What acid toners are best for daily use?
As mentioned, we probably wouldn’t recommend use your AHA toner every day as it can lead to skin barrier issues, causing dryness and irritation. If you really want to, still make sure to build up to daily use gradually, and keep to a milder AHA formula. A PHA-based product may also be better suited to daily use.
Is it safe to use AHA under the eyes?
You can use AHAs to brighten the under eye area, but the skin around the eyes is thinner and more delicate compared to the rest of the face, making it more sensitive. That’s why it is important to exercise caution when using them near the eye area. If you really want to use them, consider gentler formulations and patch test your chosen product before applying to the eye area to avoid any irritation. Wearing SPF up to the eye area is also really important.
What skin types are best suited for AHA treatments?
AHAs can be used on all skin types, although they are especially good for anyone with the following concerns: dull skin, dark spots, and fine lines or wrinkles. If you are prone to sensitive skin however, it is best start with a low-strength AHA – aka lactic or mandelic over glycolic – to ensure your skin doesn’t react.
What are the best toners for skin texture improvements?
AHAs can be a great option for improving uneven skin texture. Glycolic acid is known for its exfoliating properties, helping remove dead skin cells and promote smoother skin texture. A gentler option is lactic acid. It moisturises as it exfoliates your skin, making it suitable for those with sensitive skin.
Is alpha hydroxy acid the same as glycolic acid, and what are the benefits?
Glycolic acid is a type of alpha hydroxy acid. So glycolic acid is an AHA, but there are more types of AHA than just glycolic acid. While the alpha hydroxy acids are generally quite similar in terms of the benefits they confer on your skin, glycolic acid in particular has the added benefit of boosting collagen levels in the skin – which is very helpful for ageing and wrinkling skin, as collagen is the protein that keeps skin firm. A glycolic acid toner can help calm down acne by unblocking the pores on the surface of the skin, but it can’t reach into blocked pores in the way that a salicylic acid toner can.
What is a mandalic acid toner good for?
If you find glycolic acid a little too potent for your skin, mandalic acid can be great gentler alternative that still delivers all the benefits of AHAs. Especially recommended for Black skin because it doesn’t run the risk of causing post-inflammatory pigmentation, it can brighten, smooth and clear your complexion.
Do alpha hydroxy acids accelerate ageing?
It’s definitely a misconception that AHAs can accelerate ageing – in fact they do the reverse and help prevent it!
You may have heard people say that alpha hydroxy acids ‘thin the skin’. That doesn’t sound like a good thing, does it? Thin skin can wrinkle more easily, so if AHAs actually did thin the skin, then you would be absolutely right that this would be a problem. The thing is, they don’t. While they thin the upper surface very slightly (because they’re getting rid of the outermost cells, which are dead anyway), they actually thicken the dermis (the lower layers of the skin). They manage to do this by supporting and hydrating these lower layers of the skin, and stimulating collagen production in them. So no, alpha hydroxy acids don’t thin the skin. Using AHAs will, over time, make skin thicker and firmer.
How do Alpha Hydroxy Acids prevent ageing?
Another reason why there’s a misconception about AHAs and ageing is that in the early 2000s, a study by the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products revealed that a number of studies had shown that alpha hydroxy acids appeared to lead to an increase in damaged skin cells, and cause reddening, blistering and burning of the skin as well as making it more vulnerable to UV damage. However, according to leading dermatologists, this was down to consumers not using the products properly – using them too frequently, using them improperly, and using them even when their skin was too sensitive to deal with the products. There’s no longer this sort of concern around AHA use, but I’d still advise you to be sensitive to how your skin responds to whichever products you’re using, and to keep this in mind when choosing how frequently to use your desired products. Even if you love the glow they give your skin, don’t overuse them.
Are AHA toners like a chemical peel at-home?
The type of acid toners you can buy for at-home use are not as strong as those used by a practitioner in clinic – and for good reason! No one wants chemical burns on their face. However, AHAs can provide a brightening effect and address mild dark spots and discolouration over time, so they are a good first step for anyone not yet ready for a full-strength peel.
Does alpha hydroxy acid expire?
Yes – check the label for the expiry date of your products. All beauty products, by law, have a symbol on the packaging to show how long they will last for once they’ve been opened. Your product may well be safe to use longer than this suggests, but it may not be fully effective.