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The Beauty Wonk

June 3, 2020

How To Choose The Right Chemical Exfoliator For Each Skin Type

I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said chemical exfoliation changed my skin. Earlier, I used to aggressively scrub my skin with the hope of getting rid of all the blackheads and whiteheads. All I got in return was no results and irritated skin with a weak barrier. Oh, add some acne too!

It’s been more than 2 years since I first started (2018) to take skincare seriously. There wasn’t a lot of information about skincare (at least I didn’t come across them) so I just picked whatever felt right.

After browsing through a few websites, I decided to start exfoliating my skin with The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toner and I could see a clear difference in just a few weeks! After that, I continued exploring and experimenting with different exfoliating acids to see how they work.

My (oily, acne-prone sensitive) skin is a lot clearer and healthier and even though I still get some skin issues from time to time (because LIFE!!) I can admit my skin never stopped looking healthy or glowing.

Recently, there has been a boom in the skincare industry with every brand launching multiple chemical exfoliants and the consumers are left confused. The various types of acids at different strengths have raised a lot of questions like:

  • Which chemical exfoliator is right for my skin?
  • How to use chemical exfoliants?
  • Can it harm my skin?

In this post, I’ve tried to give you a basic idea to keep in mind when you’re trying to find the right chemical exfoliator for your skin type.

chemical exfoliants from Pixi, The Ordinary, Drunk Elephant, By Wishtrend

WHAT IS CHEMICAL EXFOLIATION?

Chemical exfoliation is a process that involves using products (mainly acids) that break down dead skin cells and unclog the pores. These exfoliating acids have multiple other benefits like increased cell turnover, brighter skin, anti-inflammatory effects, etc.

Regular usage of chemical exfoliants keeps your pores unclogged and can prevent the formation of acne. Personally, I’ve used salicylic acid as a spot treatment on acne too and it works wonders by drying them out.

What Are The Benefits of Using Chemical Exfoliators?

  • Removes trapped dead skin cells
  • Unclogs the pores
  • Prevents acne
  • Usually gives a brighter skin tone
  • Gentler than rough physical exfoliators
  • Have other properties like anti-ageing, antioxidants, and humectants

Disclosure: Contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission for purchases made via them.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT CHEMICAL EXFOLIATOR FOR YOUR SKIN TYPE

All the recommendations made for each skin type is a general guideline and isn’t something you should strictly adhere to. If you’ve already found something that works the best for you then keep going!

Personally I like to use Salicylic Acid, Azelaic Acid, and Glycolic Acid depending on how my skin feels. Trust me once you start and monitor your skin closely, you’ll be able to listen to your skin too!

However, if you’re a beginner and completely confused about how to even choose the right chemical exfoliator for your skin type and start using it, this simple guide will clear all your doubts. I’ve added some of the best cruelty-free exfoliants for each skin type so you can explore your options!

Chemical Exfoliants For Oily Skin

People with oily skin continuously struggle with overproduction of oil which leads to clogged pores. This causes blackheads, whiteheads, and acne! Salicylic acid has to be the best chemical exfoliator for oily skin types.

It is oil-soluble and goes deep inside your pores to take out the trapped oil and dirt and keeps your pores clean. This acid, for example, The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, reduces oil-production and is also anti-inflammatory so it makes inflamed acne go away faster. You can either opt for a leave-on salicylic acid serum/toner or use a salicylic acid facewash for daily mild exfoliation.

Best Picks

Related: The Ordinary Skincare Routine For Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

Chemical Exfoliants For Dry Skin

People with dry skin can really benefit from a chemical exfoliator that can provide hydration as well as take off dead skin and flakiness from the surface.

If you have dry skin, you need to get either glycolic acid or lactic acid! They’re both excellent exfoliants that break down dead skin cells and also reduce pigmentation. Make sure to apply sunscreen generously and avoid the sun during peak hours as AHAs increase skin’s sensitivity to the sun.

Best Picks

Related: 10 Sunscreen Facts You Need To Know!

Chemical Exfoliants For Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin has great trouble in finding the perfect chemical exfoliator that won’t irritate their skin. If you’re one of them, look for mandelic acid or PHA (Polyhydroxy acid) as they have larger molecules that don’t penetrate too deep inside. These are found to cause minimal to no skin irritation.

Another one that you can try is Azelaic acid, like The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension, that has multiple skincare benefits like calming down irritated skin along with very mild exfoliation.

Best Picks

Related: By Wishtrend Acid-Duo Cleanser Review

Chemical ExfoliaNTS For Normal/Combination Skin

If you’re one of the lucky lads with normal or combination skin, you can basically try any exfoliating acid that targets your main skin concern the best way.

You can alternate between glycolic acid and salicylic acid or choose others depending on how your skin is feeling. Pick out any product that you want to try from other skin categories and get started with some chemical exfoliation!

Can you use chemical exfoliators daily?

One thing to remember when it comes to exfoliation is that DO NOT go overboard. The ideal frequency is to exfoliate your skin with leave-on products no more than 2-3x/week. When you start over-exfoliating, your skin’s barrier weakens and you end up with more troubled skin.

If you are using them as a wash-off treatment (cleansers, face masks) or at an extremely low strength, they can be used daily.

Want to know more about these acids? Read my blog on different skincare acids and how you can benefit from them.

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choosing chemical exfoliator

Related Posts:

Pixi Glow Tonic vs The Ordinary Glycolic Acid: Which is Better?

My Prescription Retinoid Skincare Routine For Acne & PIH

By: Rifat Yaseen · In: Skincare

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Comments

  1. faiezah nadhirah says

    October 7, 2020 at 8:48 pm

    hi , i have a sensetive skin , combi to dry skin and acne prone skin . idk which one should i try :(((

    Reply
    • Rifat Yaseen says

      October 31, 2020 at 7:14 pm

      Try mandelic acid or a low strength lactic acid!

      Reply
  2. Penny Alison bird says

    June 7, 2020 at 12:30 am

    Hi

    I use the ordinary an pixi products as well as No7 I’m confused though when I should be using what and when, and also what not to use together. I have retinol , hydrcolic acid, ascorbyl glucoside and hemi squalane by the ordinary and glow tonic moisture serum by pixi as well as no7 day and night creams please help !!!!

    Reply
    • Rifat Yaseen says

      June 7, 2020 at 10:28 am

      Hi, I’m not sure what you mean about ‘hydrocolic acid’. Retinol you can use 2-3x a week at night and use glow tonic on the nights you’re not using retinol. The rest of the products can be used daily, follow the thinnest to thickest consistency rule if you’re confused about the order in which you should apply it.

      Reply
      • Penny Bird says

        June 7, 2020 at 1:08 pm

        Sorry spelling mistake I ment Hyaluronic lol
        Thankyou

        Reply
        • Rifat Yaseen says

          June 8, 2020 at 9:36 am

          yeah it can be used daily, no conflict with other ingredients.

          Reply

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Hello, it's Rifat! Welcome to my beauty space where I talk about cruelty-free makeup, skincare & haircare. My hobbies include hoarding skincare in the name of research!

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thebeautywonk

Rifat 🇮🇳 Skincare Blogger
I've finished the entire bottle of the @pixibeauty I've finished the entire bottle of the @pixibeauty Vitamin-C Cleanser and it was the only product that impressed me from the Vit-C range.

Great for removing lighter makeup, sunscreen, and dirt. For a full face of makeup, you'd need multiple cotton pads and it's just a lot of hassle. I don't suggest this cleanser for that. But on your regular days, it's great. I like the packaging too, quite convenient.

Overall, don't have any complaints  except for its price in India.

If you want to know more - how to use it, how it works for different skin types, ingredients, etc, I've linked🔗 my blog review in the bio. Take a look. My blog is nice. I write in an organized manner. Ads can be annoying but they're the only thing that bring me little money so deal with it. Thanks.
There's a sudden wave of science and ingredient-ba There's a sudden wave of science and ingredient-backed skincare which I appreciate very much. But lately, it has made things way more complicated than they should be. A good contribution has been made by tiktok in general in screwing people's mind with blanket statements.😭

So I wanted to cancel the noise and give you some simplified tips that you can go back to when shopping for a new sunscreen.

‼️Don't obsess over UV filters and their stability because there's no way you could know how the different ingredients work together in the product. That being said, due to the loose and non-existent regulations we have here, shop from brands you trust!‼️
I've used the @drsheths Neem & BHA serum like an I've used the @drsheths Neem & BHA serum  like an emergency treatment whenever I could feel my skin was congested and it always reduced it with 2-3 uses. (gifted)

I also use it on my shoulder and upper arms, and it is taking care of the clogged pores.

But the texture is just not good, it sits on your skin and makes it impossible for you to layer any other product over it. Even in the morning, when I wash my face I can actually feel the layer coming off.

Decent in terms of results but the texture is very difficult to work with. I don't like it sorry😭 

‼️So far, TO Salicylic Acid is my fav SA treatment, the texture is much better (can't believe I'd say this for TO, LOL) I'll try Paula's Choice BHA next, unless you have any other suggestion? 👀 Shoot in the comment section.‼️
It's been months since I first got my hands on the It's been months since I first got my hands on the COSRX Snail Mucin Essence and I haven't put it down even once. Quantity wise, I have almost half of it left which makes this product super cost-effective.

Today, I want you to tell me who influenced you into trying this cult favourite essence? Let me know in the comment section below.

I also did a full blog review on this - the right way to use it, how it helps your skin, what to expect from it and so on. The link🔗 is in my bio.
What triggered me to do this post? All these comme What triggered me to do this post? All these comments, reddit threads, tweets where people would ask for alternatives to, say, CeraVe cuz they have rosacea and that's the only thing that keeps their skin sane.

Or the ones where people would spend 6x the amount they'd have spent just because the brand isn't cruelty-free. As someone who has done all of it😂 I'd say don't obsess.

Find alternatives only when the experiments aren't going to screw your skin or making you go broke because the testing situation has gotten much better and there's a lot to celebrate🎉

PS: Keep supporting cruelty-free brands whenever you can, especially the ones who could enter the market, but chose not to.

PPS: Was supposed to do a 3-part series but wrapping it up in 2 because ✨ feed aesthetics ✨

Source to verify the laws - Humane Society International
When I started reading about animal testing of cos When I started reading about animal testing of cosmetics, I would only see a very one-sided approach from renowned CF bloggers. After a lot of research, I want to give a balanced view of both sides and discuss this topic in a structured manner. Today I will be just going through the basics of this 3-part series.

Leave your questions below, I'll try to address them either in the comments or in the next posts.

Few points to note:

✨China isn't the only country that tests on animals. However, it's one of the fastest growing economy and hence, a very profitable place for businesses to expand.

✨ There's another criteria followed by some people where they don't consider cruelty-free brands owned by non cruelty-free parent companies as CF. For eg: CF NYX owned by non-CF parent company L'Oréal. As I said, the term is unregulated so it's open to varied definitions. Personally, this doesn't bother me at all and I consider it a reach.

✨Animal testing is banned in India so the brands made and sold here are cruelty-free by default unless they're sold in countries that have compulsory testing.

I'll be going a little deep in tomorrow's post and talk about conflicting information, blanket statements, and why you shouldn't obsess over a brand's CF status, given the new laws.
I have been using the @sulwhasoo.india FCA serum f I have been using the @sulwhasoo.india FCA serum for more than a month now (both AM&PM) and now that the bottle is over, I think it's the right time to share my experience. (gifted)

✨I didn't expect much but it was pretty nice in adding hydration and plumpness to my skin.

✨I have talked about how my barrier was damaged bcz of weather changes and everything stung (on the worst days, even the cosrx snail mucin did a little - yep it was THAT bad), but FCA didn't. Not even once. Unbelievable! It had everything that could "potentially" make things worse! I know formulation is king but still, this is a bit too much. Weird.

I had a bad reaction on my cheeks on my birthday bcz I used my cousin's random blush she got from Amazon. My cheeks were red and had white bumps right after I took off my makeup. Cleansed. Applied FCA. Moisturiser. Woke up. All reduced. Used again. Next day, all gone.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗙𝗖𝗔?
You apply it right after cleansing on damp skin to hydrate and soothe it, and to prepare your skin for the next steps.

𝗛𝗼𝘄'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 & 𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗹?
The texture is very liquidy (has a dull orange colour) and the serum gets absorbed really fast. It has a very nice earthy smell and as I say, if you're adding fragrance, at least make it smell nice.

𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗶 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁?
I saw two red flags quite up in the list:
🚩 Alcohol (My skin in winters turn dry-combo from very oily and I didn't want to dry it further)

🚩 Fragrance (It usually triggers redness but very rarely, lets me walk away scot-free)

But I took the chance because I was really intrigued by their products and especially, the packaging 🙈 and things went well. Have you tried anything from the brand?
Not y'all in my DMs defending mineral sunscreens o Not y'all in my DMs defending mineral sunscreens over this story just like you defend your toxic exes.😂 Anyway, I had another post planned for today but chuck it. I'll tell you why I think using mineral sunscreens is equivalent to being in a toxic relationship.

Mineral/Physical/Inorganic sunscreens leave a white cast and/or pill really bad. You have to pat, wait for centuries for it to settle and brush off the crumbles from your brows and hairline. Re-applying is another trouble and I don't even want to get into it. Imagine doing all the work to still look like Casper the ghost👻 at the end of the day. (Especially when you're a POC)

How is it different than being in a toxic relationship where you're putting in so much work, it's mentally draining you and you still end up heartbroken?

If you find that a lot of Western sunscreens (*coughs* Neutrogena) sting or make eyes watery, try Korean sunscreens. (Or Japanese). If they're not easily accessible, considering most of my subscribers are Indian, try Re'equil or all the Indian pharma brands.

PS: Please use what works for you, it's between you and your brow hair. When you have certain skin conditions or when you're pregnant, mineral sunscreens are generally recommended so yeah ignore me I'm just being an 🍑.
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