The Best Skin Care Acid Guide

If you’re hoping to hear about LSD or something similarly trippy, then I am sorry but this post is not for you. Today I am unpacking how to incorporate Acids into your skin care routine with my Skin Care Acid Guide.

ACIDS IN YOUR SKIN CARE 

Acids are skin care hero’s  and I’m going to tell you all about some of the amazing benefits that they have on your skin. Acids help neutralize imbalances and leave behind a more radiant, youthful and beautiful skin.

You’ve probably heard of them, or perhaps even dismissed them as hype. Let me set the record straight and tell you about the remarkably beautiful benefits of acids in your skin care routine.

To be honest, if I gave you all the information out there on amazing acids, we would have a thesis length post here. So, let me break it down to some beauty basics on my favourite four acids: glycolic, hyaluronic, vitamin c and retinol. So let’s dive into my Skin Care Acid Guide. 

Glycolic Acid:

Is most known for giving its wearers a brighter, fresher complexion. It replenishes dull, pigmented and aging complexions with a healthy and youthful glow.

What it does and who it’s good for:

• It is perfect for all skin types (sensitive too!) and can be gentle enough to use daily.
• It is derived from plants, satisfying my inner eco Goddess.
• It is a master exfoliant. It will wear away the top layer of dead skin cells to help treat scarring, discolouration and signs of aging. Leaving behind skin that is fresher, brighter and younger looking.

Be Beautiful But Beware:

• Glycolic acid will make you skin more sensitive to the sun. Make sure that after you use a glycolic product, you also use a sunscreen or moisturizer with an SPF to prevent an unwanted burn.
• Every skin reacts differently to acids. Try a product with a low percentage first to make sure you skin will not have an adverse reaction. If you experience any itchiness, redness or flaking, stop using it right away.

Here are links to a few of my favourite Glycolic Acid products:

Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Moisturiser

Hyaluronic Acid

The biggest benefit of hyaluronic acid is the ability to produce lasting moisture to the skin. It works to improve your skin’s firmness, texture and hydration.

What it does and who it’s good for:

• Hyaluronic Acid is naturally found in the body. It acts as both cushion and plumper for all sorts of things like your nerves, skin, joints, hair and eyes. As we age, we lose the amount of HA in our body, resulting in skin that is less full, hydrated and bright. HA products restore the much-needed moisture and protection that age has robbed from us.
• Applying HA to your face will plump it up, reducing wrinkles and fine lines. Your face will look suppler, firmer and more toned.
• Hyaluronic acid will also calm your skins outer layers, relieving cracking, dryness and flaking.
• HA is great for all skin types, so rest assured because this will work for you. People will rosacea, eczema, or those who suffer from redness can also safely use HA products to provide incredible, hydrating results.
• The antioxidant properties of HA are hugely beneficial as they battle environmental damage done to our skin. Hyaluronic acid will replenish your skin to a more youthful and fresh glow.
• Most hyaluronic acid products are lightweight so they tend to feel amazing on the skin. Instead of being absorbed, HA rests atop the skin creating a barrier…keeping moisture in and damage out.

Be Beautiful But Beware:

• Hyaluronic acid is naturally occurring in the skin, so it tends to be very low risk. However, I always recommend doing a test patch on new products before committing to a whole face application.
• Percentages matter! Try opting for products that are close to 1% hyaluronic acid. Products listed at 0.5% will not have the same potency and will not deliver the same results.

Here are some links to my favourite Hyaluronic Acids:

Get yours here: Drunk Elephant Hydrating Serum

or try the Dr Roebuck’s True Blue Hydrating Serum for some serious hydration action.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an ascorbic acid most known for its defensive skills against the common cold. Vitamin C is not just a one trick pony though, it is an amazing molecule that has a mountain of benefits that aid in everything from preventing cancer to aiding in weight loss.

Beauty Basics:

• Vitamin C does wonders for our skin, including regulating collagen to promote naturally fuller, smoother skin. When taken topically (like a serum or moisturizer) it can provide relief from sun burns, wounds and eczema while generally improving your skin’s colour and texture.
• Through its antioxidant properties, vitamin C has been linked to reversing photodamage (think sun damage) as well as wrinkling. Leading users to have amazing results like less wrinkles, sun spots and saggy skin. What remains is skin that has more elasticity and more ability to combat skin irregularities (wounds, scars, lines, wrinkles, acne, etc.).
• Even your hair will benefit from the many amazing properties of vitamin C. With continued use you will see shinier hair that is fuller, thicker, free from flakes and resistant to grays.

Be Beautiful But Beware:

• Vitamin C can have an adverse reaction to certain medications. Please talk to a medical professional if you think there may be a conflict of medications before using any vitamin C supplements.

Here are some links to my Favourite Vitamin C Products:

This is my absolute Favourite Vitamin C line. It has evened out my sun damage, plumped my skin and overall given me the most amazing glow.

The Neostrata Enlighten line has significantly changed my skin. Minimize dark spots, even skin tone and achieve healthy glowing skin with Neostrata! I may have to go as far as to say these are some of the best products I have added to my skin care routine in years !

Get yours here: Neostrata Eye Brightening Vit C cream

This product is the only thing that actually removes stubborn dark spots: Neostrata Dark Spot Corrector . Use it for a couple weeks and be amazed !

Retinol

Retinol stimulates the production of new skin cells, reducing the appearance of fine lines and skin discolouration. Retinoic Acid is chalk full of anti-aging benefits and it will improve your skin tone, firmness and complexion. Retinol is also great for blemish-prone skin because the active ingredients attack and clean out your clogged pores.

Beauty Basics:

• Retinol has been widely regarded as a skin care cure all. Retinol has been clinically proven to combat fine lines, brown spots, drooping, dullness, dark circles, enlarged pores, acne and eczema.
• Retinol is also known as Vitamin A. But a rose by any other name…
• You can go through your doctor to get potent Rx creams if you suffer terribly from a skin care affliction. However, we can purchase so very many different retinol products over the counter. Some will help you with blemishes while others aid in anti-aging properties. Look to your own skin type to determine which retinol products are right for you.
• Retinol works by boosting collagen and unclogging pores to speed up cell regeneration.
• You can purchase retinol in a variety of forms like vitamin supplements, gel, creams and serums.
• The prefect time to apply your retinol serum or cream is at night, right before bed. It will give your skin time to absorb the acid’s tremendous benefits.

Be Beautiful But Beware:

Some retinol creams can too harsh for your skin, leaving behind rough dryness, redness or flaking. Make sure you test your creams before a full application to ensure you have the best results possible. Start your routine with an application once or twice a week, gradually increasing use. That way, your skin can acclimate to the products and you won’t have any adverse reactions.

Do not use retinoids if you are pregnant or breastfeeding without consulting a doctor first.

Here are some links to my favourite Retinol based products:

Get your Herbivore retinol by clicking here.

Stop aging in its tracks with the Drunk Elephant retinol. This product will give you a Benjamin Button effect.

Get yours here : Drunk Elephant Retinol

Should you Mix or is it a Mistake?

If your skin care routine is anything like mine, you use a few different products on your face at the same time. Using some products together (like vitamin A, C and E) will create some lasting, beautiful results on your skin. It can be a total miracle but if used incorrectly, mixing certain products will do more harm than good.

There are some rules in the skin care game though, because using certain products together may in fact due your skin a disservice. Mixing particular acids might cause redness, flaking or dryness. So please make sure you take a look at my list below for some tips to utilize your acids in the best way possible.

Mixoligy basics:

• Retinoids used at the same time as glycolic acid has been known to result in redness and irritation. If you did mix them and are experiencing any discomfort, take an anti-inflammatory (like Aspirin) and use a hydrocortisone cream to sooth the outer layers of dermis.
• Mixing retinol and acne creams. If your acne cream has salicylic acid, mixing it with retinol will cause your skin to turn dry and red. Oppositely, if your acne cream has benzoyl peroxide, then mixing it with retinol will cause the two molecules to cancel each other out.
• Having a Vitamin C and glycolic acid combination will cause the pH in vitamin C to destabilize. This will make the antioxidant ineffective and will not give you any of the benefits you were seeking.

I hope after reading this you will see that there are some absolutely incredible acids out there. They can be your skin’s salvation from dryness, aging, redness and more. Yes, there are some drawbacks but the positives completely outweigh the negatives.

Give some of these products a try and let me know what you think. Or perhaps I missed one of your favourite acid infused products… please get in touch and let me know what I am missing!

To shop this post I have linked the products here:

xo

Shira

If you enjoyed this skin care acid guide or are experiencing clogged pores due to wearing a mask you will love this post: https://simplyshira.ca/skin-care-while-wearing-a-mask/