When you’re choosing skincare products, it can be hard to decipher what each ingredient on the label is–and determine whether or not it’s good for you. One of the common ingredients you may come across as you’re browsing through skincare products is alpha hydroxy acids, or AHAs.
This is found in many different types of skincare products from soaps, to serums, toners, and more. So, let’s dive deeper into AHAs so you can see why they can be such a saving grace for your skin.
Continue reading below as we address some of the lingering questions you may have like–what is alpha hydroxy acid, and how is it beneficial for your skin?
What is Alpha Hydroxy Acid for Skin?
To begin our discussion on how beneficial alpha hydroxy acid can be for your skin, let’s first talk a little bit more about what it is exactly.
Defining AHAs
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are water-soluble acids that are commonly found in skincare products. They are primarily known for their exfoliating properties that help restore the look and feel of the skin. People like to use products that contain AHAs to restore the appearance of their skin and reveal a brighter, more even complexion.
What is Alpha Hydroxy Acid Made of?
Now, let’s discuss what is alpha hydroxy acid made of. There are a few different types of AHAs, each coming from different sources. Some of the most common ones include glycolic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid, and tartaric acid. Each has its own properties and provides its own benefits to the skin.
Sources of AHAs: From Citric Acid to Lactic Acid
The acids we listed above that make up AHAs are naturally found in a variety of food sources. This includes glycolic acid derived from sugar cane, lactic acid found in milk, citric acid from citrus fruits, and other fruit sources like apples and grapes.
How AHAs Work on the Skin: A Scientific Perspective
Alpha hydroxy acids work to break down the bonds between skin cells so the old and aging cells can be sloughed off, leaving a youthful-looking glow in its place. As the old skin cells are loosened with the help of AHAs, new cell growth and turnover are promoted, which can lead to more fresh and glowing skin.
What is Alpha Hydroxy Acid Good For? How This Ingredient Can Supercharge Your Skincare Goals
We’ve mentioned it a few times so far, but AHAs are often used in skincare products to help you get a fresher, more youthful-looking complexion. So, here are some of the main types of benefits you can expect when using products that contain alpha hydroxy acids.
Exfoliation: Sloughing Away Dead Skin Cells
One of the biggest reasons people like using products that contain AHAs is because of how it helps to promote exfoliation of the skin. With a chemical exfoliation from AHAs rather than physical exfoliation through beads or gritty sand added to the product, AHAs are gentle yet effective at exfoliating without being too abrasive and causing unwanted damage and irritation to the skin.
As a result, AHAs offer a great way to generate new skin cell growth and help you achieve a brighter and healthier complexion.
Hydration: How AHAs Improve Moisture Retention
Since AHAs are so effective at exfoliating the skin and removing the layer of dead cells that accumulate on the surface, it can help the rest of your skin products better absorb into the skin. This means that aside from the direct benefits of AHAs, you can also see better hydration since your moisturizers can penetrate deeper into the skin for thorough absorption.
Anti-Aging: Reducing the Appearance of Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Another fantastic benefit of AHAs is that they can help fight against the signs of aging. Through all of the incredible benefits that AHAs provide like hydration and new cell generation, they can soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin, helping you achieve a smoother and plumper appearance that is younger-looking.
Addressing Specific Skin Concerns: From Acne Scars to Hyperpigmentation
Because of the natural exfoliating power of AHAs, you can use this compound to address certain skin concerns you may have. This includes hyperpigmentation, acne scars, melasma, and more. Again, AHAs work to help your skin shed its old, outer layer more quickly, which can help brighten your complexion and reduce the appearance of discoloration and texture issues that these types of conditions can cause.
How Can You Incorporate Alpha Hydroxy Acid into Your Skincare Routine?
When used appropriately, alpha hydroxy acids can be a powerful ingredient to use on your skin, treating a wide range of issues that people commonly experience. Here are some helpful tips to help you introduce AHAs into your skincare routine properly.
Starting Slow: How to Gradually Introduce AHAs
AHAs are safe to use on the skin in the right doses. But, at the end of the day, they are powerful compounds that you need to use appropriately for the best results. So, if you’re new to using AHAs, make sure you’re using products that have a low concentration of AHAs in them, typically somewhere around a 5% concentration can be a good starting point.
The goal of starting at a lower concentration is to not cause any unwanted irritation to your skin, so make sure you introduce AHAs gradually.
Different Products and Formulations: From Cleansers to Masks
You’ll be happy to learn that there are countless skincare products that contain AHAs, which makes it easy for you to find the right products to fit into your existing routine. In doing your research, you’ll find that there are cleansers, masks, serums, toners, and more that contain healthy amounts of AHAs.
Make sure you find the right products to fit your skin needs from sellers you can trust to get the best results.
DIY Options: Creating an AHA Skincare Regimen with Goat Milk Soap
Because AHAs are naturally sourced from common food items, you may even consider DIYing your regimen to get in your dose of AHAs. Since goat milk soap contains AHAs like lactic acid, utilizing it as a gentle cleanser each morning and night can help you get the chemical exfoliation you need for brighter, and younger-looking skin.
This way, you can use a fully natural product that you can feel confident about, while still getting all the AHA benefits that you’re looking for.
Professional Treatments: How Aestheticians Utilize AHAs
Apart from the products you can use on your own at home, AHAs are commonly used by professional estheticians as well. So if you’re looking for professional guidance and expertise on introducing AHAs into your routine, there are plenty of skincare professionals out there who can help.
Aestheticians will observe your skin to determine which AHA is most compatible with your needs and utilize the appropriate concentrations accordingly through the application of peels or serums. Following the treatment, they will observe your skin and provide you with specialized recommendations and follow-ups to help you reach your skin goals.
How Goat Milk Soap Fits into the AHA Picture
There are plenty of ways to introduce AHAs into your regular skincare routine, though results can vary depending on the individual products you’re using. By far, people with all skin types find incredible benefits from using goat milk soap, a product that naturally contains skin-loving AHAs like lactic acid.
Below, we will go more in-depth into how goat milk soap can help you reap all the benefits of AHAs while still being kind and gentle on your skin.
The Natural Source: Goat Milk as an AHA-Rich Ingredient
Of course, goat milk is one of the main ingredients in goat milk soap, which is a great and natural source for AHAs. Specifically, you will find lactic acid in goat milk, which will help you slough off dead skin cells and rejuvenate your appearance.
Since this is naturally occurring in goat milk, you don’t have to worry about products like goat milk soap being overly concentrated with AHAs to provide possible irritation to the skin.
Benefits of Goat Milk Soap: An Effective Way to Harness AHAs
When using goat milk soap as a way to treat your skin with alpha hydroxy acids, you will find countless benefits to your skin’s look and feel. For one, the lactic acid content allows you to do goat milk soap skin lightening to treat skin issues like acne scarring and hyperpigmentation.
Plus, as we’ve discussed throughout, AHAs can help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin texture, all of which goat milk soap can help with. Not to mention, the natural fats found in goat milk soap can penetrate deep into the skin with the help of the AHAs, counteracting any possible dryness or irritation that AHAs can provide when used alone.
All in all, using goat milk soap is a great idea when you want to take advantage of all the benefits that AHAs offer, paired with all the incredible benefits of goat milk soap on the skin.
Why Our Goat Milk Soap Stands Out: Quality Ingredients and Formulation
It’s true that goat milk soap is an excellent way to treat your skin with AHAs. But, you need to make sure you’re only treating your skin with the best of the best–which you’ll find at our storefront.
With a trusted formulation that has been used for centuries as a cure-all for a number of skin conditions, using our products gives you the peace of mind that you’re treating your skin with only the best goat milk soap.
We take pride in the quality ingredients and proven saponification process we utilize to create top-tier products. As such, you can use our goat milk soap for acne, psoriasis, eczema, and other skin conditions–powered by naturally-present AHAs and other powerhouse ingredients.
Precautions and Considerations When Using Alpha Hydroxy Acids
After reading through all that AHAs can offer your skin, you’re probably eager to start introducing it to your routine. However, you need to do so with the proper precautions and knowledge so you don’t unknowingly damage your skin. We will now lay out some helpful suggestions to you can use AHAs safely.
Sun Sensitivity: Using Sunscreen with AHAs
If you start to introduce AHAs, you should be aware that it can increase your skin’s sun sensitivity. So, make sure you are wearing appropriate SPF each day to avoid any possible sun damage to your skin.
Plus, it’s often recommended to use highly-concentrated AHA products at night to give your skin time to make your skin less likely to be exposed to the sun right after application.
Possible Side Effects and How to Mitigate Them
Overuse of AHAs could lead to skin dryness and irritation. To mitigate this, make sure you ease into using AHAs (like we discussed above), so your skin can get used to the product. You should also pair AHA use with a strong moisturizer that will hydrate the skin and work together with the AHAs to rejuvenate your skin.
Additionally, try to avoid using AHAs alongside other products that can be known to cause irritation like retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and others.
Knowing Your Skin Type: Personalized Recommendation
Everyone has a unique skin type, so how you introduce and use AHAs in your skincare routine should be tailored to your individual situation. For instance, if you are someone with sensitive skin, make sure you are using low concentrations of AHAs to avoid possible irritation.
Again, you can consult with a professional if needed to get personalized recommendations that best suit your skin.
Final Thoughts on What AHAs Are All About
At this point, you should have a better idea of what is alpha hydroxy acid for skin, and why it can be such a great addition to your regular routine. From helping you reveal softer, smoother skin to boosting your skin’s ability to absorb products, the gentle exfoliation offered by AHAs makes it a powerful ingredient to have in your skincare arsenal.
When you are using a natural product like goat milk soap, you can enjoy the benefits of AHAs, without causing excessive irritation or drying to your skin. There are countless goat milk soap uses, but using this product to exfoliate the skin and reveal a softer, smoother surface is one of the main draws to the product–largely powered by the lactic acid that’s present in the product.
Visit our storefront to get the best goat milk soap available today and start noticing the difference in your skin firsthand!