Mandelic acid is a naturally occurring fruit acid found in bitter almonds. Its name comes from the Latin word for almond, “marmelo”. It has been used for centuries by people all over the world as a skin care ingredient. The earliest reference to mandelic acid can be found in an ancient Egyptian papyrus document that mentions it as a cosmetic ingredient. In modern times, it has become a popular alternative treatment for acne and other skin conditions due to its ability to exfoliate the skin without causing irritation or inflammation like many traditional exfoliating agents such as glycolic acid do.
What is Mandelic Acid
Mandelic acid is a naturally occurring alpha-hydroxy acid that can be found in many fruits, plants, and vegetables. Mandelic acid is an aromatic alpha hydroxy acid with the molecular formula C₆H₅CHCO₂H. It is a white crystalline solid that is soluble in water and polar organic solvents. Mandelic acid is also used in traditional medicine as an anti-acne treatment.
It may sound scary to hear that mandelic acid is a hydroxy acid (HA), but don’t worry! In comparison to salicylic acid and glycolic acids (which are also HAs), mandelic acid has less ability to exfoliate your skin because it doesn’t work well at low pH levels or high concentrations.
How to use it?
- Apply mandelic acid to clean skin. Avoid the eye area and sun exposure during the treatment period.
- You can use it once or twice a day, depending on your skin type. If you have sensitive one, apply it only once daily and let your skin get used to it for about two weeks before increasing application frequency.
- Use a very small amount of mandelic acid (the size of a pea) and gently massage into your face using upward motions for 30 seconds or until completely absorbed by the skin.
Benefits of Mandelic Acid
Mandelic acid is a natural exfoliator, meaning it can help to get rid of the dead cells that clog your pores and cause acne. It also has antibacterial properties, which means it can kill the bacteria that causes acne. If you have sensitive skin, mandelic acid will be especially good for you because it’s less irritating than other acids like salicylic or glycolic acid. This makes it great for people who suffer from dryness or flaking after using an AHA product.
Exfoliate
You can use Mandelic Acid as a chemical exfoliant. This means that you apply it and it will dissolve the dead cells on your face.
This is a good idea because your dead cells are not good for you: they can clog pores, cause acne, make other products less effective or even irritate your skin if you don’t remove them regularly.
It’s important not to overdo this because too much exfoliation can actually damage your skin and make things worse than they were before! So follow these steps:
Step 1: Use gentle scrubs or cleansers with no more than 2% salicylic acid in them at least twice per week (less often if you have sensitive skin).
Step 2: If possible, apply an AHA product like Mandelic Acid every three days (but never leave it on for longer than ten minutes). The best time of day is after cleansing but before applying any moisturizer or sunscreen so that the AHA has time to work its magic in between applications.
Treatment of clogged pores and acne
Mandelic acid is an acne-fighting ingredient that can help treat clogged pores and blackheads. It also reduces oiliness, which in turn helps to prevent the formation of whiteheads and blackheads. Mandelic acid has been shown to reduce acne breakouts and reduce acne scars over time by improving the skin’s overall elasticity, texture, tone, and appearance.
Use mandelic acid as part of your daily skincare routine with a cleanser or toner containing mandelic acid if you want to improve the appearance of your skin by reducing redness caused by inflammation or irritation; improving texture; reducing fine lines; fighting acne breakouts; preventing future breakouts from forming; keeping pores clear so they don’t get clogged with oil buildup; minimizing dark spots (melasma); treating hyperpigmentation (sunspots); treating sunburns effectively without causing further damage; treating rosacea effectively without causing further damage.
Delicate on all types of skin
Mandelic acid is gentle on all skin types. It’s suitable for sensitive skin, dry and oily skin alike. Mandelic acid even works well on sensitive acne-prone skin, so it’s ideal for people who haven’t had success with glycolic acid or another AHA before. As a result, mandelic acid is the most recommended AHA by dermatologists for those with normal to oily or combination complexions because it treats blemishes without drying out the rest of your face.
Decrease wrinkles and fine lines
We can use Mandelic Acid to treat fine lines and wrinkles. This chemical peel is also an effective acne treatment, as it helps dissolve the bonds of dead skin cells.
Mandelic acid has been used for decades in dermatology because it’s gentle enough to be used as the first step on sensitive skin, but also powerful enough to make your face look years younger in minutes.
When applied correctly, mandelic acid can give us brighter, smoother skin while decreasing wrinkles and fine lines by dissolving the bonds between dead skin cells (aka exfoliating).
Lessen hyperpigmentation
If we are concerned about hyperpigmentation, mandelic acid might be a good option for us. It’s a gentle alpha hydroxy acid that is less irritating than glycolic acid. It also has some antibacterial properties, which makes it a good choice for people with sensitive or rosacea-prone skin.
While there’s no definitive research confirming the effects of mandelic acid on hyperpigmentation, there have been many positive reviews from customers who have experienced improved discoloration after using this product.
Side Effects
Mandelic acid is very safe and gentle. The majority of people do not experience any side effects from using mandelic acid.
If we have sensitive skin, it’s a good idea to start with a low percentage when first trying out mandelic acid. This will give our skin time to adjust to the product, which will reduce the risk of irritation that can occur with stronger strengths. We may also want to start by only applying mandelic acid at night or every other day until we see how our skin responds to this treatment.
Is Mandelic Acid safe to use on sensitive skin
Yes, it is! Mandelic Acid can be used on all skin types. It’s a great exfoliator that is gentle on sensitive and oily skin.
Mandelic Acid should be used as an alternative to other chemical peels. If we have dry, flaky, damaged or mature/aging skin then it’s best to avoid acid peels entirely because they are more likely to irritate your skin at this point in your life.
Best products of Mandelic Acid
Mandelic Acid is a gentle yet effective acid that has been shown to be effective for all skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone. The following are some of the leading products available on the market today that contain Mandelic Acid as an active ingredient:
- Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Lotion – This product is ideal for anyone looking for an affordable option that combines salicylic acid and glycolic acid with mandelic acid. It also contains antioxidants such as green tea extract, vitamin C and vitamin E which help protect skin against free radicals while improving its appearance over time.
- First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration – This moisturizer uses hyaluronic acid and mandelic acid to create a rich cream formula that helps lock in moisture while reducing inflammation at the same time. Its formula also includes healing ingredients like colloidal oatmeal which soothes irritated skin while reducing redness caused by irritation or breakouts on your face or body (not found in other lotions).
Conclusion
Mandelic acid is a great alternative to acids like glycocol and salicylic acid, and it’s also beneficial for people with sensitive skin. Mandelic acid helps exfoliate the skin, remove acne scars, and evens out skin tone. The interesting part about mandelic acid is that it doesn’t cause irritation like other peels can because it only targets damaged cells in the upper layers of our skin (and not those deeper down).
Also Read : –Â Five Minute Skin care Routine
