AHA / BHA the low down on facial acids

Inviting an acid into your skincare routine isn't as scary as it may sound; and when done properly can be really beneficial to your skin health. I'll introduce you to two really powerful and useful hydroxy acids that you can incorporate as you need into your collection: Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA's) and Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA). 

AHA's
There are numerous AHA's in the world but the ones that are used specifically in skincare products include: citric acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, and mandelic acid.

What do they do?  
Did you know that healthy skin is naturally acidic? It has a pH of 4.5-5.5. 
If high school chemistry wasn't your thing don't worry here's a quick update: 

 Being so acidic, skin has what is referred to as an "acid mantle" that enables us to be shielded from weather, bacteria or fungal infections and breakouts, also helps delay signs of aging. Every day we do things to our face to naturally disrupt this mantle, like using detergents in our shampoos (ever notice those pesky breakouts around your hairline?) and in our cleansers. See how much higher in pH shampoos and soaps are? I could talk forever about ingredients in products and skincare science (which I have learned completely on my own) but to not get completely off track here; AHA's help restore our natural acid mantle.  

Both BHA and AHA's have exfoliant properties. AHA's exfoliate by sloughing off dead skin cells to stimulate cell turnover and allow new healthy skin to grow in its place. By clearing skin of dead cells they are able to clear blocked pores(minimizing them!) and excess sebum (sebum= waxy oil excreted by the skin naturally) which can help those who have chronic acne or oily skin. Another benefit to AHA's removal of dead skin cells is allowing product applied to the skin after to sink in deeper and therefore being way more effective.

AHA's have their downfalls too; they can be pretty harsh or irritating. They are also best applied at night due to the new vulnerable skin appearing as the acid disintegrates the dead cells. If applied in daytime you'll need a powerful SPF tp protect those pretty new skin cells.

It's also important to remember that you don't have to apply anything to your entire face; don't treat your whole face the same! For example I have a really sensitive left cheek, totally weird, so I know that when I apply something harsh I tap lightly in that area.

BHA 
Notice that this acid isn't plural? That's because Beta Hydroxy Acid has only one type in skincare use and it's street name is one you've probably seen regularly in the product aisle of any drug store: Salicylic Acid. 

What does it do?
For starters, like AHA's, BHA also exfoliates to slough off dead skin cells. How it differs from AHA's is in it's solubility, or how it dissolves. AHA's are water soluble and BHA is oil soluble so it is able to dissolve any oils from your skin and penetrate deep into your pores to dissolve dirt and oil. Working really great for those who have any range of acne problems from tiny little annoying whiteheads to full blown cystic acne. It is also great for decreasing the appearance of wrinkles and pigmentation on sun damaged skin.

BHA is also a little more gentle on the skin, being really effective at lower concentrations.

One last thing that AHA's and BHA share in common are that they are most effective when applied as a lasting treatment. Both of these acids work best in toners, moisturizers, treatments and liquids that you apply and don't wash away (like a cleanser/face wash). Let these take time to skin into your skin and do their magic.


So here's what I use:

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid

The only BHA I use in my routine is from Paula's Choice. This product is primarily the BHA acid which I like because I know exactly what it's doing to my skin. I use this sometimes as a spot treatment when a big ugly pimple comes out to play. Using a q-tip I'll apply it all over the pimple area and it is super effective. The pimple will reduce in inflammation after a couple hours and then is usually gone in a couple of days after regularly cleaning and applying the BHA. Other times when I feel like my skin is crawling in little under-the-skin pimples I'll take a cotton pad and apply it on my skin overnight.

 

I use two AHA products, both with glycolic acid as the AHA. I originally bought Paula's Choice AHA gel when I bought the BHA liquid (side note: consistency doesn't make a difference I just really liked the way the gel felt on my skin). I used the AHA gel before I would use my BHA liquid because it would dry fast and allow me to absorb BHA better. I just recently found at cvs these Nip + Fab glycolic pads. These are SO easy to use and kind of fun too. I liked the idea of using a wipe, it reminded me of being a pimply teenager using stridex pads in my parents bathroom. These work wonderful, I find myself using them more frequently than the gel.

The price of both Paula's Choice products might seem a little steep but these bottles have lasted me a little over a year now with regular use and I'm maybe halfway through them.

So that concludes my long entry about acids. I hope I didn't confuse anyone with all this kind of crazy skincare jargon. Actually if anything I hope you learned something! I just think that these are such important skincare staples that are kind of looked over due to their complex lingo. Take some time to really think about what your skin is telling you it needs and try these acids out. If you're looking for more information on products, the Paula's Choice website is great to explore and full of really good science and information to help you out.