Posted on Sunday, 14 April 2019 - By Courtney
Now I'm no scientist but I'm going to give you guys a slightly better insight to Glycolic Acid while still keeping it as simple as possible.
I'll start with some basics. Skin has a pH level of roughly 5.5. Anything with a pH of 8-14 is classed as an alkaline, anything with a pH of 0-6 is classed as an acid.
Most soaps and shampoos have a pH of 8-11 making them efficient at removing excess oils and sweat. Toners are slightly acidic (roughly a pH of 4) to help re-balance the skin after the use of cleansers and soaps. A healthy pH means happy skin.
This allows the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of skin) to be exfoliated to reveal live skin cells giving a fresher, more even complexion!
Glycolic acid makes skin more sensitive to the sun. You should be wearing an SPF everyday anyway but it is VERY important when using any kind of AHA's to avoid any damage to the skin.
We have a blog post on The Ordinary range which is a great way to start learning even more about these specialised treatments, what works well together and what doesn't.
Remember, everyone's skin is different so do your research instead of buying something just because it worked for someone else.
Till next time, Courtney xx
Courtney is a qualified Makeup Artist and our resident Kryolan expert. She packs online orders, deals with incoming stock management and helps run Carousel & Bliss Distribution.