AHA Acid, BHA Acid | Combine AHA/BHA?

AHA acid and BHA acid: Combine for better skincare

Do you also want to get baby-soft skin by exfoliating and get a glow from within? Ask any professional skin therapist, your new best friend will be chemical peeling with AHA and BHA. It might sound scary with the words "chemical" and "peeling" in the same sentence, but chemical peels are among the best things you can add to your skincare. Its effect is proven to give a proper glow, baby-soft skin and a cleaner skin with smaller pores.

Skin therapists have recommended AHA and BHA for decades and today it is an increasingly common ingredient in skincare for home use precisely because of its fantastic results. Before we go more into how you use it, it is good to take a look at what it actually is!

What is AHA?

AHA stands for "Alpha Hydroxy Acids" which consists of several different acids. For skincare products for home use, these are usually found in natural form such as mandelic acid, lactic acid or glycolic acid. Lactic acid is also antibacterial and therefore great against visible pores, acne and pigmentation spots caused by the sun.

How does AHA work?

AHA acids are used to even out your skin tone and texture while eliminating old skin cells. The acids work by dissolving lipids in the skin that hold the cells together to penetrate deep down and loosen bonds of dirt. This improves the skin's ability to stimulate and retain moisture and provides an improved structure, reduced visibility of lines, wrinkles and pores, and improves evenness and glow. An example of an effective product containing AHA acid is AHA Antioxidant Serum from Cicamed.

Another benefit of the acids is that they speed up cell renewal by carrying away pigment that has built up on the surface. This process makes the skin's barrier against irritating substances stronger by making the cells denser and more compact. However, AHA acid is not something that completely removes either wrinkles or spots, as they sometimes lie deeper in the skin than the products reach.

What is BHA and how does it work?

BHA stands for "Beta Hydroxy Acids" and is actually another name for salicylic acid. The acid penetrates deep into the pores and dissolves fats, removes impurities, clears clogged pores and reduces sebum production. Therefore, it is especially good for an impure skin. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect so it also suits you who have acne-prone skin or rosacea as it is relatively mild.

What is the difference between AHA and BHA?

The biggest difference between the two types is that AHA is water-soluble while BHA is fat-soluble. This makes the combination of these two excellent for cleaning the skin from dirt and fat while you remove dead skin cells and contribute to cell renewal. If you have a very oily skin, BHA is preferable, while if you are more looking for cell renewal and evening out the skin tone, AHA is better. Ideally, however, is a combination of these two in your skincare routine.

How you should use AHA and BHA

Here you will find a simple list of the main benefits of the two acids so you can choose the right one. We recommend a combination of the two, for example in a cleanser with AHA/BHA.

Benefits of AHA

• Reduces pigmentation, sun damage and uneven skin tone
• Reduces lines, wrinkles, unevenness and scars
• Provides glow and binds moisture
• Exfoliates the skin and increases cell renewal

Benefits of BHA

• Dissolves fat in the pores
• Anti-inflammatory properties
• Reduces redness
• Exfoliates the skin and increases cell renewal
• Effective in treating acne and blackheads

Cleansing with AHA and BHA

Something you can do daily is to use a cleanser with AHA/BHA that cleanses deeply and removes fats and impurities. Glycolic Foam Wash contains 5% glycolic acid, and you can use it every day to get a fresh start or end to the day. It also makes it easier for the skin to absorb other skincare products as the pores are not filled with fat that blocks them.

Can you combine AHA and BHA?

Generally speaking, it is only good to combine these two as they help each other. Acids are often stronger ingredients where not all can be combined with each other, but exactly AHA and BHA acid are a nice combination as the oil-soluble BHA acid opens up for the AHA acid and vice versa.

Increase the results of your skincare

For the best results from your skincare, you can use Skinroller PRO and through microneedling increase the absorption of your skincare by up to 200%. Use your Skinroller after cleanser and toner and then apply your other skincare for the best results. What happens then is that serums and creams get deep down into the skin due to the micro-holes that the Skinroller creates.

Are you wondering which products suit your skin or how to combine different series to achieve your desired results? Do not hesitate to take our skin test or book a skin consultation with our skin therapist and we will help you on the way to your ideal skin!

FAQ about acids in skincare

Can you use AHA and BHA every day?

A mild cleanser with AHA/BHA, such as Glycolic Foam Wash with 5% glycolic acid, is excellent to use daily. For stronger leave-on acids, it is usually enough to use them 2–3 times a week so the skin has time to recover. Listen to your skin and step up slowly.

Should you use AHA and BHA in the morning or evening?

Preferably in the evening, as acids make the skin more sensitive to the sun. If you use them during the day, daily sun protection with at least SPF 30 is a must to protect the new, more sensitive skin.

Which acid is best suited for oily and acne-prone skin?

BHA (salicylic acid) is fat-soluble and penetrates into the pores, making it ideal for oily and acne-prone skin. AHA is better suited for drier skin and uneven skin tone. A combination provides the best of both.