What are AHAs in skincare?
AHAs – alpha-hydroxy acids – are a family of water-soluble acids derived mostly from fruit, milk and sugar. The group includes glycolic acid (sugar cane), lactic acid (milk), mandelic acid (almonds), malic acid (apples) and citric acid.
They work on the surface of the skin, dissolving the bonds that hold dead cells together so the skin sheds evenly. Molecule size decides strength and tolerance: glycolic is the smallest and most potent, mandelic the largest and gentlest.
What skin concerns do AHAs treat?
AHAs are the first choice for dullness, rough or flaky texture, uneven tone, sun spots, post-acne marks and fine lines. Because they are water-soluble they suit normal to dry skin particularly well.
Beyond exfoliation, sustained use improves hydration, thickens the living epidermis and stimulates collagen, so the change is more than superficial.
What ingredients are best paired with AHAs?
Rebuild after exfoliating: hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, panthenol and squalane restore what acids strip. Niacinamide supports tone and barrier repair alongside them.
Keep AHAs away from retinoids, BHAs and benzoyl peroxide within the same routine step unless your skin is well conditioned, and start at two or three nights a week. AHAs raise UV sensitivity, so daily broad-spectrum SPF is required. Take our Skin Quiz.
What is redness?
Facial redness is visible dilation of the small blood vessels near the skin’s surface. It ranges from transient flushing that comes and goes, to persistent erythema across the cheeks and nose, to fixed thread veins that stay visible all the time.
Redness is a symptom rather than a diagnosis. It can signal rosacea, irritation, an over-exfoliated barrier, eczema, an allergic reaction or simply reactive skin that responds strongly to heat and stress.
What causes redness?
Most persistent redness traces back to a compromised barrier and heightened nerve sensitivity. When the barrier thins, irritants penetrate more easily and the skin mounts an inflammatory response to things it would normally tolerate.
Common aggravators: over-exfoliation, high-strength actives used too often, fragrance and essential oils, hot water, alcohol, spicy food, sudden temperature change, sun exposure and stress. Trying to treat redness with more actives usually deepens it.
What ingredients are best for redness?
Prioritise calming and rebuilding over correcting. Niacinamide, azelaic acid, centella asiatica, green tea extract, liquorice root, allantoin, bisabolol and colloidal oatmeal all reduce visible inflammation.
Then repair the barrier with ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids, glycerin, panthenol and squalane, and protect it with a gentle mineral SPF. Strip the routine back to cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen for a few weeks before reintroducing anything active. Take our Skin Quiz.
