The health of your skin primarily depends on the health of your skin barrier. You knew that, didn’t you? But did you know that the use of acids on your skin can make or break the skin barrier? You need alpha and beta hydroxy acids to exfoliate your face, but go overboard with it, and your skin is left feeling super sensitive.
Cue in lactic acid to help with this. Lactic acid is a gentle exfoliating agent that helps slough away dead skin and reduces marks, all without aggravating your skin sensitivity. We suggest you include lactic acid in your skincare regimen if you have sensitive skin.
Here is how...
- What is lactic acid, anyway?
- What are the benefits of lactic acid on your skin?
- Will it affect my sensitive skin?
- In what form can I use lactic acid?
What is lactic acid, anyway?
Lactic acid is a type of alpha hydroxy acid that is found naturally in many foods, especially dairy products. It is a super gentle exfoliating agent that works by dissolving the dead skin cells, without affecting or irritating your sensitive skin.
What are the benefits of lactic acid on your skin?
- Exfoliation – Lactic acid breaks down dead skin cells and sloughs it off. It helps remove rough patches and aids in increasing the rate of cell regeneration.
- It improves skin’s barrier – You all now know the importance of maintaining the health of the skin’s barrier when you have sensitive skin. Lactic acid protects the skin’s barrier by increasing its ceramides. This in turn, helps lock in moisture and improves skin tone.
- It is gentle – Lactic acid is an extremely gentle exfoliating agent and stimulates collagen synthesis in the skin. It improves the texture of the skin and evens out the tone by reducing signs of hyperpigmentation.
Will it affect my sensitive skin?
Lactic acid is a very gentle form of AHA and is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive, mature and acne prone skin. We suggest you use a low concentration of the product and only once or twice a week. Look for products with less than 2-5% concentration and which come with other moisturising agents like hyaluronic acid.
In what form can I use lactic acid?
You can look for cleansers, face masks, serums and peel pads with lactic acid. It is suitable for a host of skin types and is a great choice for people with sensitive skin. If you want a DIY remedy, mix 1 tbsp. of milk powder with apple cider vinegar into a smooth paste and apply it over your skin for 15-20 minutes and rinse it off with cold water. You may expect a little tingling when you forts apply the paste, but it should subside after a few minutes.
Written by Harshitha Prabhakar on Sep 08, 2019