I think most people know that exfoliating is good for your skin, A good exfoliant should be part of everyone’s skincare routine. but the new trend of chemical exfoliators is a bit harder to get your head around. What the hell is a chemical exfoliant, and why should you choose it over a scrub?
Because I like to understand what I’m putting on my skin and what it does, I’ve been doing a lot of reading on this. The benefit of this is that I will now translate it into a (hopefully) easy to understand blog post for you! So if you’re wondering what AHAs and BHAs are, and why people keep going on about acid toners.
First of all, why should we exfoliate?
In essence, exfoliating removes dead skin cells. This improves the texture and appearance of your skin (makes it look nicer), reduces breakouts (makes it behave nicer) and can improve absorption of other skincare products you’re using (making it all-around better).
There are benefits to scrubs and other products that exfoliate in the ‘normal’ way, also known as physical or manual exfoliators. They can help remove dirt and dead skin from the surface of your face. Giving your face a good scrubby-scrub with a flannel or gritty cleanser is satisfying and makes your skin feel squeaky clean.
So what’s wrong with a scrub?
They’re just not as effective! Scrubs can only remove what’s on the surface of your skin, whereas chemical exfoliants get deeper to shed more dead skin cells and promote healthy cell regeneration. Some can clean right into your pores. its a gradual process.
How do chemical exfoliants work?
There are two types: AHA, or alpha-hydroxy acids, and BHA, beta-hydroxy acids. The two most popular AHAs are glycolic acid and lactic acid. In cosmetics, BHA refers specifically to salicylic acid – an ingredient you should already know and love, if you have pimples.
AHAs are tiny molecules that penetrate the upper layer of your skin and help dislodge and dissolve dead skin cells. They also promote cell regeneration, meaning your skin repairs itself faster and more effectively. Glycolic acid is better at penetrating the skin than lactic acid, but they both do the job. Chemical exfoliators may contain one or both of these, or other AHAs entirely.
BHA, or salicylic acid, does the same thing, but it can also penetrate into your pores themselves (AHAs can’t do this). This means BHA treatments are often good for people with oily or breakout prone skin, as these are often symptoms of clogged pores. Salicylic acid is also anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant, which makes it extra good for people with acne.
How can I use them?
The most popular way to work AHA/BHAs into your skincare routine is with an exfoliating toner, or an acid toner, after cleansing.
There are also exfoliating pads, such as the Dr Dennis Gross Alpha-Beta Daily Face Peel, or the Go-To Skincare Exfoliating Swipeys. You use these just the same as a toner – after cleansing, and before other serums and moisturiser.
Some moisturisers contain AHAs and BHA, and this is another good way to integrate them into your skincare.
What about exfoliating cleansers?
They’re a nice idea in theory, but cleansers with a chemical exfoliant ingredient are a waste of time: the acids need to stay on your skin in order to work. Washing your face and then washing the cleanser off doesn’t give them enough time to be effective.
I saw the word ‘peel’ up there. Are they the same as a chemical peel? That sounds scary and I don’t want to ruin my skin.
A chemical peel uses the same ingredients as chemical exfoliators, but at a much higher concentration. At lower concentrations, AHAs do all the good things you want an exfoliator to do, but they won’t remove entire layers of skin in the way that a peel may. Most consumer chemical exfoliants have between 5% and 10% glycolic acid, whereas a peel is done by a skincare or healthcare professional and uses concentrations between 20% and 70%.
Is there anything else to know?
AHAs can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so you should wear sunscreen after using them (well, you should wear sunscreen all the time, anyway). And as always, pay attention to your skin, and if any product causes irritation, it’s probably a good idea to stop using it.
Which type is best?
If you have sensitive or acne-prone skin, definitely opt for chemical exoliants as they are less likely to cause irritations and, those with Salicylic Acid, can help treat acne. Personally, I prefer Mechanical exfoliants as I find them to be more safe and gentler on the skin. personal suggestion thou cause i mght be wrong or maybe i hate the way it sounds "CHEMICAL" but i will definitely give it a try.You can also alternate between mechanical and chemical exfoliants if you like both types, but just be sure not to use them both at the same time, as that will definitely irritate your skin.
Do you prefer to use chemical or physical exfoliants?
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