A huge thank you to my family at SkinCeuticals for sponsoring this post, all opinions are my own!

Winter can take such a rough toll on skin, especially in dry climates like Utah. It seems like no matter how much water I drink, I can literally feel the layers of dead skin that build up on my face throughout the week. Ew!

My solution for this growing up, was to give my face a good ‘deep clean’ with an apricot scrub, or cleanser with micro-crystals. That is, until I heard that word on the street from most dermatologists was that exfoliating scrubs can cause way more harm than good. Turns out, scrubbing your face off with apricot seeds is a bad idea because it can lead to micro-tears in the skin, which lead to even more damage. Whoopsies.

So what is a girl to do? Live with dull, ruddy, flaky skin? Nope! Enter your superhero for glowing skin, a.k.a. glycolic acid. Unless you’ve been living under an apricot seed for the past few years, you have probably at least heard of glycolic acid, and the glowing reviews it has received by beauty bloggers, dermatologist and aestheticians alike.

Personally, when I used to hear the word acid in relation to my face, I would immediately think of that scene where Jack Nicholson becomes the Joker in the OG Batman movie, and run for the hills. So, let’s just put those fears to rest now. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my stories earlier this month where I attended the 1 Year Anniversary party for SkinCeuticals at Hadley Dermatology, and learned all about the benefits, tips, and tricks for adding a glycolic acid into your skincare regimen.

Glycolic acid is essentially a chemical exfoliator that derives from sugar cane, and works with your skin to stimulate cell-turnover, reduce the appearance of fine lines, and gives you a nice even skin tone. Because it is a topical cream, no harsh scrubbing is required and gives you a nice even exfoliation. Another fun fact is that glycolic acid is also the smallest molecule in the alpha hydroxy acid family, meaning it can absorb easily in your skin, unlike other active ingredients (like salicylic acid).

My go-to glycolic acid at the moment is called Glycolic 10 Revew Overnight by SkinCeuticals. I love it because it is highly-concentrated, but still safe enough to use daily. If you are new to using chemical exfoliants, it can be a bit overwhelming so here are 5 tips for introducing glycolic acid into your skincare routine from April, my skincare guru at Hadley Dermatology:

5 TIPS FOR ADDING GLYCOLIC ACID TO YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE

1. Introduce your glycolic acid products slowly into your skincare routine. While products like Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight can be used daily your skin, if it is your first time using a chemical exfoliant, you will want to make sure not to over stimulate your skin. Start with 3 times a week for a monthly than slowly work in more days.
2. Beginners to chemical exfoliation can totally use products with higher potency like Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight. Start by adding a small amount to your nightly moisturizer. If you have sensitive skin, you may notice some redness for flaking of the skin, this should subside after a month of use.
3. Apply glycolic acid at night!
4. Wear sunscreen! This should be a given, but if you are a non-committed sunscreen user, now is the time to commit.
5. If you use a Retinol product, alternate using the glycolic acid and the retinol, don’t apply both on the same night.

I can honestly say, since my skincare guru April introduced me to SkinCeuticals last December, I have noticed such a huge improvement in my skin! I used to wear foundation everyday because of hyper-pigmentation caused by my 20-something self that was too cool for sunscreen in the San Diego sun, but since using this regimen now I only wear concealer! It’s been amazing! For a peek into my AM/PM skincare make sure to check out this post!

All photography by John Cobabe of Cobabe Creative.