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Ready to feel more confident when reading your beauty products' ingredient labels?
Enter, theAllure Ingredient Index.
What is AHA?
They are also the two smallest in terms of molecular size, allowing them to more easily penetrate.
What are the benefits of alpha hydroxy acids?
“AHAs help even out skin pigmentation irregularities from melasma and post-inflammatoryhyperpigmentation,” she says.
Glycolic acid is typically the favored AHA for especially effective exfoliation.
“It does the job.”
That said, its deeper penetration and higher intensity mean it’smore likely to cause irritationthan its other AHA brethren.
Can I use alpha hydroxy acids?
Most people even those with sensitive skin can use alpha hydroxy acids as long as they’re approached wisely.
“Acids don’t work likeretinoids, which repair skin by kick-starting inflammation,” says Dr. Hirsch.
“They dissolve the upper layer of cells to trigger repair.”
However, don’t rush in.
“Irritation can take a while to show up,” Dr. Hirsch adds.
“You may get to day four, then all of a sudden your skin reacts.”
Take a month to ramp up to daily use, she says.
Not everyone should aim to use AHAs daily, though.
Dr. Markowitz says that especiallydry skintypes should avoid using them, ironically because of their humectant abilities.
How can I include AHAs in my skin-care routine?
There are numerous ways to incorporate alpha hydroxy acids into your at-home regimen.
Many daily-use cleansers contain AHAs, though usually not at particularly potent levels.
You’ll also want to pay attention to the acid percentage in your chosen products.
“Start slow, incorporating low-concentration acids one at a time,” Dr. Rabach says.
An acid product is only as potent as the free-acid compounds floating around inside it.
So chemists play with the pH, which adjusts the amount of free acids.
The ideal pH is between 3 and 4, but it’s almost never listed on the packaging.
So how do you pick a winner?
Some experts say your skin should tingle for a few seconds when you apply the product.
More ingredient info:
Now check out Amanda Steele’s 10-minute routine:
