Gentle Acids In Skincare:

Gentle acids can be considered an essential part of a skin care routine. The type of acid used in skincare are gentle on the skin and offers a wealth of benefits when used correctly. Recently we have seen a large uptake in the skincare industry of natural acids that are considered clean ingredients for clean skin care formulations.

If you are trying to decide what types of new and innovative acids are best to be used in clean skincare formulations, look no further. We have compiled a list of our favorite clean and gentle acids and their benefits!

In this blog we will discuss tranexamic, azealic, and mandelic acids and their uses in skin care. Stay tuned to discover how these and other acids used in skincare are beneficial in skincare formulations and how Genie Supply may be able to help you discover the benefits of these gentle acids in skincare! Let’s go!

Why are Acids Used in Skincare?

Most acids in skincare formulations can are used for 3 main benefits: 

• Brightening 

• Resurfacing

• Reducing Hyperpigmentation

Don’t be nervous to use acids for resurfacing in your skincare formulation! Acids used in skincare are NOT the types of acid you may immediately think of when you hear “acid” , like battery or other harmful acids. Acids used in skincare are much much gentler and won’t harm you skin.

Even better: All gentle acids mentioned in this blog can be used in clean skincare formulations, and are not toxic to the environment (Source) .

Most commonly acids like tranexamic, aziliac, and mandelic acids are used in serums or moisturizers to help them effectively soak into the skin and offer the greatest benefits.

Tranexamic, aziliac, and mandelic can help with all of the aspects mentioned above and more! Below we will get into the specific benefits of each type of acid and their common application in skincare.  

Tranexamic Acid: 

According to the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep Guide, tranexamic acid is an organically sourced ingredient that is very safe to use on all skin types (Source). Tranexamic acid has the following effects when used in skincare: 

• Evens skin tone

• Hydration

• Anti-Inflammatory

Tranexamic acid has been found to best help with hyperpigmentation of the skin. Hyperpigmentation occurs with (acne) scarring or over exposure to the sun. 

Many skincare bloggers and influencers have shared their experience using tranexamic acid for acne scarring with positive reviews! 

This ingredient, like other acids, is most commonly used in serums and moisturizers. Although not as powerful as its skin tone evening properties, tranexamic acid has also been found to be moisturizing and anti-inflammatory when applied to the skin. For this reason it is a good ingredient to be used with vitamin C or hyaluronic acid, to help exaggerate its effects (Source). 

Tranexamic Acid is a trending ingredient in skincare that would be great to include in your own skincare formulation as its popularity continues to rise! 

Azelaic Acid: 

Azelaic acid is naturally produced on your skin’s surface (Source). According to EWG’s Skin Deep Guide, this acid is also a clean ingredient that can be used in clean skincare formulations. You may be wondering why you would want to include this ingredient in your skincare formulations, and the reasons are abundant! Azelaic acid has the following effects when used in skincare: 

• Anti-Inflammatory

• Gentle Exfoliation

• Anti-Bacterial

• Brightens dark spots

Azelaic acid is most commonly used to fight acne (Source). Although it may not be the first skincare ingredient you think of when it comes to fighting acne, it should be! With gentle exfoliating properties that help it penetrate deep into your skin’s pores and anti-bacterial properties, it helps clear pores of dirt and debris that may accumulate throughout the day. All of these properties make it a great ingredient to include in skincare formulations meant to help fight and prevent acne! 

On top of its acne fighting properties, this ingredient is also anti-inflammatory and helps to even skin tone. When formulating with azelaic acid it is important to keep in mind that it is only allowed at concentration of 10% or less of a complete formula when it is intended to be sold over the counter. 

Mandelic Acid: 

Mandelic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), that is extracted from almonds (Source). This means that mandelic acid is a clean and organic ingredient that can be used in clean skincare formulations as a gentle exfoliant. 

This is another ingredient that has seen a large uptake in popularity over the past few years as a replacement to a more irritating ingredient; glycolic acid, and for a good reason! Similar to azelaic acid, mandelic acid is used as a acne fighting ingredient because of the following properties: 

• Anti-acne

• Anti-bacterial

• Exfoliating 

• Anti-aging 

Mandelic acid has one of the largest molecular sizes of acids used in skin care (Source). The larger the molecular size of an ingredient, the less irritating it is to the skin. This makes mandelic acid a great ingredient for skincare formulations meant for sensitive and acne prone skin. Although good for sensitive skin, mandelic acid is beneficial for all skin types. 

You may be wondering how you can use this information to create a skincare product that offers the benefits mentioned above and more! Don’t worry, Genie Supply can help!

Custom Formulate with Genie Supply: 

Are you interested in starting your own brand? Genie Supply can help! 

Since tranexamic, aziliac, and mandelic acids are all the craze in today’s beauty industry, you may be thinking about starting your own skincare brand with these gentle acids as active ingredients. At Genie Supply we have experienced chemists with years of formulating experience, specifically with new to market, innovative ideas.

With tranexamic, aziliac, and mandelic acids trending in the skincare industry, now is a great time to start selling your own skincare brand using one or more of the ingredients discussed in this blog! 

Genie offers a variety of custom formulating services to help meet your needs. The best part: when your formulation is complete, you own it, and can take your formula anywhere for manufacturing!

Check out our custom formulating services on our Custom Formulating page for more details on custom formulating with Genie Supply, including time and cost estimates. You can also schedule a free 15 minute consultation with a sales representative to discuss your skincare idea! 

 Questions? Comments? Feel free to reach out to us at customerservice@geniesupply.com or give us a call at 812-329-1105.