Ingredient in Focus: Lactic Acid

Looking for an exfoliating acid but worried about your skin drying out? Allow us to introduce you to lactic acid. You may have heard this term used in the fitness world (it can build up in your body during intense exercise and cause muscle pain and cramps), but in {skin care}, lactic acid is something altogether different.

Lactic acid is an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) that’s praised for its ability to refresh and revive even the dullest skin. How does it do it? It speeds up cell turnover and exfoliates skin by gently loosening and then sweeping away dead skin cells. When we’re younger, these dead cells shed on their own, but as we get older (and by older we mean mid-20s) and sun damage and general aging takes its toll, the process needs a little helping hand.

Smiling woman with smooth, glowing skin.

HOW DOES LACTIC ACID COMPARE TO OTHER AHAS?

Lactic acid’s main superpower is its ability to make skin look brighter. It does this by both exfoliating and hydrating the skin. We know, it sounds contradictory, and AHAs aren’t usually renowned for their powers of hydration, but let us explain…

The main difference between lactic acid and other AHAs like glycolic acid is that the lactic acid molecule is larger, which means that it can’t penetrate as deeply. Instead, it gives more of a surface treatment, exfoliating the upper layers and breaking the bonds that hold dead skin cells to the surface. This is less harsh on your skin - great news for those of us with dry or sensitive skin types! Thanks to its bigger molecule size, it’s also a humectant (a moisture retainer), and helps to increase natural moisturising factors within the skin.

By breaking down skin cells and encouraging cells to regenerate, lactic acid helps to ease congestion and reduce the appearance of sun damage, hyperpigmentation and acne scars. And then by locking in moisture and preventing water loss, it keeps skin moisturised. The winning formula for bright, glowing skin!

HOW OFTEN CAN YOU USE LACTIC ACID ON YOUR FACE?

How often you use lactic acid will depend on the product in question. Some products containing a lower concentration of lactic acid can be used daily - generally at nighttime - while others with a higher concentration are designed to be used just once or twice a week.

Since lactic acid exfoliates the surface of your skin, your skin can be more vulnerable to UV rays. As such, you should take extra care in the elements and always use {SPF}.

WHO CAN USE LACTIC ACID?

All skin types can use it, and if you find other AHAs too irritating for your skin, then lactic acid could be exactly what you’ve been waiting for. It’s often recommended for sensitive skin, not only because it’s less harsh, but also because it helps to strengthen the skin’s barrier.

While it’s the same molecule that causes those muscles to burn during intense squatting sessions, and it can also be found in dairy products, the lactic acid found in skincare is generally synthesised, so vegans, you can reap the benefits too.

WHAT ARE THE BEST LACTIC ACID PRODUCTS?

SUPERCHARGED

{The Ordinary's} {Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2%} is a lightweight serum that offers gentle yet extraordinary exfoliation. It works to reduce pigmentation, diminish acne scars and age spots and improve overall skin texture, and is enhanced with heroic hydrating ingredient hyaluronic acid to improve the skin’s ability to attract and retain moisture. Want to start with something a little weaker? Try their {5% option} instead.

TWO IN ONE

The {AHA Cleanse} by {Skingredients} serves dull and lacklustre skin with a shot of brightening and hydrating goodness. Lactic acid is the hero ingredient, helping to speed up cell turnover and exfoliate skin whilst retaining moisture for a plump and dewy look. It’s a two-in-one formula that can either be used as an active cleanser or as a micro mask - however you choose, you’ll be left with glowier, smoother and more even-toned skin.

DETOX TIME

Created with depleted city skin in mind, {Caudalie’s} {Vinergetic C+ Instant Detox Mask} is a godsend for the city dwellers amongst us. Combining rose clay, grape marc, papaya enzymes and lactic acid, this treatment gently draws out impurities to leave your skin looking less congested and instantly more luminous. Whether you’ve got a special occasion coming up or you’ve had a particularly stressful week, get radiant skin in an instant with this purifying powerhouse.

SLEEP LIKE A BABY

That elusive, ever-covetable South Korean glow can be yours (at last!) with {Glow Recipe’s} {Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask}. As well as flooding thirsty cells with watermelon extract (an ingredient traditionally used in Korea to soothe irritated and inflamed skin), this pillow-proof mask features hydrating hyaluronic acid and exfoliating glycolic and lactic acids that get to work while you sleep. Wake up to a gorgeously glowing, baby-soft face every morning.

BRIGHT AND RADIANT

If your complexion is looking dull, hyperpigmented and scarred by blemishes of days gone by, then allow {Medik8’s} {Oxy-R Peptides} to come to the rescue. Their lightweight, silky serum is bursting with AHAs, peptides and antioxidants, and is nothing short of amazing at brightening and resurfacing dull, hyperpigmented skin.

STRENGTHEN AND SOOTHE

Make red and uncomfortable skin a thing of the past with {Cultured’s} {Biome Calm Cream}. Designed to ease redness and to calm and fortify skin, this microbiome-loving cream uses bio-technology to tackle the source of each skin concern. It’s somewhat of a triple threat: it intensely hydrates, relieves soreness and combats sensitivity. If your skin is red and uncomfortable, use this cooling and soothing formula to swiftly strengthen and soothe.

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