“What’s this drugs for, and why is it amongst your skincare stuff? Shouldn’t we put it with all the opposite meds?,” Mr BWB requested me one night time as I used to be cleaning my pores and skin. I couldn’t blame it on his lack of curiosity in skincare. This time. A’pieu Glycolic Acid Cream could also be an exfoliating moisturiser, however it does look so much like an anti-rash drugs… It’s not probably the most glamorous cream, however it will get the job achieved. For learners, at the very least. Right here’s what I imply…

Key Elements In A’pieu Glycolic Acid Cream: What Makes It Work?

GLYCOLIC ACID TO EXFOLIATE SKIN

Glycolic Acid is probably the most well-known member of the exfoliating Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) household. Its job is to dissolve the “glue” that holds pores and skin cells collectively to allow them to slough off and reveal the brighter, softer and smoother pores and skin beneath. Whereas it’s at it, it additionally hydrates pores and skin. It really works by growing the degrees of hyaluronic acid (a humectant that draws and binds as much as 1000 occasions its weight in water) within the pores and skin.

The catch? Glycolic acid will be irritating, particularly for those who’ve by no means used it earlier than. However that shouldn’t be an issue right here. A’pieu Glycolic Acid Cream comprises solely 3% glycolic acid. It’s a excessive sufficient focus for learners and low sufficient to stop irritations (except your pores and skin is tremendous delicate to it).

P.S. Like all exfoliants, glycolic acid could make your pores and skin extra vulnerable to solar harm. All the time use it with sunscreen.

Associated: The Full Information To Glycolic Acid: What It Is, What It Does & How To Use It

SALICYLIC ACID TO UNCLOG PORES

Salicylic acid is the one member of the exfoliating Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) household utilized in skincare. Like AHAs, salicylic acid exfoliates the floor of your pores and skin to disclose a brighter and smoother complexion.

Not like AHAs, salicylic acid is oil-soluble. Which means it could actually penetrate inside your pores and exfoliate them from inside. Bye bye, zits! Oh, it has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe redness and irritations, too.

However… there’s a catch. A’pieu Glycolic Acid Cream comprises solely 0.45% of salicylic acid. Don’t anticipate outcomes in a single day. Except your pores and skin is tremendous delicate, chances are you’ll be higher off with a separate salicylic acid exfoliant. Simply saying…

Associated: AHAs VS BHA: Which One Is Finest For Your Pores and skin Kind?

NIACINAMIDE TO HYDRATE, SOOTHE, AND BRIGHTEN

A’pieu Glycolic Acid Cream comprises certainly one of my fave elements: Niacinamide. This type of Vitamin B3 does the whole lot:

• It hydrates pores and skin: It’s more practical than petrolatum at stopping water loss
• It soothes pores and skin: It alleviates the signs of rosacea and irritations
• It lightens pores and skin: It reduces darkish spots, blotchiness (redness) and sallowness (yellowing)
• It helps deal with wrinkles: Preliminary analysis exhibits it could actually increase the manufacturing of skin-firming collagen
• It treats zits: Its results are just like these of 1% clindamycin gel

The perfect half? It has no unwanted effects. Everybody can use it.

Associated: Can You Combine Niacinamide With Vitamin C?

Struggling to place collectively a skincare routine that banishes dryness and makes your pores and skin supple and dewy? Obtain your FREE “Finest Skincare Routine For Dry Pores and skin” to get began (it options product suggestions + proper utility order):

The Relaxation Of The Components & Elements

• Betula Alba Juice: The sap from the birch tree, it’s a supply of hydrating amino acids.
• Water: The primary solvent within the formulation, it dissolve different elements.
• Propanediol: It helps different elements higher penetrate pores and skin, so that they work higher and quicker. However it may be irritating in excessive focus, you probably have delicate pores and skin.
• Tromethamine: It helps to regulate the pH of skincare merchandise.
• Cetearyl Alcohol: A fatty, moisturising alcohol that makes pores and skin softer and smoother.
• Glycereth-26: It moisturises pores and skin in addition to thickening the feel of skincare merchandise.
• 1,2-Hexanediol: An artificial preservative that helps your skincare merchandise last more. Plus, it has moisture-binding properties that make pores and skin softer and smoother.
• Butylene Glycol: It helps skincare elements higher penetrate pores and skin and hydrates pores and skin in addition.
• Glycerin: A humectant that pulls moisture from the air into your pores and skin, growing its degree of hydrating and making it softer and smoother.
• Cyclopentasiloxane: A unstable silicone that makes the feel smoother and simpler to use. But it surely evaporates from pores and skin quickly after utility.
• Beeswax: A thickening agent with emollient properties.
• Dimethicone: A heavy kind of silicone that fills in fantastic traces and wrinkles so they give the impression of being smaller. It additionally makes the feel velvety-soft and a pleasure to make use of. And no, it doesn’t suffocate pores and skin. It has a molecular construction made up of huge molecules with huge gaps in between. This enables pores and skin to perspire.
• Polysorbate 60: It retains the oily and watery components of a product from separating, maintaining the formulation working for longer.
• Cyclohexasiloxane: A sort of silicones that offers skincare merchandise a silky, spreadable, non-greasy texture.
• Sorbitan Stearate: It thickens the feel of skincare merchandise and retains the oily and watery components of the formulation from separating.
• PEG-240/HDI Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether: A texture thickener.
• Glyceryl Stearate: An emollient that makes pores and skin softer and smoother.
• Panthenol: It hydrates pores and skin and soothes irritation. It’s an incredible ingredient for delicate pores and skin.
• Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract: A plant extract that makes pores and skin softer and smoother.
• Xanthan Gum: It thickens the feel of skincare merchandise.
• Hydroxyacetophenone: An artificial antioxidant with hydrating properties.
• Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer: It improves the feel of skincare merchandise in a number of methods. It will increase thickness and opacity. It retains the oily and watery components of a formulation from separating. And it’s a dispersing agent, too.
• PEG-100 Stearate: An emollient with thickening properties. It makes pores and skin softer and smoother too.
• Isohexadecane: It makes pores and skin softer and smoother and enhances the feel of skincare merchandise.
• PEG-2M: It stabilises emulsions, so that they don’t separate into its oily and watery components. It thickens the feel, too.
• Hydrogenated Lecithin: An emollient that makes pores and skin softer and smoother.
• Allantoin: It soothes pores and skin and calms down redness and irritation.
• Sucrose Distearate: It helps water and oil to combine, so the formulation doesn’t separate into layers.
• Polysorbate 80: It helps It helps water and oil to combine too, creating nice textures.
• Adenosine: Derived from yeast, it soothes pores and skin and reduces irritations.
• Sorbitan Oleate: It’s an emulsifier that helps water and oil to combine, so the formulation doesn’t separate into disagreeable layers.
• Disodium EDTA: A chelating agent, a elaborate method of claiming it binds to the metallic ions within the water and neutralises them earlier than they’ll spoil the formulation.
• Pantolactone: An artificial humectant that pulls water from the air into the pores and skin, serving to to maintain it hydrated.
• Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract: A delicate exfoliant that removes useless cells from the floor of your pores and skin. But it surely’s current in such a small quantity, it received’t do an excessive amount of.
• Phenoxyethanol: A standard preservative that inhibits the expansion of micro organism and fungi in skincare merchandise.
• Ananas sativus (pineapple) fruit Extract: One other exfoliant that doesn’t actually do a lot at this low focus.
• Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract: A.ok.a. lady’s mantle extract, it has soothing and antioxidant properties.
• Arnica Montana Flower Extract: A plant extract with soothing and anti inflammatory properties.
• Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract: A superb supply of antioxidants that helps forestall wrinkles.
• Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract: It hydrates pores and skin and has antioxidant properties that forestall wrinkles.
• Gaultheria Procumbens (Wintergreen) Leaf Extract: It might irritate pores and skin and has no recognized advantages for pores and skin.

Texture

The cream has a gel-like texture that spreads simply on the pores and skin. It feels a bit siliconey (silicones are right here to assist spreadability), however I don’t thoughts that. I’ve learn a number of evaluations that say the feel is greasy, however I don’t discover that in any respect. Possibly on oily pores and skin, however then oily pores and skin shouldn’t use glycolic acid. Follow salicylic acid, girls!

Perfume

It’s fragrance-free. I like that. I do know it makes the product odor boring (it doesn’t have a lot of a scent in any respect), however that’s excellent news for delicate pores and skin. Perfume is likely one of the most irritating ingredient in skincare and has no place in a moisturiser, particularly an exfoliating one.

How To Use It

You could be tempted to make use of it as a moisturiser, as that’s what it’s. However when a moisturiser has exfoliating properties, you have to use like an exfoliant. What does it imply? Use it two to 3 nights every week, because the final step of your skincare routine. Avoiding utilizing it on nights you utilize retinoids, as that may very well be an excessive amount of for pores and skin and irritate it.

Efficiency & Private Opinion

A’pieu Glycolic Acid Cream stings. I didn’t anticipate it. I can use increased concentrations of glycolic acid with out feeling a single tingling. A tiny 3% focus shouldn’t really feel this disagreeable…

It’s not the glycolic acid. A fast take a look at the ingredient record identified the offender: Propanediol. It’s a solvent that enhances the penetration of lively elements, however there’s a lot of it right here (it’s the third ingredient), it tends to annoy pores and skin.

In case your pores and skin’s delicate, I’d skip this. If it’s dry like mine, chances are you’ll use it a few occasions every week – for those who don’t discover it too disagreeable. No less than the stinging doesn’t final lengthy… Normally, I apply exfoliating merchandise straight after cleaning. However it is a cream so I exploit it because the final step of my night routine.

Thoughts you, I preserve my routine quick: one cleanse, antioxidant serum and A’pieu Glycolic Acid Cream (I exploit retinol on nights I don’t exfoliate). I don’t suggest you utilize an exfoliating cream (particularly one with such a low quantity of acids) after 10 layers. Don’t make it too laborious for glycolic acid to succeed in your pores and skin and do its job.

As soon as the stinging has light away, the cream felt moisturising on my pores and skin. Once I get up within the morning, my pores and skin is easy and delicate. What about its exfoliating properties? Outcomes are sluggish right here. If you happen to’re used to increased concentrations of glycolic acid, this received’t do a lot for you.

If you happen to’re a beginner, you’ll see outcomes – slowly. It’s important to use it persistently to see an enchancment. When you’ve run out, chances are you’ll need to contemplate stepping up your sport and go together with the next dose, too.

What I Like About A’pieu Glycolic Acid Cream

• Gel-like, fast-absorbing texture
• Perfume-free
• Makes pores and skin softer and smoother

What I DON’T Like About A’pieu Glycolic Acid Cream

• Very low concentrations of exfoliating acids, so it really works slowly
• It stings
• It might irritate delicate pores and skin

Who Ought to Use This?

Dry pores and skin new to glycolic acid. As a substitute, don’t use you probably have:

• Pimples-prone pores and skin: you want salicylic acid – a 2% focus at the very least
• Oily pores and skin: you want salicylic acid, too
• Delicate pores and skin: this stings!!
• Used glycolic acid for years: 3% is just too low for you for those who’re already used to increased doses

Packaging

This exfoliating moisturiser is available in a white and blue tube that makes it appear like a drugs. It’s not the prettiest, however it’s purposeful. However it could be laborious to get among the cream out as soon as it’s virtually completed.

Does A’pieu Glycolic Acid Cream Stay Up To Its Claims?

Value & Availability

Accessible at: $15.00/£9.05 at iHerb and Sure Type

The Verdict: Ought to You Purchase It?

I persona am not the most important fan. It has very low concentrations of exfoliants, however it stings pores and skin.

Dupes & Options

• Mario Badescu Glycolic Pores and skin Renewal Advanced ($35.00): A fundamental glycolic acid moisturiser that additionally hydrates pores and skin. Accessible at Mario Badescu.

About Gio

Hello, I am Gio. I am a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is pores and skin coach and author on a mission that will help you obtain your finest pores and skin day ever – day by day. I bust skincare myths and debunk advertising jargon that will help you determine what’s well worth the splurge and what’s finest left on the shelf – utilizing science, not hype. I additionally provide skincare consultations that will help you create the very best skincare routine on your distinctive wants.