3 Best Exfoliating Ingredients For Clear Skin

November 03, 2022

Do you suffer from acne or skin issues? If so, you're not alone - millions of people struggle with these conditions daily.

Luckily, there are many solutions, and one of the most popular is topical exfoliation. This is when you use an exfoliating agent to remove skin cells, dirt and makeup debris from the surface of your skin.

By doing this, you're clearing your skin of impurities and promoting better absorption of makeup and skincare products. In this post, we'll explain why it's important for you to exfoliate your skin, the difference between physical and chemical exfoliation, and introduce you to three of the best ingredients for exfoliating skin.

Why is exfoliation important for your skin?

Exfoliation is an essential part of your skincare regime. The process of cell regeneration slows down as you age. This means that your body sheds skin cells and generates new ones slower. When old, dead skin cells accumulate on your skin's surface, your skin can appear dull, dry, and rough. Additionally, the accumulation of dead skin cells can lead to clogged pores and excess oil production, resulting in blemishes and acne.

Exfoliation removes the layer of dead skin cells that clogs your skin pores and reveals fresh new cells. This allows your other skincare products, like cleansers and moisturisers, to penetrate deeper into your skin, making them more effective.

In short, exfoliating regularly - thrice a week, at most - will keep your skin young, fresh and healthy. Over-exfoliating your skin can rip off your skin's natural moisture. This can lead to dry skin, excess oil production, acne, etc.

Exfoliation can be done physically, with abrasive scrubs on your skin, or chemically, with scrubs containing gentle acids like AHAs that dissolve and remove your dead skin cells without scrubbing. Let's look at the difference between these two exfoliation methods.

Physical exfoliation vs chemical exfoliation

Chemical and physical exfoliation removes dead skin cells and other debris, playing significant roles in fast cell turnover, leaving your skin brighter, fresher, and clearer, with smaller pores and a smoother surface.

Physical exfoliation uses exfoliants containing grains and gritty materials (such as ground nuts) that gently scrape away dead skin cells, dirt, and impurities from your skin. This improves your skin's radiance and smoothens its texture, but only when done with care. Physical exfoliation can cause microabrasions if not done carefully.

If you have normal skin without conditions like acne or sensitive skin, you can try physical exfoliants, but avoid ingredients like large fruit pips and nuts. These ingredients have sharp edges and can cause micro-tears on your skin. However, if you suffer from acne, dry skin, or skin lesions, it is best to avoid physical exfoliation altogether, as it might aggravate your skin condition and lead to inflammation.

Instead, you can try chemical exfoliation that uses gentle exfoliants like alpha and beta-hydroxy acids and fruit enzymes. Unlike physical exfoliation, which requires you to scrub your skin mechanically, chemical exfoliation works with exfoliants like mild acids to loosen the bonds between the dead skin cells, impurities and other debris and dissolve them.

Ingredients that work best for chemical exfoliation

Chemical exfoliators in Malaysia help to brighten your skin, improve the texture of your skin, and address pigmentation and fine lines. However, to save your skin from further damage, you must choose the right chemicals that are gentle, safe and friendly to your skin.

Here are three safe chemical exfoliators that can work wonders on your skin:

Mandelic acid

Mandelic acid is a form of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) derived from bitter almonds and is trending as a chemical exfoliant in skincare.

Mandelic acid can exfoliate your skin gently by dissolving the bonds between dead, dry skin on the surface to reveal healthier, fresh skin beneath. It also has antibacterial properties that can help to reduce skin bacteria levels.

Mandelic acid has a plethora of skincare benefits due to its dual function. This chemical exfoliator significantly reduces fine lines and wrinkles, unclogs pores, and prevents acne and hyperpigmentation. With continued use, it produces a brighter and clearer complexion.

Mandelic acid's larger molecular size allows it to penetrate the skin more slowly, resulting in a gentler exfoliation. Mandelic acid's delicate nature makes it an excellent choice for sensitive and acne-prone skin, but it can also be used as a gentle exfoliant in anyone's routine.

Lactic acid

Lactic acid is another form of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) found naturally in milk and can also be synthesised in a laboratory.

This chemical exfoliator removes layers of dead skin and allows treatment products and other skincare products to penetrate the deep layers of your skin more effectively. It can remove blemishes, fade sunspots, improve your skin tone and texture, reduce hyperpigmentation, and smooth out superficial wrinkles. Lactic acid is also a hydrating humectant that can provide your skin moisture and keep it hydrated.

Lactic acid is ideal for sensitive skin because it is a gentle exfoliant that will not disrupt your skin's pH or cause redness, inflammation and irritation, as it has a larger molecule size than other AHA acids. In other words, lactic acid isn't as intense as other AHA acids like glycolic and salicylic acids. However, it is still effective, making it ideal for sensitive skin prone to irritation.

Glycolic acid

Glycolic acid is a sugar cane-derived chemical exfoliating ingredient that's also an AHA derivative. It has the smallest molecules of any AHA, allowing it to penetrate your skin's deeper layers effectively.

Like other AHA acids, glycolic acid works on your skin's surface layers to dissolve the bond between dead cells. This chemical exfoliator has a dermal influence, boosting collagen-remodelling cells and helping minimise wrinkles and fine lines. Additionally, it has melanocyte-stabilising properties that are effective for treating pigmentation.

Are you looking for safe chemical exfoliators in Malaysia? Visit allyoung today!

If you're looking for solutions for clear, fresh and youthful skin, chemical exfoliation might be the answer. Exfoliation is an essential step in the skincare routine. When done correctly, it can give you a glowing complexion; however, if you fail to choose the suitable exfoliating agents, it can ruin your skin.

If you're looking for safe and effective chemical exfoliators in Malaysia, visit allyoung today. At allyoung, you can find a wide range of exfoliating agents - from mandelic acid serums to dark spot removal solutions; you can pick the best skincare products at the best rates!