Can you use more than one acid together?
Glycolic acid, Lactic acid, L-Ascorbic acid… These skincare superstars kick acne off your face, plump up your skin and give you your glow back.
But using them all together can terribly backfire. Too many actives in the same routine is a recipe for irritation - that’s the last thing you want.
How do you use them safely? Here are the best acid combinations to take your skincare game to the next level (without the risk of nasty surprises…):
Best Acid Combination For Acne-Prone Skin: Glycolic Acid + Salicylic Acid
Glycolic acid (an AHA) and Salicylic acid (a BHA) are two chemical exfoliants with different superpowers.
Both of them exfoliate the surface of your skin to get rid of dead skin cells before they have a chance to fall into your pores and clog them up. The difference?
Salicylic acid penetrates inside the pores, removing all the excess oil and other impurities that eventually lead to blackheads and pimples. While it’s at it, it also reduces redness and irritation.
Glycolic acid is a skin-brightener. It fades away the dark spots that pimples sometimes leave behind.
The trick in using them together is to choose a product with a low concentration (less than 10%) of glycolic acid. Remember, too much exfoliation is never a good thing!
We recommend washing your face with our Glycolic Acid Facial Cleanser and following up with our 2% BHA Salicylic Acid Gel.
Best Acid Combination For Dehydrated Skin: Lactic Acid + Hyaluronic Acid
The difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin? Dry skin lacks oils, while dehydrated skin lacks moisture.
That’s why moisturizing dehydrated skin doesn’t work. Moisturizers seal in moisture and you can’t seal what your skin doesn’t have!
Dehydrated skin desperately needs moisture. That’s where Lactic acid + Hyaluronic Acid come in.
Lactic acid (another AHA) is an exfoliant that does double duty: it removes dead cells from the surface of your skin so hyaluronic acid can better penetrate it and hydrates skin (it’s the most hydrating out of all the exfoliating acids).
Hyaluronic acid is a moisture magnet. Literally. This acid attracts water from the air and binds it into your skin. It’s so powerful, it can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water!
Start by applying our 100% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum to clean skin and follow up with our Millionaire Cream for your lactic acid fix.
Best Acid Combination For Dry Skin: Glycolic Acid + Hyaluronic Acid
What if you have dry skin that lacks oil instead?
Hyaluronic acid is still in the game. This moisture booster adds plenty of extra hydration to your skin and dry skin always welcomes that.
But this time, hyaluronic acid plays better with Glycolic Acid. This powerful exfoliant brightens the complexion and hydrates skin to boot.
Glycolic is a stronger exfoliant than lactic, so it’ll help you get back the glow your dry skin had lost.
After you’ve exfoliated with our Glycolic Acid Clarifying & Resurfacing Alpha Beta Facial Cleanser, slather on Mega Plump, a moisturizer with Hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C.
Best Acid Combination For Hyperpigmentation: Glycolic Acid + L-Ascorbic Acid
Hyperpigmentation (the fancy name for dark spots) is one of the hardest skin condition to treat. You need all the help you can get here. That means calling in the big guns: Glycolic acid and L-Ascorbic Acid.
Glycolic acid is an exfoliant: it dissolves the glue that holds skin cells together so they can slough off faster. How does this help with dark spots?
The skin cells on the surface of your skin are the oldest, the ones that sustained the most damage. That makes them the darkest, too.
As they fall off your skin, they reveal the newer and brighter, more even-toned cells that were hiding underneath. Plus, your skin feels softer, too.
L-Ascorbic Acid is the pure form of Vitamin C. This powerful exfoliant doesn’t just help you fight wrinkles and boost collagen.
It also has skin-brightening properties that help to fade away dark spots and give your complexion a radiant glow.
In the morning, wash your face with our Glycolic Acid Facial Cleanser and follow up with our Super-C 20% Vitamin C Serum.
The Bottom Line
You can totally mix acids. The right cocktail can help you improve your skin, fight acne and fade away dark spots more quickly. Just remember to start small. These are powerful actives. Use them a couple of times a week to start with a build up frequency slowly. This way, you’ll get all the benefits without the irritation.