If you had to choose one acid, what would it be?
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:05 pm

Hello, I'm currently using a 2% salicylic acid by PSF during the day and a 10% glycolic acid gel by Alpha Hydrox at night. The combo is doing fine for me but I keep on hearing about mandelic acid.

Is mandelic acid good enough to blow glycolic acid out of the water?

free skin care · Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:21 pm

I am currently using and liking lactic acid - is gentle but leaves my skin more clear and refined.

I am thinking of adding salcylic to the mix.

I have never tried mandelic ... I look forward to the replies.

Wed Feb 27, 2008 8:13 pm

Frangipani wrote:

I am currently using and liking lactic acid - is gentle but leaves my skin more clear and refined.

I am thinking of adding salcylic to the mix.

I have never tried mandelic ... I look forward to the replies.

I tried a lactic acid moisturizer but I think it's too gentle for me. Is glycolic one of the more potent acids?

free skin care · Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:37 pm

HelloItsIo wrote:

Hello, I'm currently using a 2% salicylic acid by PSF during the day and a 10% glycolic acid gel by Alpha Hydrox at night. The combo is doing fine for me but I keep on hearing about mandelic acid.

Is mandelic acid good enough to blow glycolic acid out of the water?

No, Hello. Glycolic acid is the mother of all acids. You shouldn't change anything and right on track...except salicylic acid gel in the morning and glycolic at night is overkill at best. I would use only ONE once per day. Alternate them or use every other day. Don't you find your skin gets dry?? Neutral

free skin care · Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:50 pm

I use JM bioclear that has salycilic and glycolic, it works pretty well, but i did just read an article that said using it twice a day can cause skin to harden! so maybe only one is best, or to use a combo one but not as frequently.

Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:06 pm

Interesting. I used to use just glycolic acid...twice a day! My skin isn't dry at all and I think it's never looked better. At night I do use a moisturizer before applying glycolic. My skin has been feeling dry lately but I think it's from the alcohol in the PSF SA sample I've been using. Confused

Maybe I'll cut back on the acids at night and alternate. Thanks for the advice!

free skin care · Thu Feb 28, 2008 3:01 am

I like both lactic acid and glycolic. Some products I use have AHA. So I guess its really depends on what you are trying to achieve.

I use cleansers with salicylic acid a few times a week to keep acne at bay. The lactic acid and glycolic are great for skin renewal. I agree, try to not go overkill...you don't want to irritate your skin.

free skin care · Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:12 am

Mandelic acid is a crossover between salicylic acid and glycolic , it does a bit of both , and it helps with hyperpigmentation ,but I found it to be extremely drying , the one from vivant is much better than mama lotion , but in my opinion if its not broke don't fix it , and if what your doing is working don't change if not try it hope this helps

free skin care · Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:56 am

For my mature skin I find lactic acid the best choice. It leave my skin hydrated and more refined.

free skin care · Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:19 am

Mama Lotion, contains both malic and mandelic acids.

free skin care · Thu Feb 28, 2008 10:52 am

Glucolic peel acids to renew the skin, once in a white...

quote="HelloItsIo"]Hello, I'm currently using a 2% salicylic acid by PSF during the day and a 10% glycolic acid gel by Alpha Hydrox at night. The combo is doing fine for me but I keep on hearing about mandelic acid.

Is mandelic acid good enough to blow glycolic acid out of the water?[/quote]

free skin care · Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:26 pm

I keep several different acids...lactic, mama
and glycolic. Depending on the weather and how my skin is acting, I adjust accordingly.

Some days I think my skin care cabinet contents resemble the chemistry lab! Smile

V

free skin care · Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:30 am

I used to be oily/acne prone; skin has normalized to combo with the occasional zit. I use BHA and AHA every morning and sometimes at night too. I don't find this is overkill at all. BHA keeps pores clean within and AHA provides exfoliation at the surface level. From what I understand, lactic and mandelic acids are better for more sensitive, mature or dry skin types.

free skin care · Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:01 pm

athena123 wrote:

I used to be oily/acne prone; skin has normalized to combo with the occasional zit. I use BHA and AHA every morning and sometimes at night too. I don't find this is overkill at all. BHA keeps pores clean within and AHA provides exfoliation at the surface level. From what I understand, lactic and mandelic acids are better for more sensitive, mature or dry skin types.

Oops, guess I should have answered the original question. If I could only choose ONE acid, I wouldn't make that choice since both BHA and AHA are crucial steps in my skincare routine. And if I were on a desert island, I wouldn't be able to choose just one thing either, Laughing

Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:39 pm

athena123 wrote:

Oops, guess I should have answered the original question. If I could only choose ONE acid, I wouldn't make that choice since both BHA and AHA are crucial steps in my skincare routine. And if I were on a desert island, I wouldn't be able to choose just one thing either, Laughing

No harm. I'm just going to stick with my routine of glycolic and BHA. Although I did just order some mandelic acid samples from GoW and DY. Can't hurt to try it!

Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:04 pm

I love, love, love mandelic .... it can be drying, but once you learn to work with it, it's great.

It's antifungal and antibacterial, great against hyperpigmentation, and has a pore-tightening effect when it's on the skin. It exfoliates both the surface of the skin and the pores (though it doesn't penetrate as deeply as salicylic acid).

Glycolic acid irritates my skin, as does salicylic ..... and I like mandelic better than lactic, for all the reasons above. Lactic acid is more hydrating, though.

free skin care · Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:47 pm

LionQueen wrote:

I love, love, love mandelic .... it can be drying, but once you learn to work with it, it's great.

It's antifungal and antibacterial, great against hyperpigmentation, and has a pore-tightening effect when it's on the skin. It exfoliates both the surface of the skin and the pores (though it doesn't penetrate as deeply as salicylic acid).

Glycolic acid irritates my skin, as does salicylic ..... and I like mandelic better than lactic, for all the reasons above. Lactic acid is more hydrating, though.

What products have mandelic acid in them? Can you recommend a product?

Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:34 pm

I like the Vivant mandelic line, available from the betterhealthyskin website .... lots of good info there as well.

There's a Vivant mandelic cleanser (nice & mild, I use it because it's antifungal), a 3% toner, a 9% toner, and a 15% serum. I use the 9% toner all over my face and spot treat with the 15% serum.

Diana Yvonne also sells the 15% serum.

Garden of Wisdom sells mandelic marine serums in 10% and 15% concentrations, including an alcohol-free formulation which is nice for dry skin.

Some people like the NuCelle products ... I've never tried them. NuCelle has a huge website and I think the products are available on Amazon.

Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:09 pm

LionQueen wrote:

I like the Vivant mandelic line, available from the betterhealthyskin website .... lots of good info there as well.

There's a Vivant mandelic cleanser (nice & mild, I use it because it's antifungal), a 3% toner, a 9% toner, and a 15% serum. I use the 9% toner all over my face and spot treat with the 15% serum.

Diana Yvonne also sells the 15% serum.

Garden of Wisdom sells mandelic marine serums in 10% and 15% concentrations, including an alcohol-free formulation which is nice for dry skin.

Some people like the NuCelle products ... I've never tried them. NuCelle has a huge website and I think the products are available on Amazon.

I ordered a DY mandelic acid serum - is the consistency really like a serum or more liquid?

Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:14 pm

It was probably the Vivant serum .... in which case, it's more of a liquid.

free skin care · Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:54 pm

so difficult to just choose one.
I think I would pick up at least two.
I MUST need BHA to remove my oil debris inside pores. Another is PHA.

Actually I've tried many acids these years- glycolic, Mix of gluconolactone, madelic... I prefer PHA kind which molecule structure provides high degree of moisturing power, though it's not as strong as AHA.

Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:56 pm

MissCay wrote:

so difficult to just choose one.
I think I would pick up at least two.
I MUST need BHA to remove my oil debris inside pores. Another is PHA.

Actually I've tried many acids these years- glycolic, Mix of gluconolactone, madelic... I prefer PHA kind which molecule structure provides high degree of moisturing power, though it's not as strong as AHA.

PHA? I've never heard of that type of acid. What products use PHA?

free skin care · Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:55 pm

HelloItsIo wrote:

MissCay wrote:

so difficult to just choose one.
I think I would pick up at least two.
I MUST need BHA to remove my oil debris inside pores. Another is PHA.

Actually I've tried many acids these years- glycolic, Mix of gluconolactone, madelic... I prefer PHA kind which molecule structure provides high degree of moisturing power, though it's not as strong as AHA.

PHA? I've never heard of that type of acid. What products use PHA?

Neostrata has PHA products, a less irritating form of AHA

free skin care · Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:08 pm

I use AHA 12% souffle from Alpha Hydrox. It's very effective.

free skin care · Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:48 pm

Hi HelloItsIo

PHA is a family member of AHA. AHA is the mother of acids, while the PHA is more update generation . AHA which possess the smallest molecule size so as to provide better and obvious result on resurfacing. To the PHA, the resurfacing function is milder but its molecule structure can provide "water-lock" function and anti-oxidize. Some products mix with both AHA + PHA to enhance the effectiveness.

Gluconolactone Acid and Lactobionic Acid are the common PHA acids. The later is used as clinical use for storing organs< keep them fresh~!

HelloItsIo wrote:

MissCay wrote:

so difficult to just choose one.
I think I would pick up at least two.
I MUST need BHA to remove my oil debris inside pores. Another is PHA.

Actually I've tried many acids these years- glycolic, Mix of gluconolactone, madelic... I prefer PHA kind which molecule structure provides high degree of moisturing power, though it's not as strong as AHA.

PHA? I've never heard of that type of acid. What products use PHA?

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