"Salicylic acid at lower concentration is preferred for sensitive skin," she says. "A lower concentration glycolic acid exfoliant can also be well tolerated by those with sensitive skin. Lactic acid is effective in treating dry skin."
Lactic acid is the best exfoliating ingredient for dry, sensitive skin. Salicyclic acid is the best exfoliating ingredient for oily, acne-prone skin. Chemical exfoliants like alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids are recommended over physical exfoliants.
Many skin care companies add hydroxy acid ingredients to their products because of their reported benefits. AHA and BHA both exfoliate the skin. AHA seems to be more effective for treating issues with skin pigmentation. BHA is less aggressive and irritating and has additional antibacterial properties.
Try a physical exfoliator with super-fine particles (like a microdermabrasion scrub) and aim to work in chemical exfoliation as well. “Chemical exfoliators can penetrate skin deeper to improve the appearance of fine lines,” Loving says. Products that pack a combination of AHA and BHA acids will be your best bet.
Because of these effects, BHAs are most suitable for combination to oily skin. Lower concentrations may be used to help calm sensitive skin. You may also have more success with BHAs if you wanted to reduce rosacea-related redness. If you're primarily looking for dry skin relief or anti-aging benefits, try an AHA.
“AHAs and BHAs can certainly be combined. For example, for oily skin, a salicylic-based cleanser can be used followed by a glycolic acid toner. Generally, a glycolic acid is great for dry, dehydrated or combination skin, whereas salicylic acid would be perfect for oily/spot-prone/acne skin.
Hyaluronic acid doesn't function like an AHA or BHA in that it does not strip your skin — it's actually highly nourishing and hydrating, so having “acid” in the name is a bit misleading. Hyaluronic acid is great for applying after any exfoliating acids.
Niacinamide should be used after your BHA exfoliant. From there, you can apply the rest of your products in order of thinnest to thickest texture.
Short answer is: Yes! You certainly can. To make niacinamide and AHAs/BHA work together, layer them on your cleansed face—just 30 minutes apart. You can also use them at different times of day, use niacinamide in the morning and AHAs/BHA at night.
Classic K-Beauty acids like COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid contain approximately 4% of betaine salicylate (a type of BHA) and can technically be used every day. However, it's not a good idea to start using 4% BHA every day if you've never tried a BHA before. Instead, start off by applying the product once a week.
Alpha Hydroxy Acid exfoliates dead skin cells by dissolving the cellular glue that binds cells together. By digesting the glue that holds dead skin cells together, these dehydrated cells that dull your complexion and clog your pores can easily be sloughed away.
While AHAs love water, BHAs love oil. They can bypass the oil that clogs pores and dissolve the mix of sebum and dead skin that leads to acne, as well as stabilize the lining of the pore (which contributes to acne). BHAs clear up blackheads, whiteheads, and have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
For an issue like dry skin, however, AHA is your best bet. An AHA/BHA combo might work depending on your skin type, but when your goal is to exfoliate just the top layer of your skin, you should be using an AHA. Markowitz explains that AHAs and BHAs and their strengths are dependent on the mode and formula.
Frank doesn't recommend layering azelaic acid with Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs) like salicylic acid as both BHAs and AHAs will increase the chances of dryness and irritation.
Doing so will help remove surface skin issues without damaging or drying out the skin. However, for individuals with oily or combination skin, salicylic acid is often the better choice.
Can glycolic acid be mixed with salicylic acid? You can certainly use glycolic acid and salicylic acid together, but we would suggest avoiding mixing them together. This is because combining such potent ingredients will cause a severe reaction to the skin, as well as potentially damaging the skin barrier.
What goes first salicylic acid or niacinamide? It is considered the best idea to apply niacinamide before salicylic acid. This is because the humectant traits of niacinamide ensure the natural skin barrier contains the correct levels of water.
Don't Mix: Niacinamide and vitamin C. Although they're both antioxidants, vitamin C is one ingredient that's not compatible with niacinamide. "Both are very common antioxidants used in a variety of skincare products, but they should not be used one right after the other," says Dr. Marchbein.
Niacinamide and salicylic acid are both great ingredients for treating acne and have a variety of other benefits as well. Salicylic acid is the better option for treating acne, while niacinamide is great for fading scarring and hyperpigmentation.
Niacinamide and glycolic acid are both common ingredients in exfoliating products. Glycolic acid helps to break down the top layer of dead skin cells to encourage a smoother complexion. Niacinamide increases the skin's elasticity to help improve the appearance of fine wrinkles and lines.
Can niacinamide and salicylic acid be used together? The simple answer is yes. They complement each other well. Being oil soluble, salicylic acid can penetrate deeper into the skin layers, but it can also dehydrate and irritate skin.
Per those acne-fighting benefits, niacinamide is often paired with salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid that's a mainstay in acne products, says Dr. Frieling. Combining niacinamide's oil-reducing prowess with salicylic acid's ability to dissolve excess oil is a great way to help keep pores clear and breakouts at bay.
Yes, you can use Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide every day, adding them up to your day and night routine.
Hyaluronic acid is a skin hydrator, not an exfoliant like salicylic acid. You can definitely use both. In fact, applying hyaluronic acid with your salicylic acid is a very good idea. Salicylic acid can be a little drying to the skin because it's job is to absord excess oil.
The beauty of glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid is the fact you can use both together! Quite often you'll find when there is a build-up of dead skin cells the complexion can begin to look dull, dry, and lacklustre with fine lines and wrinkles appearing to look worse than they are.