Glycolic Acid is without a doubt one of the most effective active ingredients currently known in skin care. It provides instant gratification by making the skin look smoother immediately after the very first use, and also long-term benefits, like the reduction of redness, acne, hyperpigmentation, and fine lines. Since I have a whole bunch of other weird actives in my regimen, including other potent acids, I prefer not to clash them with glycolic acid and use it in my peels and cleansers instead, so I was thrilled to discover NeoStrata Foaming Glycolic Wash.
Foaming Glycolic Wash is designed for people, whose skin is already accustomed to glycolic acid to further enhance the results of their current beauty routine. As someone who’s been using products with GA for a few years, I think my skin is used to it by now just fine, since I didn’t experience any discomfort. First timers may experience uncomfortable tingling and even redness, so building up tolerance starting with lower percentages of GA is recommended.
The formula contains two key components:
- 18% Glycolic Acid derived from sugar cane chemically exfoliates the skin by breaking down and dissolving dead skin cells and impurities, making the surface look tighter and smoother. With continued use it can help firm the skin and reduce the depth and length of fine lines and wrinkles. Since it also masterfully clears out the pores, the visible “reduction of pore size” is none other than your pores naturally going back to their normal state. The reason pores appear oversized is because of clogging, and products with GA address that problem after the first use.
- 2% Lactobionic Acid derived from milk sugar is a very potent antioxidant that helps increase cell turnover, so those acne scars and other discolorations will fade away sooner. Like GA, it also helps to exfoliate the skin and reduce the effects of photo aging, but in a gentler manner. With continued use, LBA moisturizes and strengthens the skin, making it smoother, tighter, and more resistant to further damage.
Ingredients – CosDNA: Aqua (Water), Glycolic Acid, PEG-8, Alcohol Denat., Arginine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Ammonium Hydroxide, Lactobionic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Methylparaben, Chlorphenesin.
It’s important to note the products with Glycolic Acid can make the skin more sensitive to UV rays, so using SPF40+ daily is recommended [everyone should be doing that anyway], which is ironic, because GA actually helps address hyper pigmentation caused by prolonged sun exposure. So if you baked in the sun in High School or in college, and now deeply regret it, products with Glycolic Acid can and will reduce the appearance of photo aging, at least partially. There really aren’t that many non-invasive methods of doing that, and GA is one of the few actives currently known, that can visibly help reverse the damage somewhat.
I’ve been using Foaming Glycolic Wash for three weeks now, and it did what it said it would – gradually made my pores shrink a bit, and my skin now feels a little tighter and smoother than before. Can’t comment on the line-reducing properties, because I use other products for that, but no new ones so far. I also had a red patch on my chin, that I couldn’t get rid of for a few months, and it faded by about 50% after I incorporated this cleanser into my routine. Actually, I was having a couple of really bad skin months, so you can see acne scars all over my face; luckily, I got things under control now. Despite the high content of acids in the formula, I did not experience any irritation, which is one of the reasons why I plan to continue using it daily until this bottle runs out. Overall, I’m satisfied with the results, I feel like Foaming Glycolic Wash does more for my skin than most other cleansers in my stash.
WHERE TO BUY: $40 USD for 3.4 oz. Available at NeoStrata, Dermstore.
For more information about the benefits of Glycolic and Lactobionic acids, check out Neostrata.com.
Do you use products with Glycolic Acid in your beauty routine? Have you tried anything from the NeoStrata line before? Let me know in the comments below!
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