unable to tolerate the heavy elements of Glycolic Acid, just drop it. Do not force your skin to suck up ingredients that they rejected. You can try Lactic Acid instead, they’re more gentle, more practical and better alternative for those who are unable to tolerate Glycolic Acid. 

(Source: Unsplash)

Is There A Downfall For Glycolic Acid? 

Like the rest of other uses of acidic elements, Glycolic also has its own downfall. You might want to listen to this carefully though; although Glycolic Acid is considered a gentle exfoliator you might also want to monitor the amount you put onto your skin. Like we mentioned earlier, using a minimal amount or a drop of Glycolic is enough. No need to overdose on liquids everyday. And because Glycolic are focused on repairing your skin’s barrier, by overusing this product, you could expect dryness, flakiness or worse exposure to harmful pollutants and pathogens. 

But hey, another good thing about glycolic acid is that it magically works in reverse, too. If you stop immediately, your goold ole’ skin barrier could be restored. Your skin will become hydrated, and moisture as normal. As easy as that. So now that you’ve educated yourself about Glycolic Acid—consider this as your sign to start adding Glycolic Acid into your regime. Goodluck!

For more beauty infos make sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook!