What can a chemical exfoliant -AHA or BHA- do for your skin?

Surely you have a cosmetic with a label where the name AHA, BHA or glycolic acid appears. A priori it is scary just by seeing the word 'acid', we believe that the skin is going to suffer or that it is going to be dangerous. But well-used acids can completely transform the texture and appearance of your face.

There are two ingredients that have recently crept into the beauty routine of most beauty-loving women, one is retinol and the other is glycolic. This second is an alpha hydroxy acid that is responsible for exfoliating the skin chemically, not mechanically. It performs a 'peeling' action helping cell renewal, refining the pore, lightening blemishes, improving acne marks and filling in wrinkles. Wonderful, isn't it?

The consequence of including it daily or every other day is an improvement in tone, luminosity and a good face. In addition, its continued use increases the deeper layers of the skin. It is moisturizing and is very well tolerated and does not irritate, unlike what can happen with retinol. For example, pregnant women could use glycolic without any problem.

It usually appears above all as AHA in your cosmetics and at first it stings a little, it shouldn't burn your face, but if you notice it stinging slightly, the product is acting. In the first applications some blush may appear, on the other hand, do not use concentrations higher than 10% (if so, be very careful and with medical supervision if it exceeds 20%) and always at a low pH (3- 4).

If it is the first time that you are going to use it as such (not disguised in cosmetics such as masks or cleansers), do it every other day, 3-4 times a week. The most effective textures are ampoules or serums, but it doesn't hurt if it is also present in other types of products.

Sensitive skin must avoid at all costs that glycolic is not applied around the eyes or around the lip, but all skin types can use it, there is no distinction. What is important for everyone is the use of sun protection in the morning and a good cleaning before it due to the residue that this ingredient can leave at night. We leave you 15 fantastic products to get you started in the world of AHA.