In this episode of Skin Care Ingredients You May Not Know But You Should, we’re talking about mandelic acid. A few years ago, it wasn't a common ingredient in skin care products, but now it's showing up more and more frequently.
So if you’ve seen it on an INCI listing or seen it advertised on the front of a product and are curious: this article is for you… What is mandelic acid? Mandelic acid is an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) extracted from bitter almonds and therefore belongs to the same family of water-soluble chemical peels as lactic acid and glycolic acid. It has a larger molecular size than these better-known AHAs, which actually means it penetrates more slowly and therefore feels gentler on the skin.
So if you've tried glycolic acid (often considered the harshest chemical peel) and found it to be too much for your skin, this might be a good option. What can you do for your skin? Mandelic acid is certainly an exfoliant but if you're familiar with different types of acids, you know they all have their own way of working and additional benefits. These nuances will help you decide which one is right for you. Mandelic acid is considered to have antibacterial properties, making it an excellent choice for blemish-prone skin.
It's also thought to be particularly good at fighting hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone, making it a double threat for breakouts (both when treating existing scars). prevent future stains from forming). At the same time, superficial exfoliation is also performed to smooth the skin.
It may also have some positive effects on aging - obviously it speeds up cell turnover (which slows down with age), but it may also help with collagen production. All this makes it a very good all-rounder. How should they be used? As you may have noticed from my photos, mandelic acid is light sensitive.
So if you want an effective formula, look for products with opaque or tinted packaging. I tend to use AHAs at night, the frequency really depends on how strong they are. If I were using mandelic acid on its own and not in conjunction with other peel formulas
I would choose the 10% concentration and use it about 3 times a week. If your skin is sensitive, you can choose a concentration of 5%. If you prefer a "little and often" approach, I think 5% is enough most of the time, although I've never been the biggest proponent of daily exfoliation.
It really depends on how strong I think the overall formula is when combined with other acids. All of the products we’re talking about today are serums or toners. So which products you want to improve really depends on your preferences.
My Picks for Mandelic Acid Products. To review the products I've used and loved over the past few years, I have to start with the first mandelic acid product I tried: Mandelic Acid 10% + HA | Regular version starts at £6.90.
Propylene glycol is high on the INCI list, giving it a hydrating, very lightweight, almost watery texture. Sorry if that's a bad description, but if you've tried a product with a high concentration of this ingredient, you'll know what I mean! It also contains hyaluronic acid derivatives and glycerin to moisturize the skin as well as soothing botanical extracts to balance the formula and provide gentle exfoliation that never strips. I use it about three times a week as part of my evening skincare routine. It effectively fights dark spots, skin congestion, and even sun damage while leaving your skin glowing and soft.
It worked great for me from the first use and only got better as time went on and I didn't experience any irritation at all. The next product I tried that contained this ingredient was PSA Skin Heroine Mandelic Acid and Licorice Superfood Revitalizing Toner | £28.
It has a 6% blend of mandelic acid and lactic acid, so I use something like that every other day, which has a combination of niacinamide and licorice root. Niacinamide is a very popular ingredient these days.
It aids in the production of skin oil and also enhances barrier function and helps prevent the spread of pigmented skin spots. What this essentially means is that if you have acne and the scar is typically larger than the original area, niacinamide can help address that issue.
Licorice is another product that’s great for fading dark spots. Plus, the formula is packed with hydrating, soothing, and fermented ingredients, so you'll also get the essential benefits of this product that's also gentle on the skin. If you've been prone to excessive peeling in the past
I highly recommend switching to this type of formula! For the more sensitive skin types among us who love all the benefits I've discussed but may never have been on sale on a chemical peel: By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Prep Water | £20.10 (use coupon code JASMINETALKSBEAUTY (Partner ) for 15% off | Works for you.
This is a super simple, lightweight formula with 5% mandelic acid along with soothing centella asiatica, hydrating castor oil, hyaluronic acid to draw moisture into the skin, and It also contains beta-glucan and panthenol to soothe and moisturize, as well as licorice extract to help even skin tone.
This ingredient is super gentle, gives skin a healthy glow, and provides a dose of hydration , and contributes to overall clarity. Next we discuss Facetheory Mandelibright Serum S7, with 10% Mandelic Acid and 2% Niacinamide* | £18.99 (25% off, use code JASMINETALKSBEAUTY25 (not affiliated).
This is another formula that combines Mandelic Acid with The skin-smoothing benefits of niacinamide and licorice, this time in a lightweight serum (suitable for most skin types). Facetheory adds green tea, chamomile, and moisturizers for soothing antioxidants.
You may notice a pattern here, I like a formula that contains both exfoliants and soothing and hydrating ingredients to keep the skin barrier healthy despite the use of antioxidant acids. This is another very effective formula for active breakouts and resulting scars that I use three times a week.
If you're in the US, be sure to check out Stratia Soft Touch AHA 10% Mandelic Acid Gel | $16. I personally use this serum 3-4 times a week in my nighttime skincare routine. In addition to a powerful 10% concentration of mandelic acid, they also contain panthenol, aloe vera, chamomile, allantoin and glycerin to soothe and moisturize skin. This is more of a standalone exfoliant, and its balance of soothing and hydrating ingredients makes it very gentle, rather than a multi-active product like some of the other products in this article.
So if you're already getting niacinamide or other skin-unifying benefits from various ingredients in your routine and want to keep it simple: This is still an effective formula for clarifying and smoothing your skin. I also recently bought a mini Allies of Skin Mandelic Acid Pigment Correcting Night Serum | Tried £28 (15ml). This yellow lotion is the most powerful of all the serums (contains rosehip and tamanu oils to hydrate the skin), so it's best for dry people, but it doesn't come cheap of course! I can't tell you the exact concentration of mandelic acid in this product, but it is a blend of 11% mandelic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid.
So you get the skin-renewing and brightening effects of lactic acid (along with its hydrating benefits) and the pore-penetrating, blemish-fighting effects of salicylic acid. This combination of mandelic acid and salicylic acid makes it a great choice for blemish-prone skin, as they address the same problem in different ways. We've also blended niacinamide and peptides to support the action of other active ingredients and even out skin tone, along with hyaluronic acid and antioxidants like bakuchiol and superoxide dismutase.
Overall, this is a great formula and it really worked for me when I had breakouts over the holidays. Would I buy it back? Probably not at this price, as I recently found out...
People's Youth Mandelic Acid + Superfoods Unifying Peel* | £32. I hope you enjoy the Segway, it’s my favorite so far! This gentle toner contains 3% mandelic acid to boost the 2% salicylic acid content, plus a small amount of PHA.
What I love about this formula is that even though the salicylic acid is obviously the star, since they are the most proven and highest level of cosmetics, I really like using it in conjunction with mandelic acid to clear congestion, treat breakouts, and minimize scarring. This product does all of this but feels very gentle on my skin, as the licorice and green tea support these ingredients, along with skin-soothing panthenol and aloe vera and tons of antioxidants. This is a great all-around product and if you're significantly more prone to acne but your skin is more prone to sensitivity, you should definitely give it a try.
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