- Hi everyone, I'm Joanna.
You should know me by now.
And if you don't, then we've got an issue.
Because I've done so many videos on here.
You should definitely know my face.
And if you don't
go back and watch all of the skincare nerds prior to this.
Today we're gonna talk about AHAs,
which you might've already heard on the exfoliation video,
but we're gonna touch a little bit more on AHAs,
and exactly what they do.
Also I've mixed up my hairstyle today,
because I promised that I would do a different hairstyle
then I realized I'd done all the same.
Like my hair looked exactly the same, all the three views.
I've tried to mix it up again.
Let's get into AHAs or alpha hydroxy acids,
as you might remember from the exfoliation video.
So these are chemical compounds
that can either be naturally occurring or synthetic.
And they're mainly known for their exfoliation properties,
but they do have some other benefits as well.
But first let's discuss the different types of AHAs.
So the most popular one that you'll see is glycolic acid.
closely followed by lactic acid,
but there are a couple of others
like citric, malic, mandelic,
which are not as well researched,
but you definitely will find them
within other skincare products.
Since we're gonna talk about glycolic and lactic
as the main two AHAs,
let's find out what the difference is between them.
So your glycolic acid,
which you'll find in something like Liquid Gold,
has a smaller molecular size,
so that can actually penetrate the skin deeper,
which is great for encouraging the penetration of other
ingredients that you'll apply afterwards.
But it also means that,
it can increase the risk of irritation.
So it's great at smoothing your texture
and reducing uneven skin tone,
but there is that risk if you overuse it,
that you might irritate the skin
or break down the skin barrier.
So that's where lactic acid comes in.
So lactic acid has a larger molecule weight
so that doesn't penetrate the skin as deeply.
So it is a little bit gentler on more sensitive skin types.
And it's great for dry skin types as well.
So glycolic acid not only has a resurfacing and exfoliating
effect on the skin,
but it also encourages collagen production.
So it's actually a great anti-aging ingredient as well,
which a lot of people don't realize.
So the reason that lactic acid is a bit better for dry
and sensitive skin types,
is because it actually has the ability
to increase the production of ceramides in the skin,
which is moisturizing on the skin surface.
So it is really good for dry and sensitive skin types.
And it's a little bit gentler as well.
So probably a better option than your glycolic.
There isn't really any skin types of can't use an AHA,
because you could always opt for a gentle version of AHA.
So mandelic acid or lactic acid is more for sensitive skins,
but that's really the only skin type that might struggle
with introducing AHA.
Just be wary of that if you do have sensitive skin
or really dry skin or an impaired barrier,
because introducing an acid to a skin like
that could be a little bit irritating,
but maybe opt for something like a lactic to start with.
So you might be wondering,
What is the difference between AHAs and BHAs?
Because we did mention that in our exfoliation video,
which you can go back and watch for some of my favorite AHA
and BHA products.
The AHAs are water soluble
while your BHA, which you'll find as salicylic acid
in your products are oil soluble.
So these work to break down oil within the pores,
exfoliating that in all the pores.
So they work really well
for treating acne concerns and congestion.
So acids are quite stimulating on the skin.
As we mentioned about glycolic acid,
it can be a little bit irritating on some skin types.
So I do recommend starting off slowly once or twice a week
with something like a glycolic acid.
It does depend on the percentage
and the exact product that you're using.
But generally one to two times a week to start off with
is a good balance,
because you don't wanna dry out the skin
or impair the barrier.
Now this is a question that we get all the time here.
Can you mix retinol with AHAs?
And can you mix vitamin C with AHAs?
Now this is purely a personal opinion.
My opinion is no,
purely because they are quite stimulating
ingredients individually and then layering those together
might increase your risk of irritation.
However, if you're already doing that,
you're already mixing your retinol with your AHA
and your vitamin C and you're not having any issues,
or those ingredients might all come together
in the one product and they're actually formulated together,
keep doing it.
If it's not presenting an issue for you,
I don't see why you would need to stop.
But my personal opinion is that
each of them are really stimulating on their own.
Vitamin C, I would generally use in the morning
and then use your AHAs and your retinol
on alternating nights,
just so that you're not layering them on top of each other.
And that should keep your skin relatively happy.
I'm not into it.
James Vivian, does retinol and AHAs.
No, I'd burned my face off for sure.
My face would all peel off.
Like I can use even a low strength retinol
and my face peels off.
Another consideration to take into account
when you're introducing an AHA into your routine,
is your skin sensitivity to the sun.
So, much like retinol,
which we spoke about in that vitamin A video that we did,
these ingredients can increase your skin's photosensitivity,
which means it's sensitivity to the sun.
It is imperative that you wear a broad spectrum sunscreen
every single day when you're using and AHA in your routine.
That doesn't mean that you're using a SPF
because you're using a glycolic acid in the morning.
It's like any time in your routine, it doesn't matter.
It just generally makes your skin more sensitive to the sun.
So you always need to be wearing an SPF, even in winter.
I don't wanna hear any excuses.
So if you're using those ingredients and you're like,
yeah, I'm using those anti-aging ingredients.
Then you're not wearing sunscreen,
You'll likely just causing more damage to your skin.
So you need an SPF. Please get one.
If you're not already using one.
So this--
- [Woman speaking] Mother,
- Love that for me.
Can you first flush the toilet upstairs on level one please.
Now how to introduce an AHA into your routine
and how do you use it?
So we've talked about introducing it slowly,
using it one to two times a week,
and then you can build up if you feel you need to.
I generally use an AHA once or twice a week.
So that's kind of been my routine for a really long time.
So I don't feel the need to use an AHA any more than that,
but you might find if you have oily skin
or you've got dry skin, you're going to resurface it,
that you introduce a lower strength AHA
on a daily basis or something like that.
So using an AHA and how you use it really depends on the
individual formula.
So they come in cleansers, serums, creams, suspensions,
all kinds of different textures and formulas.
So it really does depend on what formula you're using.
So I would definitely check the instructions on the back
for how you're meant to use that product,
and where it sits within your routine.
So Alpha-H Liquid Gold for example,
is a toner texture.
So you would apply that down on your skin first,
and then you would follow that with any serums
or you can use it as an intensive treatment.
Whereas something like Cosmedix Define,
which has a more creamy texture,
might be laid over AHA serum.
And that will help buffer the product as well,
if you find that it's a little bit too strong for your skin,
or you just like to use it as part of a wider routine,
and you don't want to use it
as an intensive overnight treatment.
So that's kind of how you would introduce them.
Kind of probably made that sound more complicated
than it actually is.
But basically moral of the story,
just check the directions on the back of the label,
and that should pretty much explain
where it sits in your routine.
This is always my favorite part.
Some of my favorite AHA products.
So let's start with Liquid Gold.
I've already spoken about this
and we spoke about it in the exfoliation episode as well.
So Liquid Gold has got your glycolic acid in it
which helps to resurface the skin.
And then you've also got silk proteins
and Licorice extract,
which helped to brighten the skin
while retaining moisture levels in the skin.
So it doesn't dry it out,
but it does help with texture and clarity.
I'm gonna have a wild guess.
And say 56, can you get them?
The Rose is $62 and the regular is $50.
I'd use the Rose 'cause that's what I was given as a gift.
So I would still use the regular one.
They're basically the same.
Honestly, I didn't really notice that much of a difference
in the results, but that's just me.
All ready now to the Murad Replenishing Multi-Acid Peel.
Now these contains a number of AHAs and BHAs.
So its called salicylic acid, malic acid,
tranexamic acid.
Those acids work really well together
for treating congestion, resurfacing the skin,
I can't say tranexamic acid
is great for treating pigmentation.
So this is also really good for brightening
and lightening the skin.
So definitely a good option for anyone with aging concerns
and uneven skin tone concerns, but also congestion as well.
Cause it's got that salicylic acid component too.
You might be able to tell from this bottle
that the liquid kind of separates here.
It's got barrier supporting oils and extracts in it.
It helps to stop the skin from drying out.
Peel I guess is kind of their way of saying like
it's gonna resurface the skin,
but you definitely will not get that peeling
like you would with
an actual proper professional chemical peel.
That's for sure.
It's definitely not that strong.
So don't panic.
Now on to the bargain product of the day.
It is the ordinary lactic acid plus AHA.
This comes in a 5% and a 10% version.
Yep. Oh, sorry about that.
- [Woman's voice] Oh good.
(mumbles)
- I should know better. I'm a professional.
So this lactic serum also contains Tasmanian Pepper Berry,
which is known to reduce inflammation.
So that's a great ingredient to accompany lactic acid
because it reduces any irritation that is sometimes
associated with exfoliation.
Plus it's only $12.70.
So it's a great option to introduce into your routine.
If you're just wanting to see how your skin tolerates AHAs,
before you invest in something more expensive.
Some other great AHA products that I really like
in my routine are
the SkinCeuticals Glycolic Renewal Cleanser,
asap Liquid Platinum and the D'lumimiere Acidic.
Glycollic 20%, oily skin solution. Is that right?
- [Woman's voice] No.
- It's some jumble of those words.
That's my favorite for Hannah,
because she really liked that product.
So I don't have oily skin,
but for oily skin that is a great AHA product.
So they have it.
That's AHAs I hope that I explained everything.
And if you have any other questions about AHAs,
you can always leave them in the comments below
and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
And I'd love to know what your favorite AHAs
in your routine are.
I'm sure a few of you will be saying Liquid Gold,
'cause that is a cool product.
Make sure you subscribe and hit the bell button
if you want to see more videos from us,
but that's it for Skincare Nodes today.
So I'll see you next time.
I have someone from Canada calling me.
Now I kind of wanna answer and see who it is.
Hello,
- Hello.
This call is from the Investigation Division
of Department of Home Affairs.
There's a illegal case being filed under your name
as your identity is being used
for several illegal activities.
There is an arrest warrant issued under your name as well.
- It's an arrest warrant.
- It comes from Federal Officer
from the Department of Home Affairs.
Press one now.
- No thank you. I'm in the middle of something.