It’s time to put away your face scrubs and say goodbye to manual exfoliators. Introducing the new exfoliating miracle treatment: glycolic acid!
Not sure what it is or what it does? Don’t worry, we’ve got the answers to all your burning questions, including “What is glycolic acid?”, “What does glycolic acid do for skin?” and “How do I use glycolic acid?”.
Are you ready? Here’s everything you need to know about glycolic acid for skin… What is glycolic acid? Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (or AHA) extracted from sugar cane.
Of all the AHAs used in skin care, glycol has the lowest molecular weight, which means it easily penetrates the upper layers of the skin and is incredibly effective.
What does glycolic acid do for skin? You may have heard of this popular skin care product, but what exactly does glycolic acid do? Check out these benefits of glycolic acid for skin:
Benefits of glycolic acid: Exfoliation – Helps remove dead cells from the top layer of skin for a radiant, beautiful complexion. They have smaller molecules than other AHAs, which means they can penetrate deeper into pores to remove dirt and impurities.
Anti-Aging – Collagen is a protein that’s responsible for keeping your skin plump and firm. For this reason, glycolic acid is considered a key ingredient in anti-aging skin care, as it helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Suitable for All Skin Types – Glycolic acid is suitable for all skin types, as long as you know the strength of the formula you’re using! As a rule of thumb, if you have sensitive skin, start with a lower formula ratio and work your way up to avoid irritation.
Easy to Use – Glycolic acid was once used in sophisticated spa treatments, but now appears in countless at-home products, many of which are suitable for everyday use.
Would you like to try glycolic acid for yourself? We’ll show you how to use glycolic acid and recommend some of the best REVOLUTION SKINCARE products to incorporate into your daily regimen.
How to Use Glycolic Acid: There are a number of super easy ways to incorporate glycolic acid into your skincare routine, depending on your skin type and personal preferences.
Due to their exfoliating properties, it’s generally recommended to avoid manual exfoliants and scrubs, as using either can be irritating to the skin.
Pro Tip: Glycolic acid can also make the skin more susceptible to sun damage. So wear sunscreen even when it’s cloudy! The Best Skincare Products with Glycolic Acid.
Simply add one of these revolutionary skincare products to your routine and you’ll enjoy all the benefits of fresh, clear skin and achieve a beautiful, healthy complexion.
1. The Best Glycolic Acid Face Cleanser: REVOLUTION SKINCARE Glycolic Glow Mud Cleanser is perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about the world of glycolic acid.
This gentle yet deep-cleansing skincare not only removes excess oil and dirt with super absorbent kaolin clay, it also exfoliates the skin to reveal a beautiful glow.
Use Glycolic Acid Face Cleanser as a second cleanse at night to remove the day’s impurities, or as a morning cleanse to prepare for the day ahead. Directions: Massage into damp face, avoiding the eye area, then rinse and pat dry.
2. The Best Glycolic Acid Facial to Do at Home: Glycolic acid is often a go-to ingredient in spa treatments and facials, but who has time to hit the salon every week? Revolution Skincare helps with our Glycolic Glow Mud Polish.
Designed to be used 2-3 times per week, our at-home facial helps remove dead skin cells while improving hydration. In addition to glycolic acid, it contains hydrated silica particles (no microplastics, no problem) and panthenol to exfoliate the skin and keep it soft.
Directions: Apply to damp skin after cleansing. Gently massage in circular motions, avoiding the eye area. Rinse with warm water.
3. Best Glycolic Acid Toner: For a more concentrated dose of glycolic acid, try REVOLUTION SKINCARE GLYCOLIC ACID GLOW POISHER.
Nourish your skin with this revitalizing tonic after cleansing and before moisturizing. Glycolic acid exfoliates, ginseng brightens and provides antioxidants, aloe vera soothes the skin, and witch hazel tightens pores – that’s it
Wrapped!
Directions: Pour glycolic acid toner onto a cotton pad and apply to entire face. We recommend using sunscreen when using this toner, as it may increase skin sensitivity and the risk of sunburn.
4. Best Glycolic Acid Serum Want a high-performance glycolic acid product?
Try REVOLUTION SKINCARE 10% Glycolic Acid Glow Overnight Serum! Our clear night serum is super absorbent, absorbing quickly into the skin and working its powerful exfoliating effects. It also helps balance the skin’s pH and gradually
reduces the appearance of skin blemishes and acne scars.
Due to the high AHA concentration, we don’t recommend this if you have sensitive skin. Directions: Just a few drops of this highly concentrated glycolic acid serum are effective each night. Apply to face with fingertips, allow to absorb, and then continue with the rest of your skin care routine.
5. Best Glycolic Acid Night Cream If you want a nighttime treatment, we recommend REVOLUTION SKINCARE Glycolic Acid GLOW OVERNIGHT CREAM. Not only is our brightening night cream enriched with moisturizing squalane and
allantoin (both great for soothing dry skin), but glycolic acid also gently exfoliates dead surface cells, leaving skin looking radiant and healthy in the morning. Directions: Complete your evening skincare routine
Apply a thin layer of Glycolic Acid Night Cream to your face. Use circular motions to ensure even coverage.
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.
