Sensitive skin types often face trouble in choosing the right skincare options for their skin and it leads to a dilemma. Their skin does not adapt to all kinds of products as it is reactive to unsuitable products. They have a compromised skin barrier which might get triggered easily and lead to skin irritation, inflammation and redness. It could even worsen the skin or lead to breakouts.
Glycolic acid is a wonderful chemical exfoliant and helps in clearing out the buildup from the skin surface by exfoliating the skin. It performs well on the skin because of its ability to penetrate deep into the skin because of its small molecular size. This allows quick and better action for skin exfoliation.
But for sensitive skin, this quick action might sometimes trigger irritation or tingling sensation in the skin. This happens due to leave on products like serums. Now enters a glycolic acid face wash with less contact time on the skin and helps in effective skin clearance. A face wash is suitable for sensitive skin because of its less contact time with skin.
Understanding sensitive skin
Sensitive skin is called so because it is hyper-reactive. It is because the moisture barrier of the skin gets compromised exposing the skin to external factors. Allergens, pollutants, weather changes, harsh ingredients or other triggers can affect the skin deeply and cause skin inflammation, irritation, burning sensation and skin redness.
This could even cause breakouts as the bacterial, or fungal infections can invade easily. Even strong fragrances can result in skin irritation. This makes skin peel, scratch as well.
This is why dealing with sensitive skin becomes so difficult as any product or ingredient could trigger their skin and lead to skin irritation.
Glycolic acid for skin
Glycolic acid is a popular alpha hydroxy acid which is a water soluble or hydrophobic compound. All these belong to the category of chemical exfoliants which work by dissolving the cellular bonds of dead skin cells which hold them together instead of harsh physical scrubbing exfoliation.
That is why they might be suitable for gentle cleansing as they clear out the buildup from the skin by chemical exfoliation. Glycolic acid even has a small sized molecule which allows it to go into the skin surface and deliver better and fast results for skin clearance. This works exceptionally well for clearing out dead skin buildup from the skin.
Glycolic acid face wash over leave on serums
A glycolic acid face wash is better than any leave on glycolic acid products like serums. This is because face wash has a low time of contact with the skin which reduces the chances of skin irritation. It helps in clearing the build up of impurities from the skin without staying on the skin for a long duration.
It clears out the skin and then gets rinsed off within a minute or so. This is why face wash is more preferred than serums as they stay on the skin for a longer time and when the contact time is increased it might trigger the skin and cause skin irritation. It would lead to burning sensation or peeling as well.
Choosing the right percentage
It is the most important factor while choosing your face wash. The concentration of salicylic acid in your face should not be highly concentrated as it would trigger skin irritation and more problems. Higher concentrations can often irritate the skin and damage the skin barrier even more.
It is advised to keep the concentration of glycolic acid below 5% in your face wash and prevent any chances of skin irritation. For a normal sensitive skin begin with very mild concentration 2% to 3% for light exfoliation. If you deal with excess oil and breakouts then move to 5% concentration of glycolic acid in your face wash.
Supporting ingredients to add
- Ceramides: The best barrier supporting ingredient which works to replenish the lost moisture barrier by holding the barrier layer together. It helps in locking the moisture in when the barrier gets repaired.
- Hyaluronic acid: A humectant that has the ability to hold water in large amounts. This humectant works by pulling water into the skin and helps in truly making the skin look plump and hydrated.
- Glycerin: A natural humectant that works to pull the moisture into the skin from the air. It then seals or locks the moisture to prevent skin dryness and helps in soothing the skin properly.
Safe use of glycolic acid face wash
A gentle cleanser with glycolic acid should be used gently for sensitive skin
Summing up
Sensitive skin requires utmost care while using skincare products. Even if they want to incorporate any active ingredient they must be careful. For incorporating glycolic acid also they need to consider the right formulation which works without irritating the skin. Face wash is the best type but the concentration should be mild to get desired results without causing irritation.
