How does Salicylic Acid fit into my daily skin care regimen?
If you’re new to using salicylic acid in your typical skincare regimen, you’ll find it difficult to know exactly where to utilize it and whether or not it will be compatible with a regular regimen you already have.
Salicylic acid is one of the most popular beta hydroxy acids (BHA) and is often favored by those who have a tendency to frequent breakouts, such as spots and imperfections. The manner in which salicylic acid functions on the skin is different to the popular alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), such as glycolic acid, because of the smaller size of its molecular weight. This means that it can reach a greater depth in the skin and have a greater effect on the pores. Also, salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can unclog the pores of a buildup of excess sebum, bacteria, dirt, debris, and other impurities.
While it effective in the lower layers of the skin, salicylic acid can also remove the outer layer of dead cells that would accumulate over time and lead to acne and other problems.
If you desired to know more about how salicylic acid interacts with the skin, see the blog article about the beneficial effects of the clever BHA on the skin. Additionally, a dedicated article on the use of salicylic acid in the everyday regimen is available. Now that we’ve discussed what salicylic acid’s effects are on the skin, let’s explore together where you place salicylic acid in your daily skincare regimen.
What is the purpose of salicylic acid in the skin care regimen?
This is contingent on the product’s formula containing salicylic acid as the general rule for skincare is to utilize products in order of their consistency, from the thinnest to the most thick. This is considered the most effective way to take advantage of the benefits of your skincare products. Frequently, you’ll see salicylic acid incorporated into multiple skincare products, these products include cleansers, toners, and serums. By selecting which product to utilize will assist you in understanding the parts of your routine that contain salicylic acid.
Despite numerous options, exfoliating tanners are commonly used as the most popular product.
This is because toners are highly efficient products that can eliminate the skin’s dead cell buildup, dirt, bacteria, and other impurities. The extra benefit of using a salicylic acid toner is that it doesn’t remain on the skin for a long time period, which means it doesn’t cause any significant dryness or irritation to the skin. Other skincare products, such as serums or moisturisers, have a longer duration on the skin and are applied during the final stages of your daily regimen. Also, the formulation contains a higher concentration of the powerhouse, so it’s recommended that you only utilize serums or moisturizers after your skin has developed some tolerance to the BHA. This will assist you in avoiding any adverse reactions, skin conditions, or extreme dryness.
What else can you combine with salicylic acid?
Several components can be combined with salicylic acid.
Glycolic acid
Lactic acid
Acidic acid
Hyaluronic acid
Niacinamide
Peptides
Ceramides
Retinol
Vitamin C
Taking into account that not all of the listed ingredients should be combined with salicylic acid, you can experiment with more potent ingredients like retinol and glycolic acid during alternate periods of time throughout the day. For instance, applying salicylic acid as a toner during your morning routine will remove the skin’s debris, followed by retinol during your evening routine will leave enough time between sessions to ensure the pH levels of the skin are balanced and ready to absorb other skin care ingredients.
Before you utilize any of these formulas on the skin, I strongly recommend that you talk to a doctor or dermatologist in regards to finding the best product for you and your skin. You can also test a patch of the product for 24 hours before applying it to your face, this will help you avoid any associated irritation.
What is the first acid to be tested, salicylic or hyaluronic?
For the best results, try applying salicylic acid first. This will eliminate the skin’s accumulation of dead cells, this will reveal a fresh, more absorbent skin. Afterward, apply things like hydrogels or collagen to the skin. This is beneficial for you to do as follows: you can follow this with hyaluronic acid as the humectant properties of this acid will attract moisture to the skin and seal it in place, this will lead to the skin having a hydration advantage from a continuous supply of water. This will cause the barrier to remain healthy and protect the skin from being exposed to free radicals, such as pollution, ultraviolet light, central heating, and other environmental adversaries.
How do you initiate the process of acidification?
Many individuals find that introducing salicylic acid into their daily regimen is accomplished by first using a toner that exfoliates, this is one of the most effective products that do not lead to a lot of irritation on the skin. Once you have developed some tolerance to the powerhouse, you can then move on to using a serum that is enriched with salicylic acid, this will have a higher percentage of the acid in the mixture. Remember to utilize the salicylic acid product every 7 days at the start, this will help to prevent the skin from being over exposed to the ultraviolet rays. This will lead to the skin taking the benefits of the BHA without having any adverse effects.
As I’ve already mentioned, make sure both you and your skin enjoy this addition to your regimen and attempt to avoid flare-ups, such as breakouts or irritation.
Should I incorporate salicylic acid into the regimen before taking niacinamide?
Yes, you can utilize salicylic acid in place of niacinamide. You will recognize that niacinamide possesses the same benefits to the skin as hyaluronic acid, the primary difference is that niacinamide can regulate the production of sebum. This typically involves niacinamide being favored by those that have acne, as it facilitates the hydrating of the skin and the maintenance of its clarity while not displacing the salicylic acid that is present in its magic.
Here, you have a small increase in knowledge regarding the place of salicylic acid in your skincare regimen, if you have additional questions regarding the skincare process, come and join us on Instagram.
