What is glycolic acid?
Glycolic acid is from the family of alpha-hydroxy acids that has the smallest and lightest molecular weight of all acids. This allows the acid to penetrate deep into the skin and help achieve maximum glycolic acid benefits for the skin. It has been derived from sugarcane and is colourless, odourless, and highly water-soluble in its pure form. However, before you think about incorporating glycolic acid into your skincare routine, it’s important for you to understand how it helps your skin.
Glycolic acid benefits for skin
Using glycolic acid for the skin is a very popular treatment as this ingredient is a multitasker for many reasons. Some of the glycolic acid benefits for the skin are as follows –
- Exfoliation:
Glycolic acid prevents the ingrowth of hair and makes your pores appear smaller by helping the skin get rid of dead skin cells.
- Hydration:
This superstar ingredient nourishes and plumps the skin, and prevents dryness.
- Anti-ageing:
Using glycolic acid for hyperpigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles, and other signs of ageing is great as it helps to improve skin tone and uneven texture.
- Sun damage:
It fades dark spots, and helps to control the redness and other issues caused by the harsh UV rays of the sun. It also protects collagen from the sun.
- Complexion:
If used religiously and regularly, it helps to brighten the skin and leaves it feeling radiant and glowing.
- Acne marks:
It cleans out pores and helps to reduce dark spots, acne marks, blackheads and more.
Now that you know about glycolic acid benefits for the skin, let’s understand if it’s suitable for all skin types.
Who should use glycolic acid?
The good news is that glycolic acid is great for people with normal, combination and oly skin types. However, people with dry, sensitive skin types can also benefit from using glycolic acid, if used moderately.
How to include glycolic acid into your skincare routine?
The best way to achieve maximum glycolic acid benefits for the skin is by applying it topically. Wondering how to do so? Don’t fret as we’re here to help. Here’s a simple yet effective glycolic acid skincare routine to solve all your skin woes on the go.
- Step 1: Cleanser
Cleansing helps to remove dirt, dust, sebum, and impurities from your skin and leaves it feeling fresh and glowy. You can try the L'Oréal Paris Glycolic Bright Daily Foaming Face Cleanser to amp up your skincare routine on the go. The glycolic acid cleanser gently exfoliates, cleanses the skin, and penetrates deep to leave your skin feeling bright. Made with a soft, foamy formulation, it boosts skin renewal and reveals healthy skin with ease.
Shop Now
- Step 2: Serum
Achieve maximum glycolic acid benefits for the skin by using the L’Oréal Paris Glycolic Bright Skin Brightening Serum regularly. The presence of glycolic acid in this serum helps to even out the basal layer of the skin where melanin starts to build up. Melanin is the pigment that gives your skin its colour and when an excess of it is deposited deep into the skin, it leads to dark spots and uneven skin. It improves three dimensions of even-toned skin and is proven to remove five years of dark spots in just a few weeks.
Shop Now
- Step 3: Moisturiser
AM – Moisturising the skin is non-negotiable, regardless of your skin type. To get umpteen glycolic acid benefits for skin, moisturise your skin with the L'Oréal Paris Glycolic Bright Day Cream with SPF 17. This cream dives deep into the dermis layer of the skin, hydrates effectively and gives your skin a brighter experience. Made with a lightweight formula and infused with SPF 17, the cream protects the skin from the harsh UV rays of the sun and prevents some major signs of sun damage.
Shop Now
PM – Hydrate your skin while you enjoy your beauty sleep by using the L'Oréal Paris Glycolic Bright Glowing Night Cream that brightens the skin from the inside. Enriched with glycolic acid and vitamin E, this cream helps to fight dullness, reduces dark spots, and hyperpigmentation and gives you visibly radiant skin every morning by repairing the skin barrier overnight. The presence of encapsulated beads in this cream also removes melanin to reveal even-toned skin.
Shop Now
All the above-mentioned products are dermatologically tested and suitable for all skin types. However, while you include this AHA into your regular skincare routine, you also need to keep the glycolic acid side effects in mind. Read ahead to know more.
Glycolic acid side effects
In general, glycolic acid is safe and works well for all skin types. However, to avoid any side effects and keep your skin feeling healthy, here are a few things to know before using glycolic acid and they are as follows –
• Wear sunscreen every time you use glycolic acid products
• Allow your skin to get used to the acid. Start by using it three times a week or so and increase glycolic acid use gradually, especially if you’re one with sensitive skin
• Use products with lower content of glycolic acid and unless your skin feels irritated, keep using glycolic acid products to achieve visible results
Now that you know everything about using glycolic acid for face, we’re here to help you understand more about using glycolic acid for underarms.
The hype about glycolic acid for underarms
There are two main sweat glands within our body: eccrine sweat glands and apocrine sweat glands that produce water and salty sweat in areas of our body such as armpits and groins. Bacteria tend to live where the apocrine sweat glands are located. When sweat is produced, the bacteria break down the chemicals. This in turn causes odour and discolouration in the underarms. The armpit has a normal pH balance of 5.5 but when bacteria live and thrive there, you tend to notice uneven skin tone. Wondering how to solve this dilemma? Apart from the tricks and trades to cure the discolouration that comes with sweat, glycolic acid is one of the hottest ingredients in the market to help you deal with this situation effectively.
How does glycolic acid work for underarms?
The perks of using glycolic acid for underarms is its ability to balance your armpit’s pH levels. The deep penetration of glycolic acid can easily restore balance of your underarms and dislodge bacteria breaking down your sweat. This, in turn, creates a fresh, clean, and even-toned environment. It works for people with different skin types and can be found in body care products such as deodorants, body washes and more.
How to use glycolic acid for the underarms safely?
You need to understand that using glycolic acid for underarms is safe in small doses. Applying high concentrations of it can damage your skin’s protective barrier and lead to unforeseen side effects and worsen your condition rather than improving it. Some side effects can be irritation, aggravated hyperpigmentation and more, especially for people with sensitive skin.
Now that you know everything about using glycolic acid for skin and body, it’s time to include it in your regular skincare routine right away. So, what are you waiting for? Browse through a wide range of L'Oréal Paris Glycolic acid products from cleanser to night cream and use them religiously and regularly to flaunt the healthy skin of your dreams.
