How Often Can You Use Mandelic Acid?
I always find it interesting when certain ingredients are in the spotlight. Mandelic acid has certainly had its moment to shine, but it’s an ingredient that’s been around forever. Dubbed the new hyaluronic acid, mandelic acid is an ingredient we’re all obsessed with, but that interest also brings with it some questions. That’s exactly what we want to answer in today’s blog post, so stay tuned as we take a look at how often you can use mandelic acid and what results you can expect on your skin.
If you’re still not fully aware of mandelic acid and its effects on your skin, don’t worry because I’ll give you a quick summary. Feel free to skip this section if you’re familiar with this trend powerhouse.
What is Mandelic Acid?
Mandelic acid is extracted from bitter almonds and belongs to the family of alpha hydroxy acids, also known as AHAs. This is a family of exfoliating acids with varying strengths that work primarily on the outer surface of the skin.
Mandelic acid can help alleviate skin issues like acne and hyperpigmentation, as well as improve fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin texture.
It’s known to be very gentle on the skin, even gentler than lactic acid, which is hailed as a good acid for people with dry and sensitive skin.
Mandelic acid is suitable for all skin types, even sensitive skin, because it works on the skin and penetrates the skin more slowly, resulting in less irritation.
It has antimicrobial properties, which h. It fights acne and regulates sebum production. This unclogs pores and reduces inflammation, resulting in fewer breakouts.
By stimulating the skin’s collagen, mandelic acid can help treat melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and dark spots caused by sun damage.
By removing the outer layer of dead skin cells and built-up impurities, the skin texture becomes smoother and the skin feels firmer.
You can learn more about mandelic acid in our Skin School. Now that we’ve got a quick review, let’s take a closer look at this clever AHA.
Can mandelic acid be used daily?
Yes, you can, but only if your skin agrees to the application. Although mandelic acid is gentle on the skin, everyone is different and it really depends on how your skin reacts to AHAs and other exfoliating skin ingredients. If you find that you have a sensitive skin type, it’s best to slowly introduce mandelic acid into your routine. Try using it once a day in the evening and remember to do a 24-hour patch test before applying to your face. This allows you to see how your skin reacts and build its tolerance over time without worrying about irritation.
Don’t forget that mandelic acid can exfoliate the skin, which can make it more sensitive to sun exposure. For the health of your skin, it’s important to wear a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher every day to prevent free radicals and further skin damage.
How often should I use mandelic acid on my face?
As I mentioned before, this depends a lot on how your skin reacts to the acid. If you’ve incorporated mandelic acid into your skin care routine correctly, you’ll find that using it twice a day won’t be a problem or a concern.
However, I recommend keeping a close eye on how your skin feels and how it reacts to new products or formulas. If redness, irritation, flaking, dryness, and itching increase, it’s a clear sign that you need to stop using the product. Adverse reactions to mandelic acid are rare, so you don’t need to worry too much.
I’ve mentioned this before, but make sure you wear sunscreen every day. Even on drizzly and cloudy days, you must always wear sunscreen. This protects the skin from UV rays, especially UVA. Unlike UVB, this radiation is always present and can penetrate clouds, water, and glass.
Many people tend to postpone the application of mandelic acid until the evening. This means that the acid can work on the skin undisturbed while you get your beauty sleep. You will also find that you don’t have to worry about or risk overexposure to harmful UV rays.
How long should mandelic acid be left on?
Ideally, you should leave mandelic acid products on the skin for about 20 minutes before applying other products. This may seem long, but because mandelic acid is slower to penetrate the skin, it takes longer to reach the areas where it is needed.
This can easily be changed depending on the formula you use that contains mandelic acid. The most commonly used products are usually exfoliating toners and serums. The difference in how long the two products stay on the skin determines how long you need to wait before continuing with your skincare routine. This is also useful for finding the best product formula that works best for your skin type. For example, exfoliating toners are best for people with dry, sensitive skin, as toners don’t sit on the skin for long.
What not to mix with mandelic acid?
You should avoid using mandelic acid with other alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, and the popular anti-aging ingredient retinol. However, that doesn’t mean mandelic acid can’t be used with other active ingredients. Here are some examples of how acids work on the skin.
First, you’ll find that mandelic acid can address many skin concerns on its own, so there’s no need to combine it with other exfoliating ingredients. Second, you’ll find that there are products that contain mixed acids. These formulas are very effective on the skin and can deliver impressive results if used correctly.
What to do after using mandelic acid?
After applying mandelic acid and waiting for the active ingredients to penetrate the skin, you can apply a serum formula that contains hyaluronic acid and other hydrating ingredients. Using hydrating ingredients helps draw moisture into the skin and lock it in place, leaving the skin plump, hydrated, and healthy. You can then apply a moisturizer to create a protective layer on the surface of the skin, allowing the active ingredients to work on the skin and limiting exposure to free radicals and other environmental aggressors.
You can learn more about mandelic acid and its effects on your skin here Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram If you have any further questions, contact one of our skincare experts via direct message.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
