These two powerful ingredients can do wonders for your skin. But how do you decide which one works better than the other and what suits your skin type? We find out as we explore Salicylic Acid vs Glycolic Acid and their unique benefits. As we cross the age of 25, our skin begins to experience dullness, dark circles, pigmentation, dryness, and early signs of ageing like fine lines. It's not just biological. This is the phase where we start to have serious jobs that require us to be exposed to our laptops or phones for extended periods. The lifestyle becomes much more sedentary than what it was. There comes lack of sleep, tiredness, and perhaps shortage of time to even take care of our skin. These factors only rise as we enter our 30s and beyond. Fellow millennials and GenZs would relate. Here's how you can address these concerns simply by incorporating two powerful ingredients to your skincare regime.
01What is Glycolic Acid?
Glycolic acid is a type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that can also be found in citrus fruits. It's easily penetrable in the skin and has proven to be super effective too. AHAs are known to aid in exfoliation, thereby improving skin texture and reducing acne. However, glycolic acid does more than treat breakouts. The ingredient can tackle hyperpigmentation, dullness, and signs of skin ageing, such as lines and wrinkles. As an exfoliant, it helps shed dead skin cells and reveal the newer, brighter layers underneath – new like a baby's bottom. When it comes to Salicylic Acid vs Glycolic Acid, glycolic acid excels at enhancing the glow and fighting signs of ageing.
02What is Salicylic Acid?
Salicylic acid comes under the category of Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) and is considered an ideal ingredient for deep skin exfoliation, particularly to decrease the appearance of blackheads and whiteheads. This anti-blemish hero has earned its stripes by being clinically proven to shed dead skin cells, vacuum clogged pores and sop up excess oil, revealing radiant skin. Naturally occurring in the bark of the white willow tree, this compound can be extracted from the plant and is also naturally derived from vegetables and fruits, particularly berries. Both glycolic acid and salicylic acid are standout exfoliators, but you might want to use them for different reasons.
03What Does Salicylic Acid Do For Skin?
If you have acne prone skin, salicylic acid should be more beneficial for you as it decreases sebum. By controlling excess oil, your skin will skip clogged pores and acne breakout, giving you a clean and flawless complexion. Another award winning formula by Paula's Choice Skincare is 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. It's a gentle leave-on exfoliant with salicylic acid that quickly unclogs pores, smooths wrinkles, brightens, and evens out skin tone. Its key ingredient, along with salicylic acid, is green tea that calms redness and soothes skin sensitivity. Salicylic acid is anti-inflammatory, exfoliating and has antimicrobial effects that cutback on bacterial growth. Needless to say, salicylic acid has a drying effect, so if you have dry skin you must opt for products that have glycolic acid.
04What Does Glycolic Acid Do For Skin?
Glycolic acid, on the other hand, works well on the surface of your skin. Its performance lies in removing dead skin, addressing fine lines, and enhancing your glow. It's good for those who're looking to combat dullness, hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles and have an uneven skin tone. Glycolic acid helps the skin retain moisture, so if you have acne-prone or oily skin, your choice of ingredient should be salicylic acid. An award winning product that works wonders on uneven skin tone is Discoloration Repair Serum by Paula's Choice Skincare. This potent serum has a combination of many hero ingredients like Bakuchiol, Niacinamide and even glycolic acid. Don't skip sunscreen after as glycolic acid tends to make the skin sensitive to the sun.
03What Does Salicylic Acid Do For Skin?
If you have acne prone skin, salicylic acid should be more beneficial for you as it decreases sebum. By controlling excess oil, your skin will skip clogged pores and acne breakout, giving you a clean and flawless complexion. Another award winning formula by Paula's Choice Skincare is 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. It's a gentle leave-on exfoliant with salicylic acid that quickly unclogs pores, smooths wrinkles, brightens, and evens out skin tone. Its key ingredient, along with salicylic acid, is green tea that calms redness and soothes skin sensitivity. Salicylic acid is anti-inflammatory, exfoliating and has antimicrobial effects that cutback on bacterial growth. Needless to say, salicylic acid has a drying effect, so if you have dry skin you must opt for products that have glycolic acid.
06Can We Use Glycolic Acid And Salicylic Acid Together?
Both ingredients are strong exfoliants. If your dermatologist recommends using the two together, it will likely be incorporated to your skincare routine in low concentrations. If you're doing acne spot treatments and are under the supervision of your dermatologist, then it can be alright. However, mixing both glycolic acid and salicylic acid can cause skin irritation, redness, or dryness. Usually, using one or the other is often enough. If done incorrectly or without doctor's recommendation or guidance, this amalgamation can even damage the skin barrier. There are products that combine the best of both ingredients and offer a formulation that is infused with ingredients that balance out the strong effects of such exfoliants. Paula's Choice Skincare products are dermatologist approved and its research backed skin science has birthed many exceptional creations. Its 25% AHA + 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel combines both glycolic acid and salicylic acid in one bottle. This powerful multi-acid blend contains 2% salicylic + a potent AHA blend of 8. 4% glycolic acid, along with lactic acid, mandelic acid, malic acid and 2% tartaric acid, delivering gentle, multi-level resurfacing. It's a liquid-gel peel that works to address multiple signs of ageing. AHA, a water-soluble exfoliant, addresses wrinkles, fine lines and rough texture, while oil-soluble BHA penetrates the pores to unclog, refine and soothe. Now that you know which ingredient to reach out for to address your targeted skin concern – acne or dull skin, you can make an informed decision. Say hello to hydrated, supple, ultra-glowy skin by adding your favourite skincare products to cart.
