Milder than Glycolic Acid? The Gentle Exfoliator for Acne on Skin

by Wendy Kim on Jan 15, 2018

If you feel that your skin feels flaky and dry even after using a moisturizer, its probably either because you lack moisture in your skin or due to built up keratin (aka. dead skin cells) that needs to be removed. But I know many of you hesitate exfoliating with the concern of whether it will irritate or make skin more sensitive. Everything too much is never good, but it turns out that with the appropriate amount of exfoliation, it will only do good for the skin. Exfoliation is especially important if you have acne-prone skin. However, it is important to know the proper routine and ingredients when exfoliating. Let’s see what major traits an exfoliator should have for acne prone skin!

What Makes a Great Exfoliator for Acne Prone Skin?

If you have Acne Prone Skin, there are certain factors to consider when choosing anq exfoliator that will not irritate your skin. So see if you have been using the right one for your skin!

1) Gentle daily exfoliation

Especially for acne prone skin, using a daily exfoliator that is mild and gentle to the skin is far better than using a strong forceful exfoliator from time to time. A powerful ingredient may show instant effect yet will irritate the skin easily due to the harshness. A gentle exfoliation product that also promotes cell turnovers will help renew the skin without irritating it.

2) Take a look at AHA

It is important to carefully consider the ingredients for exfoliation. You can find two types of exfoliators when choosing a product: physical and chemical. If you have acne-prone skin, a chemical exfoliator is recommended because the ingredients will disconnect the dead skin cells just at the right length. This effectively gets rid of the necessary amount of dead skin cells. Among them, AHA is an effective gentle ingredient that will help disconnect dead skin cells without penetrating too deeply into the skin barrier. In addition, AHA also comes along in various forms. For example, there are forms in Glycolic Acid and Citrus Acid. However, Mandelic Acid is one of the gentlest forms you can find.*Why Mandelic Acid over Glycolic Acid?The reason why Mandelic Acid is more preferred for acne prone skin types compared to glycolic acid or citrus acid is because of its larger particles. Since the particles are larger in size, it doesn't penetrate too deep into the skin compared to other AHA Acids. So what? It doesn't irriate or sensitize the skin but rather effectively removes the unnecessary dead skin cells by disconnecting them off from the surface of the skin without penetrating too deeply. No wonder it's a holy grail ingredient for all skin types including those with sensitive or acne prone skin type.

3) Never forget hydration

One common reaction we see after exfoliation is our skin feeling dry or stinging. Commonly, so focused with exfoliation, many of the exfoliating products tend to miss keeping the skin hydrated. However, especially if you have acne prone skin, keeping your skin hydrated 24/7 in all times is crucial, even during exfoliation. Don't worry, there are exfoliators that didn't forget the importance of hydrationg, so take a look at the ingredient list and see if they have Beta-glucan or Hyaluronate since they are both excellent ingredients that will keep you skin moisturized during and even after exfoliation.

4) Calm inflammatory acne

While exfoliating, your skin can easily become sensitive and irritated especially if the acid is too harsh or you are adding too much pressure as your exfoliate. These can aggravate your troubles and sensitize your skin making your skin even mor prone to acne. But thank god, mandelic acid that we mentioned earlier rather is effective to calm infalmmatory acne. Also take a look if your exfoliator contains Beta-Glucan and Panthenol since these are great soothing & anti-inflammatory ingredients! ,[See the difference!]

How to Use Mandelic In Your Routine?

Mandelic Acid is used in different ways according to skincare type. If you want to see detailed how to use according to different skin types, click here.