Minimalist offers two different glycolic acid products in its exfoliating range. Below, I have written about the side effects of these two:
AHA BHA 10%
This product uses two different types of AHAs: glycolic and lactic acid.
It uses one BHA: salicylic acid.
All three acids together add up to 10%.
Knowing how much glycolic acid the product uses is essential because the amount used directly affects the side effects. The manufacturer does not mention this. Hence, let’s do some informed guesswork and figure out a rough estimate.
It uses less than 1 % salicylic acid. We know this because salicylic acid is listed below an ingredient called phenoloxyethanol. This ingredient is a preservative; skin care manufacturers use only up to 1% of it.
Since the total amount of acids in the product is 10%, this leaves around 9% for glycolic and lactic acid together.
Based on the calculations above, we can estimate that glycolic acid is between 3 and 4.5% or below 3%. Either way, this is a small amount of glycolic acid, and it should not have any side effects on the skin.
The main side effect of glycolic acid we are worried about is irritation. Irritation eventually leads to pigmentation on the skin, especially for dark-skinned people.
Due to the small amount of glycolic acid used, most people should tolerate this product well.
If you have sensitive skin, be cautious. Maybe even avoid glycolic acid just to be safe.
Always use a good anti-inflammatory moisturiser after using this product.
Use the product in the nighttime.
Use sunscreen the next day. By the way, sunscreen is a must every day 🙂
Glycolic Acid 8% Exfoliating Liquid
8% glycolic acid is medium strength. Anything above 10% glycolic acid is strong.
Glycolic acid is a small molecule, and because of its tiny size, it can penetrate deeper into the skin. Its ability to penetrate and get to the deeper layers of skin makes it very effective. However, glycolic acid can also irritate and cause redness on our skin.
Irritation and redness can lead to pigmentation on the skin.
The darker your skin tone, the higher the chances of irritation leading to pigmentation.
We do not want pigmentation because it is very hard (or nearly impossible) to get rid of once we get it.
However, we also don’t want to miss out on using glycolic acid, which offers multiple benefits to the skin.
We can do a few things to reduce (or even prevent) irritation from 8% glycolic acid:
~ Use in the nighttime.
~ Use a good moisturiser with powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients like niacinamide, centella asiatica, panthenol, etc.
~ Don’t use it if your skin is dehydrated.
~ Don’t use it for two to three days after waxing or threading your face.
~ Start small. Do a patch test if unsure. Start using one day a week and then gradually increase it two times a week.
If your skin is sensitive, you should avoid glycolic acid. The irritation it might cause is not worth the benefits.