| If you’ve dealt with problematic skin of any kind this summer—whether it’s due to maskne, milia caused by too-thick moisturizers or stress-induced zits and dullness—then you probably already have certain acids, found in chemical exfoliants, on your radar. These holy grail ingredients, like salicylic acid, glycolic acid and lactic acid (just to name a few) are often recommended as no-brainers when it comes to a huge range of skin concerns. Feeling like your pores are congested? Glycolic acid! Got blackheads? Salicylic acid to the rescue. Skin looking dull? Make lactic acid your best friend. That being said, you’ve likely also heard that with these popular skincare recommendations comes the reminder that these ingredients can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, and thus more susceptible to the damaging effects of its UV rays. So, we reached out to chemist and skincare and cosmetic formulator Stephen Alain Ko to set the record straight. Read on to learn the facts about using acids in your skincare routine during the summer, so you can make sure you’re adequately protecting your skin. |
