Mandelic Acid 101: My Personal Skin Care Experiment
I’m really into acids right now. I’ve always liked gentle exfoliation, both chemical and physical, and I’m really embracing mild acids these days. After a deep dive into azelaic acid left my skin looking clean, refreshed and glowy, I’m now trying other acids to improve things even more. Next on my list: mandelic acid. It’s been in my routine for four weeks now and I’m already seeing results! Read on to find out why I’m a fan of this gentle yet effective ingredient.
Why I’m Testing Out Mandelic Acid
I’m an employee of Eminence Organic Skin Care, which means I am able to test all of our products. Since I'm deep in my acid era, I searched the ingredients lists and found mandelic acid in the Bright Skin Licorice Root Exfoliating Peel, a results-oriented, deep cleansing peel that is applied to the skin with dual-textured cotton rounds. As well as mandelic acid, this liquid solution contains licorice root, which promotes skin elasticity and brightens the look of the skin. It also contains baobab, an antioxidant-rich fruit, and clary sage oil, which is known for its ability to balance the look of oily skin. It also contains my other new BFF, azelaic acid, which helps to reduce the appearance of redness and pore size, leaving the skin looking smooth and revitalized.
Before I share the results of using mandelic acid in my skin care routine, here's a refresher on what this acid can contribute to your skin care routine.
What Is Mandelic Acid? Acids In Skin Care
A quick refresher about acids. They have been a skin care staple for decades and continue to be a popular option. They are potent but can be quite gentle, which is what makes them a good addition to a routine for many types of skin.
There are many options depending on your needs, PHAs, BHAs and AHAs. As well as helping to diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles, acids are also known to help improve the look of scarring, even out skin tone and allow the rest of your skin care products to penetrate better for maximum results in your routine.
Mandelic acid is a type of gentle alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) found in nature as an extract of bitter almonds. AHAs are chemical exfoliants known to help loosen the top layer of older skin cells and improve the skin’s overall appearance by reducing the visible signs of aging. Some other characteristics of AHAs: they’re water-soluble, target dullness, dehydration and leave skin with a smoother-looking texture and smaller-looking pores. Some AHAs are more intense (hello glycolic acid), which is mostly due to their molecule size. The smaller the molecule, the more deeply it penetrates the outer layer of skin. Mandelic acid is larger in molecular size, which means it doesn’t penetrate as deeply as some other acids, so it’s more easily tolerated by sensitive skin types. In other words, it’s typically less irritating, which is what makes it ideal for even those with sensitive skin. Since signs of aging, uneven skin tone and dehydration are all issues I deal with, mandelic acid seemed like the next logical step in my journey.
The Benefits Of Mandelic Acid
Gentle On All Skin Types
As mentioned, mandelic acid is gentler compared to other AHAs, so it’s tolerated by even the most sensitive skin. According to Healthline, mandelic acid accelerates cell turnover and functions as a powerful exfoliate to remove dead skin cells. This leads to a brighter look for the skin without causing irritation.
Reduces The Appearance Of Fine Lines And Wrinkles
AHAs like mandelic acid seep into the skin to break cell bonds and eliminate damaged and older skin cells, bringing fresh, firmer-looking cells to the surface. In the process of chemical exfoliation, mandelic skin helps to slough off the damaged and older cells, pushing the “baby” skin cells to the surface, which makes the skin appear firmer, plumper and more elastic, while reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and making the skin appear smooth.
Improves The Look Of Dark Spots
The cell turnover induced by mandelic acids may also help decrease the look of dark spots on the skin, whether caused from sun damage and acne scars. Yet another example of out with the old (dead skin) and in with the new.
Manages Acne-Prone Skin
Because of its ability to work itself into pores and penetrate better (and slower) than some other acids, mandelic is a great option for acne and clogged pores for those with sensitive skin. Unlike the harsher options that can cause irritation, the gentle-yet-powerful exfoliation that mandelic acid provides is a game-changer to get past the “glue” that keeps dead skin stuck and deep into the clogged pores, clearing them out and leaving your complexion looking fresh, clean and clear.
Product Picks
How I Added Mandelic Acid To My Routine
As a new addition to my nightly skin care routine, I started using Bright Skin Licorice Root Exfoliating Peel three times a week as the second step after cleansing my skin with the Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Cleanser. I dispense two pumps of the clear liquid onto the textured cotton pads and apply it all over my face, neck and chest (the area most sun-damaged from my early years). I let it dry and that’s it. On these nights, I skip my Facial Recovery Oil, which I use the other four nights of the week as the last step before bed.
Four weeks in, I’m really liking what I see. Not only does my skin tone look more even, especially those dark sun spots on my chest, my skin feels moisturized and refreshed, which is not always the case with an exfoliator. I’ve definitely had dryness with harsher exfoliators in the past, but not so much as a flake with this gentle one. I want to say I see a slight reduction in my fine lines too, but maybe that’s just wishful thinking. It’s definitely noticeable enough to make me continue with this new routine for a while to see if it continues.
A happy customer named Lauri B. left an online review calling the peel a “game changer” and sharing similar results: “I am a huge fan of the Bright Skin collection, which has helped significantly fade [the look of] sun and age spots … I found my skin tone to be more even, radiant and brighter. I also noticed that my pores appear smaller and my skin looks more refined. Highly recommend if you are looking to give your brightening routine an added boost.”
One thing to point out is that because it’s an AHA, there’s always the risk of photosensitivity. While it’s low with this gentle acid, you cannot forget to wear sunscreen every day. But you knew that! My fave these days is the Daily Defense Tinted SPF because it’s lightweight and gives me a natural finish and just a touch of color. It’s also an all-mineral formula and is enriched with antioxidants and blue-light protection. What’s not to love?
I’m really impressed with this new acid and happy with the results so far. I’m looking forward to what another few months of using it will do!
Are you interested in adding mandelic acid into your routine? Visit an Eminence Organics Spa Partner to find out which products are right for you.