Daily exfoliating

[zanie22]

How often can I use my 2% BHA 3% AHA? Every other day? everyday? or twice a day?

[quspork]

@zanie22 It really depends on your own skin, your familiarity with exfoliants, and the rest of your routine. For instance, I've been using both chemical and physical exfoliants for years alongside a heavily hydration-focused routine but still can't exfoliate more than 3 or 4 nights a week. But others can daily exfoliation, even maybe twice a day depending on the exact products and routine. But still others can only exfoliate once a week or even less otherwise they run the risk of irritating their skin. Is this one product or two? Is either ingredient new to you? 

[zanie22]

Thanks for your reply. It's YTTP mandelic acid+superfood... Toner.

Yes I'm new to this method of skincare. I was old school and was using Lancome Absolute before I get introduced to this way of skincare routine. I'm using almost 6-7 types of products am and pm. I'm not sure if I'm doing it right. I just did some research and chose my ingredients based on that. My skin is not very sensitive or dry. It's normal to oily and is kinda resilient.

[WinglessOne]

@zanie22  I’ll absolutely recommend you don’t exfoliate daily with any AHA. Mandelic acid is a gentle AHA, but it’s still possible to over-exfoliate with it. Over-exfoliation breaks your skin barrier, resulting in dry flaky scaly skin, redness, stinging/burning, and an open invitation to bacteria and other badness. You do not want to over-exfoliate. Keep AHA exfoliation to 1-3 times a week. Very few people (if anyone) actually need to exfoliate daily. 

Salicylic acid (BHA) can also remove dead skin cells from the surface of your face. But its bigger job is getting down into your pores to loosen and remove excess sebum and dead skin that may be clogging them. BHA can be quite drying, though. Dermatologists usually say BHA’s fine to use daily, as long as you build up to daily use: start off just a few days a week to see how your skin tolerates it, then increase use til you’re at a comfy frequency. Doesn’t have to be daily. 

So for that YTTP toner, I recommend using it just 1-3 times a week, and never twice on the same day. You can use it in the AM or PM. Either way, make sure to wear sunscreen (at least SPF 30) during the day. We should all do that anyway, but AHAs increase skin’s sun sensitivity. 

[quspork]

@zanie22 Gotcha. Even though mandelic is the gentler of the AHA options, I might still advise starting slowly since chemical exfoliants are you new to you. Maybe three nights a week and see how your skin reacts. If after a few weeks, you don't see any issues and want to add another one or two nights a week, you could try that. It's always better to go slow rather than risk overexfoliation. 

[alexasteph]

Hi @zanie22 - Which product is it specifically? Based on the concentrations, I’m guessing it a toner or a serum, probably more tailored to pores and acne with the 2% BHA. If it’s a brand new product to you, it’s generally recommended you start with every other day use, especially with the 2% BHA as that can be drying to sensitive skin. Oilier skin types can handle a little more. 3% AHA is a fairly low AHA concentration and should be gentle enough for daily use, but make sure you are checking the active amounts of your other products to make sure you don’t use too many which can cause irritation. 

[zanie22]

Thanks again for the advice. I know about retinol and use it only two times a week at pm. I don't use vitamin C and copper peptide with it when I apply retinol.

Having said that, I'm just wondering if the other ingredients are okay. Or I have to remove some of them? How do you think?

Here's the list:

Hyrelonic acid +B5

Niancinamide + Zinc

Matrixyl 10%

Arbutin 2%

(All above from Ordinary)

Copper Peptide

Vitamin C rose oil 

(2 above from Biosence)

Polyglutamic acid from inky

[zanie22]

Thanks for your reply. The product I'm asking question about is YTTP mandelic acid+superfood... Toner.

I'm new to this method of skincare. I was old schooler and was using Lancome Absolute before I get introduced to this way of skincare routine. I'm using almost 6-7 types of serums both am/pm. I'm not sure if it's a wise start. I just ran some research and chose my ingredients based on that. My skin is not very sensitive or dry. It's normal to oily and is kinda resilient. My concerns are dullness, pores, black spot, texture, saggyness. They are all mild and not too advanced.

Do you think I have to go on with fewer ingredients? Which ones do you suggest?

Serums I'm using after cleansing and the exfoliator are vitamin C rose oil, polyglutamic acid, hyrelonic acid, niacinamide, arbutin, copper peptide, retinol, matrixyl 3000, 

Thanks!

[alexasteph]

@zanie22 That’s a lot of products to be using that frequently! I’m noticing a few that *can* cause irritation with overuse, and a few that aren’t advised to use together (by “together” I mean at the same time, but they can both fit in your overall routine - am vs. pm or on different days). Sometimes with skincare, less is more. 

The YTTP toner should be fine for daily use, feel free to have that be part of your normal core routine. It’s not a product I have personally used, but I enjoy other YTTP products so I’m sure that’s a great one! My daily cleanser is actually the YTTP Superfood cleanser and I like it quite a bit. 

You list the serums you use by actives… are they each separate products? That can be a great way to tailor your routine, but usually them all the same time can be quite a lot. I’d recommend paring down what you’re using at a time, or finding a single serum with a few different actives in it meant to work together. The one that concerns me is the retinol… that can be quite harsh over time and doesn’t always play well when others. If you enjoy the one you‘ve been using, transition it to your nighttime routine.