It often can be a mind boggling decision while choosing the right active ingredient for your skin. You might wonder while opting either glycolic acid or salicylic acid in your foaming face wash. These two ingredients are considered widely in serving skincare benefits. Both these work differently for the skin even though they both are chemical exfoliants.
Glycolic acid is a popular choice of alpha hydroxy acids and it is a water soluble chemical exfoliant. It works mainly in renewing the skin cells and is basically extracted from sugar cane. It is mostly used for dealing with uneven toned or dull skin. It helps greatly in fading the skin pigmentation and promotes skin radiance.
Salicylic acid on the other hand is an exceptionally well beta hydroxy acid. It is oil soluble in nature which allows it to penetrate into the pores of the skin and clear out the congestion from the pores. This BHA is extracted from willow bark and has the ability to cross the oil barriers. It is an optimal solution for clearing acne and excess oil from the skin.
Now you need to think wisely while selecting either cleanser and consider your skin concern.
Skin Type Consideration
Different skin types face different skin concerns and no single product can help in that. You need to opt for the right face wash among glycolic acid or salicylic acid for your skin.
- Oily skin type: They are advised to incorporate salicylic acid cleanser on daily purpose.
- Acne prone skin: They need to opt for salicylic acid face washes.
- Combination skin: They can use both for different purposes, salicylic acid for oil control and for gentle cleaning glycolic acid could be used.
- Sensitive skin: For them glycolic acid is optimal for gentle cleansing but salicylic acid could also be used in mild concentrations
- Pigmented skin: They need to glycolic acid face wash in their daily cleansing routine.
Difference Among Both Chemical Exfoliants
Salicylic acid and glycolic acid are ideally both chemical exfoliants but they belong to totally different classes of exfoliants.
Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid and is a lipophilic or oil loving compound. This nature of salicylic acid allows it to cross the oil barriers of the skin and reach the deep pores of the skin.
This ability of salicylic acid allows it to deeply cleanse the skin and clear out the oil based impurities effectively from the skin. It helps in dissolving the hard plugs of impurities from the pores and clear the congestion. It helps to clear dirt, oil or buildup from the pores. It might also assist in reducing skin inflammation.
Glycolic acid belongs to another category of chemical exfoliants called alpha hydroxy acids. They have a water soluble profile and cannot surpass the oil barriers of the skin. Glycolic acid is categorized as a small sized AHA.
It works well on the surface and helps in exfoliating the skin by shedding dead skin cells. It works by cutting down the molecular bonds of dead skin cells and sheds them from the surface. It helps in accelerating the cellular turnover of the skin.
Purpose of Using Salicylic Acid Face Wash
Salicylic acid has a deep penetrating action and helps for-
- Deep pore cleansing: Salicylic acid can dive deep into the pores and helps in clearing the congestion by dissolving the bonds between the dead skin cells and dirt and makes a smooth exit for them. This helps a lot for clearing out acne which is caused due to congested pores
- Control oil: Salicylic acid helps in clearing out excess oil from within the pores and surface. It helps to dissolve the oil plugs from the pores and provides a clear matte skin.
- Anti-inflammatory action: Salicylic acid helps in soothing the congested or an inflamed skin due to acne and also calms down the redness due to its potent anti-inflammatory effects as it is a derivative of aspirin.
Purpose of Glycolic Acid Face Wash
Glycolic acid is most suitable for dealing with skin problems and helps in-
- Dead cell exfoliation: Glycolic acid works by cutting down the clusters of dead skin cells by cutting the molecular bonds of dead skin cells. It helps in accelerating the skin renewal process and delivers a clear toned skin after daily use.
- Reduce uneven skin tone: Glycolic acid helps in fading the hyperpigmented skin by clearing the buildup of pigmented cells. It works by breaking clusters of melanin affected cells from the skin surface.
- Skin radiance: It helps in gently lifting off the buildup from the surface which helps in smoothening the texture of the skin. When the impurities get cleared from the skin it starts appearing radiant and naturally even toned with daily use.
Final Thoughts
Glycolic acid and salicylic acid are two different chemical exfoliants that serve varied purposes for the skin. It is often advised to use the right one depending on your skin type rather than relying on popular trends.
If your skin faces excess oil production or acne breakouts then use salicylic acid. Now if your skin faces pigmentation or dullness then you need to use a glycolic acid face wash for your skin. If you want to use both exfoliants then consult a specialist first and use them wisely.