If you spend any time in the beauty and skincare corners of the internet, you know that glycolic acid is touted as a miracle skincare ingredient that can smooth and brighten your face.
Despite so many people loving glycolic acid, you’ve probably also seen some horror stories about glycolic acid causing breakouts, irritation, and burning. You might be wondering if glycolic acid is even safe to use and why some people swear by it while others have severe reactions to it.
The reality is that glycolic acid is a powerful ingredient that needs to be used carefully. There are different concentrations of glycolic acid that you can buy, and most people have to find the right one for their skin through trial and error.
Many people have a lot of luck using glycolic acid once or twice a week, while others use it more frequently.
So, can you use glycolic acid every day? It depends on the concentration of glycolic acid and whether or not your skin is used to it. Many people successfully use glycolic acid every day without any issues, but they probably didn’t get used to it overnight.
In this post, we will discuss the best ways to ease your way into using glycolic acid every day, especially if you’re new to this ingredient. We will talk about the ideal schedule for each concentration type, and how you can find the perfect glycolic acid product that’ll give your skin all the benefits without the irritation.
What Is Glycolic Acid?
Glycolic acid is a substance found in natural plants (and now often created in a lab) that has become a popular ingredient in skincare because it has exfoliating properties.
Glycolic acid can be added to other skincare products, such as creams and face washes, or it can be used on its own as a topical toner.
When used correctly, glycolic acid can provide your skin with the following benefits:
- Plumping and hydrating the skin
- Removing dead skin cells
- Making your skin more smooth
- Getting rid of dark spots and acne scarring
- Reducing acne and blackheads
- Increasing collagen in the skin, resulting in a reduction in fine lines and other signs of aging
Glycolic acid acts as a chemical exfoliator, by dissolving the bonds between dead skin cells and increasing the skin turnover rate.
When used in moderation, it can make your skin look soft and refreshed, and in some cases even turns back time on signs of aging.
Using it too much can lead to issues like dry skin, flaking, redness, itching, and breakouts. This is why so many people have a love-it or hate-it relationship with this skincare ingredient.
For an in-depth explanation of glycolic acid and the benefits it holds for your skin, take a look at this video from glamrs.
How To Start Using Glycolic Acid
If you’re new to glycolic acid (or other alpha hydroxy acids), it’s best to start slow. Glycolic acid can be harsh on the skin, especially if your skin isn’t used to it.
To get the benefits without the risks, anyone who is new to this ingredient should start by using it once a week for a few weeks, before increasing it to 1-3 times a week.
Three times a week is usually a good place for most people to stay long-term, but if you’re not seeing the results you want – and your skin seems to handle it well – you can gradually increase the frequency to daily use.
You should also consider the concentration of your glycolic acid product to determine how many times a week it is safe to use.
Glycolic acid comes in a variety of concentrations – the higher the percentage, the stronger the product. As a newbie, you should start with a lower concentration and slowly build your tolerance up.
Under 8% Glycolic Acid
Glycolic acids that have a concentration of under 8% are usually the safest to start with. These glycolic acids won’t give you any irritation. You can safely start using them once a week and slowly build your way up to 3 times per week.
Once you’re in the 3x weekly schedule for a few weeks, you can decide if this concentration is working for you.
The downside of such a low concentration is that it might not be strong enough, especially if you have a lot of dark spots or acne scars you are trying to get rid of.
If that sounds like you, you can try gradually increasing your glycolic acid use to 5-7 times a week and see if that helps. If that doesn’t help, consider getting a product with a stronger concentration.
8% – 10% Glycolic Acid
Glycolic acid in the 8% – 10% concentration seems to be the golden formula for people who have already built up a good tolerance and are looking for stronger results.
This concentration is often more than enough to target some of the big concerns: hyperpigmentation, fine lines, acne scars, and general dullness.
However, we don’t recommend starting with this concentration right away. If your skin isn’t used to any chemical exfoliants, it can be too much and can cause issues.
If you’ve already built up a tolerance of lower-concentration glycolic acid, you can switch to a stronger dose. Remember to start slow again.
So if you were using 3% glycolic acid everyday, you should go back to a once-a-week schedule when you switch to 10% glycolic acid, and gradually work your way up.
Eventually, you may be able to use 8% – 10% glycolic acid daily. This depends on your skin. Some people’s skin loves it, some people’s skin doesn’t. Not everyone’s skin needs daily glycolic acid use.
You will have to play around with it and go through some trial and error to figure out what works for you. As long as you start slow and keep tabs on your skin throughout the process, you’ll figure it out!
10% – 20% Glycolic Acid
Anything above 10% concentration of glycolic acid is usually called a “peel” and is intended to be washed off after a few minutes like a mask.
This is because anything above 10% is a high concentration and can be damaging to the skin if left there for a long time. Glycolic acid concentrations of up to 20% are great to use 1-3 times a week maximum. The product should be left on for 5 minutes and washed off.
Using glycolic acid in this fashion can help exfoliate and reveal fresh glowy, dewy skin. It works especially well before big events or whenever you need an instant boost of confidence.
Never use these concentrations daily. If you do use this type of glycolic acid several times per week, make sure you’re not doing it on consecutive days.
Over 20% Glycolic Acid
Glycolic acid products with concentrations over 20% are often used in professional settings, although you can buy them online and from beauty distributors and try to use them at home.
It’s important to remember that anything above 20% is not to be left on the face for longer than 1-3 minutes at a time.
These strong concentrations of glycolic acid are prone to causing irritation and burning of the skin, so you have to be really careful with them.
They are definitely not to be used every day!
Can Glycolic Acid Damage Your Skin?
Overusing glycolic acid or using a concentration that’s too high for you can cause damage.
Over-exfoliation leads to vulnerabilities of the skin. You may experience:
- Redness
- Dryness and flakiness
- Burning and pain
- Sensitivity to UV rays and easily getting sunburns
In fact, even normal use of glycolic acid (and other AHAs) can cause your skin to be photosensitive and easily burn in the sun, so always make sure to wear sunscreen, especially if you’re a glycolic acid user.
The rest of these side effects are caused by using glycolic acid too frequently or in too high of a concentration. This is why it’s so important to start slow and build your way up to safe levels of the product.
The Purging Period
Many people experience an increase in breakouts within a week or two of starting their new glycolic acid regimen.
This can make people feel apprehensive about using glycolic acid.
Thankfully, in most cases, the breakouts are caused by a so-called “purge period” which is when the skin is getting used to shedding old skin cells all at once. This can clog your pores and make you break out.
After the initial purge phase, however, your skin will no longer have excess dead skin cells, so things should clear up within a few weeks.
Final Thoughts
Glycolic acid is a powerful ingredient that can transform your skin. But with great power comes great responsibility.
Using glycolic acid responsibly can protect you from skin irritation and unwanted damage. Remember to start with the lowest concentrations and gradually work your way up if you feel like you need it for the best results.
Using glycolic acid every day is perfectly safe, as long as you’ve given your skin the chance to get accustomed to the product.
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