What To Use Lactic Acid With

Lactic acid is a natural ingredient that can be used in various ways. People often add it to other ingredients to enhance its many benefits. You can use it on your face, body, and hair, as well as in skincare products. Lactic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is derived from milk and other dairy products, but it also occurs naturally in grapes, watermelons, and other fruits. Lactic acid is used in cosmetic products because it helps exfoliate the top layer of skin by dissolving dead skin cells. This process can reveal younger-looking skin underneath.

When applied to the face or body regularly, it can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Because lactic acid has a low pH level (3-4), which makes it chemically stable when exposed to air or sunlight, it is also used in skincare products designed for sensitive skin types because it won’t irritate sensitive areas like lips or eyes as much as other acids would.

Lactic acid is great for those looking to create a smooth and creamy texture. Lactic acid is costly and makes beer sour, but it can be used in brewing. This phenomenon has led many brewers to experiment with adding lactic acid after the beer has been brewed (post-fermentation). Read on to learn more about whether I can use lactic acid with niacinamide and how to use lactic acid the ordinary.

What are the skincare benefits of lactic acid?

1. It’s a top-notch exfoliator.

Lactic acid works by gently exfoliating the outer layer of your skin, explains Dr. Hollmig. Sloughing off the dull, dead cells makes way for the brighter, smoother complexion underneath, research shows.

2. It may be helpful in reducing acne.

This exfoliation also helps keep pores clear by sloughing away dead skin cells plus excess oil, preventing pesky pimples, blackheads, or whiteheads from forming.

3. It can help smooth fine lines and wrinkles.

Often, aging skin can especially use some help in the exfoliation department. “Normal, healthy skin cells in the outer layer of the skin shed every two to three weeks. The process may slow down due to aging, dehydration, and other environmental stressors, which can appear as rough, scaly, and dull-appearing skin,” Dr. Hollmig says.

In addition to revving up your radiance, lactic acid can boost plumpness. Past research shows that a 5% lactic acid formula applied twice a day improved skin thickness and firmness, says Dr. Hollmig, which translates into smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles. This older but often-cited study indicated that a greater concentration of 12% resulted in even more visible benefits, but he cautions that more potent products may make you more prone to irritation (like redness, itching, or peeling), particularly for sensitive complexions.

4. It can treat bumpy skin.

Beyond the face, body lotions often incorporate lactic acid. Most notably, it treats keratosis pilaris, also known as “chicken bumps,” which appear on the backs of your arms or on your legs. The skin condition is harmless but is often bothersome. Lactic acid can take care of these little bumps, says Dr. Hollmig, but you have to apply the lotion regularly long-term for best results.

Can I Use Lactic Acid With Niacinamide

You can use Niacinamide and Lactic Acid together, but it’s best to start with very small amounts of each ingredient. Since niacinamide and lactic acid can both be harsh on some skin types, the two together could be harmful, especially if you have sensitive skin, such as rosacea or eczema.

Can you combine Lactic Acid and Niacinamide, two of the most potent and effective skincare ingredients on the market? Read on as we explore how these ingredients work and whether or not you can use them together.

How To Use The Ordinary Lactic Acid in Your Skincare Routine

The first thing to note about these lactic acid serums is that you should not use them on sensitive, peeling or compromised skin.

So if your skin is sensitive, easily irritated, or damaged in any way, you should not use these serums.

Alpha hydroxy acids can make your skin sensitive to the sun, so it is important to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher while using lactic acid (and all alpha-hydroxy acids) and for a week after.

You can dilute these lactic acid serums with other skincare treatments to lower their concentration until your skin can tolerate them undiluted.

An easy way to dilute them is to mix a drop or two with a few drops of the Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum.

What Not to Mix with The Ordinary Lactic Acid Serums

Since lactic acid is potentially sensitizing, you should not use it at the same time as other direct acids like salicylic acid or azelaic acid, other AHAs like glycolic acid or mandelic acid, or other actives like benzoyl peroxide acne treatments.

You should also avoid using lactic acid with strong actives like pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Ascorbic acid works best at a pH of 3.5 or under.

The pH of the Ordinary Lactic Acid Serums is 3.6–3.8.

While the lactic acid pH should be close enough not to compromise the effectiveness of ascorbic acid, you may experience redness, stinging, peeling, or irritation if you use both ascorbic acid and lactic acid at the same time.

Your best bet is to use ascorbic acid in the morning and lactic acid in the evening or use them on different days.

Retinol and retinoids increase cellular turnover and remove dead skin cells.

Since lactic acid also works to sweep away dead skin cells, you may overdo it, causing irritation and redness if you use both simultaneously.

Conclusion

Whether it’s a silky serum or a luxurious cream, there are endless anti-aging products vying for your attention. From retinol to vitamin C to peptides, the ingredients make all the difference, and there is plenty to choose from. But recently, you may have noticed another one fighting for shelf space: lactic acid.

Lactic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), a class of chemicals that gently exfoliate the skin, which also includes glycolic, citric, tartaric, mandelic, and malic acids.

While in-clinic chemical peels can work to fade the appearance of acne scarring over time, at-home treatments offer other benefits for skin, whether it’s acne-prone or not. Chemical peels vary in strength and it’s best to consult your doctor when deciding which treatment would work best for you—that can even mean deciding to flaunt your scars and forgo peels altogether.