EXFOLIATING WITH ACIDS

Though they sound like the last thing you’d want to include in your skin care routine, acids are an integral part of any well-rounded ritual — working to swiftly revitalise skin (when they’re used with appropriate caution).

Designed to be introduced gradually, avoid the temptation to fast-track results… it takes time for your skin to acclimatise and if you go too strong too soon, you’re risking sensitivity and redness. However, by introducing acids in a careful and considered way, you’ll recover your radiance, stat.

Thanks to brands like Alpha-H, Pixi and The Ordinary, fears have been assuaged and beauty consumers have become a lot more receptive to the thought of introducing acids to their skin care rituals. Working wonders, the right acid can tackle a host of common beauty bugbears — from scarring and blemishes to pigmentation, dullness, loss of elasticity and dehydration… the list of benefits is loooong.

But as we mentioned earlier, don’t overdo it! Acids can cause redness, dryness and irritation when applied too frequently, so start off using an acid-based product on one or two nights a week (always at nighttime), and make sure you’re especially rigorous with your sunscreen the following morning as acids increase your skin’s sun sensitivity.

You should see an immediate improvement in your skin’s tone, texture and luminosity (we love rapid results). So, on that note, discover the acids to have on rotation…