While the term “acid”might sound a little suspicious when it comes to skincare, lactic acid is a great skincare ingredient that you should have no qualms about using. This exfoliating ingredient is gentle on the skin and can work wonders for your complexion.
In this article, we’ll discuss what lactic acid is, what some lactic acid skin benefits are, and how to use lactic acid in your skincare routine.
IN A NUTSHELL
Ingredient Category: Exfoliant
Main Benefit: As an effective Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), lactic acid helps exfoliate old, dead skin to expose healthy, younger-looking skin. Found in both prescription and over-the-counter products, it’s a highly effective but gentle ingredient.
Find It In: Prince Charcoal Detox Mask.
What is Lactic Acid?
Found naturally in the body, lactic acid is a water-soluble liquid used in skincare treatments, both over the counter and otherwise. For those of you who are super into chemistry, its official formula is C3H6O3.
Classified as an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), lactic acid performs a number of functions, but is perhaps best known as an exfoliant. As an AHA, it’s more gentle than BHAs (Beta Hydroxy Acids), making it great for pretty much every skin type.
Lactic acid is produced when certain foods go through the process of fermentation. While often associated with milk, lactic acid can come from any number of foods, including vegetables and grains. Here at Fleur & Bee, we of course use plant-based lactic acid in our products.
Lactic Acid Skin Benefits
As we mentioned, lactic acid for the face has a number of benefits. Here are a few of them:
- Lactic acid is an exfoliant - Lactic acid loosens the bonds of dead skin cells, thereby exfoliating the skin.
- Lactic acid is a great anti-aging ingredient - When skin is properly exfoliated, it reveals healthy, new skin.
- Lactic acid smoothes the skin - Its gentle exfoliating properties reveals smoother skin by ridding the surface of dead skin.
- Lactic acid helps hydrate the skin - It is also a humectant, which means it helps skin retain moisture.
- Lactic acid helps brighten the skin - Exfoliating with lactic acid will help expose newer, brighter skin.
- Lactic acid is great for all types of skin - Its gentle properties work for those with sensitive skin.
- Lactic acid helps unclog pores - It helps clear out the dirt and oil that can clog your pores.
How to Use Lactic Acid for Skin
One of the best things about lactic acid skincare is that you don’t have to go to a spa or dermatologist to use it. Found in plenty of skincare products, it is easy to incorporate into your skincare routine. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use lactic acid in your skincare routine:
1. Cleanse the Skin
A thorough cleansing of the skin with a gentle cleanser that won’t dry it out is critical to making sure your skin looks the best it can. Our So Clean! facial cleanser is a perfect choice for all skin types.
2. Tone the Skin
Follow up your cleanse with a toner designed for your skin type or concerns. There are many exfoliating toners on the market that include lactic acid. Alternatively, you can rehydrate and balance your skin with a soothing rosewater toner, like Rose and Shine. Made with just a handful of ingredients, it’s the perfect way to control excess oil and refresh your skin after cleansing.
3. Apply Serum
Treat your skin with targeted facial serums. These concentrated products can do anything from exfoliating, hydrating, or brightening your skin. For example, Nectar of the C is infused with vitamin C, which works overtime to brighten the skin and help diminish the appearance of dark spots and wrinkles. You can also opt to incorporate lactic acid in an exfoliating serum.
4. Moisturize
No matter what kind of skin you have, it’s crucial that you hydrate the skin with a great moisturizer that delivers the perfect amount of moisture, gets to work on the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and evens and brightens skin tone. Thankfully, our Crème de la Cream brightening moisturizer does all those things and is perfect for every skin type.
5. Apply Eye Cream
The skin around the eye area is thinner and more delicate than the rest of the skin on your face, which is why you need to take care of it with even more gusto than you do for the rest of your face. Our Eyes Eyes Baby anti-aging eye cream will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as help reduce the look of puffiness, minimize the appearance of dark circles, and hydrate the skin.
6. Treat Yourself to a Detox Mask
Skincare isn’t just about an everyday skincare routine–it’s about occasionally doing a deep clean or other treatment to make sure your skin is looking its absolute best. Our Prince Charcoal detox mask includes lactic acid to effectively purify and smooth your skin. With a total of 32 nourishing actives, it naturally draws impurities out of the skin and nourishes your skin so it practically glows. Using it just a few times a week will do the trick, and it’s a great way to benefit from lactic acid in your skincare routine.
We hope this inspires you to incorporate a little lactic acid into your regimen. Smoother, brighter and glowing skin can be yours with this naturally-occurring skincare ingredient.
