Incorporating AHAs and BHAs into your skincare routine can be super beneficial and effective for acne-prone and sensitive skin, but it’s important to proceed with caution. Starting with a lower concentration, ensuring proper hydration aand sun protection can make for an overall better skin care experience towards chemical exfoliation.
As someone with sensitive and acne prone skin, I can definitely understand that the world of chemical exfoliants comes with its challenges such as skin irritation, flaking and a damaged skin barrier. But not all AHAs and BHAs are created equal. A gentle yet effective chemical exfoliant can be exactly what your skin needs to treat your acne and pore concerns.
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Intro to the Basics - AHA vs BHA
AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) and BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid) are both exfoliating acids that are commonly used in skincare products, but they serve different purposes and are suited for different skin types. AHAs are water-soluble and work on the surface of the skin to improve texture and tone by removing dead skin cells. AHAs are also ideal for dry or sun-damaged skin. On the other hand, BHAs, like salicylic acid, are oil-soluble, allowing them to penetrate deeper into the pores to remove excess oil and unclog them. Because of this, BHAs are particularly effective for oily and acne-prone skin.
Popular AHAs and BHAs to look out for the next time you go skincare shopping:
AHA |
BHA |
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Another key difference between the two is the molecular size. The difference in particle size between AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) and BHAs (Beta Hydroxy Acids) also affects their absorption and efficacy on the skin.
For AHAs, they generally have a larger molecular size in comparison to BHAs. BHAs having a smaller molecular size allows for deeper penetration into the pores which enables more effective exfoliation and effective pore cleaning - a crucial step for treating and preventing acne.
A Cult Favourite
When it comes to BHA, Bedaskin's Multi-Active Treatment Essence aka MATE has been a cult favourite since its launch. It is our signature multi-tasker for a reason, as it has been specially formulated to exfoliate gently for sensitive acne prone skin while also being soothing and calming.
This light milky essence is a product of our community - including our customers' feedback and participation in every step of the way to formulate this blend of proven actives with skin identical elements and Traditional Chinese Medicine extracts.
Here's How our Multi-Active Treatment Essence Works
Salicylic Acid (BHA) unclogs pores, calms inflammation & improves acne
Niacinamide (VitB3) brightens skin, fades pigmentation & smoothes texture
Ceramides & Amino Acids strengthen our skin barrier
Ceramides & Amino Acids strengthen our skin barrier
Aloe, Allantoin, Grape-seed & Jojoba oil heal & restore comfort
Chamomile, Green Tea, Ginseng & Ginkgo soothe irritation, calm redness & deliver antioxidants
Hearing all of your experiences in the past with chemical exfoliants, it was super important to formulate a product that didn't come with the hassle of needing multiple other products to combat the negative effects of chemical exfoliants. We wanted to make sure that within our chemical exfoliating product, hydration and repair was built in. It takes time to learn what works for you, and what has always helped is hearing the personal and raw stories of others on the same journey, so let’s take a look at some Beda girl’s skin journeys.
Michelle's Journey
Michelle had struggled with hormonal acne for years after having her second child. Postpartum acne can be a very challenging thing to deal with due to the hormonal changes your body goes through.
Having spent years trying products that didn't work, and thinking that postpartum acne was something she would have to learn to accept for the rest of her life, MATE was a gentle solution that helped soothe her acne concerns.
"My skin has changed so much in such a short period! ......... I am tearing up writing this cause this is really incredible. I never have clearer skin than now after using Better Days,"
Having acne prone skin is a challenge as it is. On top of that, having sensitive acne prone skin is another level of challenging, because it seems that all the ingredients that are recommended to help our skin concerns only further irritates our skin.
This may lead us to implementing a variety of different products in our routine. One for soothing, one from chemical exfoliation, one for hydration. But even using too many products further irritates sensitive skin. It seems like such a tricky situation.
That's why a lot of time and care had gone into perfecting MATE's formula to specifically target this niche of people with these overlooked concerns.
Lessons from Lucy
Lucy's skin type is dry-sensitive skin and she has made a conscious effort to curate a strict, minimal and cruelty free skincare regime.
Her skin is so sensitive that she rarely switches and even has rejected PR because of her fear of products being too irritating for her skin.
For five years, Lucy had stayed away from all AHA/BHA products after having a bad reaction to a popular brand, leaving her quite traumatised and hesitant to try new things.
After trying the Multi-Active Treatment Essence, Lucy sent us her feedback:
Before
“This was post-Greece with makeup and my skin kept flaring up every few days. You can really see the texture and patches”.
After
“No make up and no flare ups since, post shift with just 3 hours of sleep”.
"I feel like I can't look at BHA the same anymore. I used to fear it so badly but now I genuinely love it, I feel like I can never go without Beda at this point!!!"
Read more on Michelle's and Lucy's skin journeys on our instagram @bedaskin.
Safely Incorporating AHAs & BHAs
Here are our go-to tips that are necessary to safely implement AHAs and BHAs in your routine, especially for sensitive acne prone skin.
Patch Test : Always patch test new products on a small area of your skin to check for adverse reactions.
Start Slow : Begin with a lower concentration of AHAs/BHAs and use them only a few times a week. Gradually increase the frequency as your skin builds tolerance.
Hydration is Key : Follow up with a good moisturizer to help protect the skin barrier and prevent dryness or irritation.
Sun Protection : AHAs/BHAs can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. So, always wear sunscreen during the day to protect your skin from UV damage.
Navigating AHAs and BHAs with a Gentle Approach
Sometimes, you don't need 7 different products or a complicated routine anymore, especially if you have sensitive acne prone skin.
Our cult favourite formula simplifies your routine by providing 7 skin-correcting benefits in one step:
- unclog pores
- improve acne & comedones
- brighten skin
- fade pigmentation
- calm redness, smooth texture
- firm skin
- provide antioxidant protection
AHAs and BHAs don't always have to be a scary, irritating and frustrating process.
As much time that you have invested in finding the right product should also be as much time invested in the formulation process itself, hence the meticulous research and care that has gone into our Multi-Active Treatment Essence. We hope that people with sensitive acne prone skin do not have to experience such difficulty in finding an acne treatment that is gentle, because the best treatments are the gentle ones.
Truly the heart of our effective formula is all of the amazing people who shared with us honest feedback and detailed experiences, so do keep sharing with us what your thoughts and concerns are!
With love,
Alia
Want to read more Beda Skin Journeys? Check out our Instagram for more before and afters.
