AHA & BHA - ACIDs in skin care

Clean, fresh-looking skin with a natural glow, without a visit to the beauty salon? With the right skincare routine, this now also works at home, with alpha-hydroxy-acids and beta-hydroxy-acids (AHAs and BHAs for short). Acid = acid or “fruit acids” can be used to describe many different active ingredients in chemistry. Acid and acid sounds wild, but only describes the structure and reaction properties of the molecules. As the name suggests, these acids are often extracted from fruit. Nowadays, however, they are synthesized to ensure their effectiveness and safety. For our skin, they are among the most effective ingredients in skincare products and among the few that can refine the skin’s appearance in the long term, combat the first signs of ageing, reduce scars and blemishes and prevent spots.

Probably the best-known representative of fruit acids is alpha-hydroxy acid. It has the smallest molecular structure of the fruit acids and can therefore penetrate particularly easily into the deeper skin layers of the epidermis in order to develop its full effect there. The result: it works even faster and more effectively. Glycolic acid is the best researched AHA and a large number of studies show that glycolic acid, together with lactic acid, delivers the most impressive results for all age groups and skin types. This is precisely why our Super Concentrate also contains 10% glycolic acid and 2% lactic acid combined with 2% salicylic acid, but more on this in a moment.

As we describe in more detail in our article The regeneration process of our skin, our epidermis is constantly regenerating, with new cells being formed every day. The older, dead cells detach from the surface of the skin, revealing the radiant, young and soft skin underneath. This process slows down in the course of our lives. Dermatologists recommend fruit acid applications to accelerate the natural renewal process. This can smooth the skin, accelerate cell renewal and restore radiance to tired skin. Glycolic acid provides our skin with valuable moisture and removes excess sebum. This also prevents the formation of future blackheads and spots due to clogged pores. Even small pigment shifts caused by UV radiation, for example, are minimized by the regular use of glycolic acid. With long-term use, the skin renewal process even stimulates collagen and elastin synthesis, which takes place in the second skin layer, the dermis.