y
ou know that
gritty-ass
exfoliator
you’ve been
using since high
school? The one you
scrub all over your
face until it feels tin-
gly and, okay,
slightly raw? Yeah,
there’s a really good
chance it’s destroy-
ing your skin. Truth:
Even though exfolia-
tors are a hundred
percent necessary,
the wrong ones can
do more damage
than good. Harsh
kinds can create
micro-tears in your
skin, weakening its
protective barrier
and rolling out a red
carpet for bacteria,
causing breakouts.
So, permission to
trash your old go-to
granted. The exfolia-
tor you should beThe absolute best
exfoliator for...1Lactic acid—one of
the gentlest AHAs—
is your hero. It works
to brighten, tone,
and smooth even
supersensitive types.
I f y o u r f a c e is e a s i l y
irritated, try using
this formula once a
week, eventually
b u i l d i n g u p t o e v e r y
three to four days.
Ren Ready Steady
Glow Daily AHA Tonic,
$35, sephora.comse
nsitive
skin3ac
ne-prone
skin
You need a triple
threat: glycolic
acid + salicylic
acid + apple-cider
vinegar. The
formula targets
dead skin cells,
acne, blackheads,
and dark marks
from old breakouts
every time you use
it. Honestly, just put
a ring on this thing.
Boscia Resurfacing
Treatment Toner, $28,
sephora.com2dry
skin
Hydrating aloe
vera and glycolic
acid is your go-to
exfoliating combo.
It does its job
without leaving
your face feeling
stripped or irritated.
Bonus: These easy-
t o - u s e p e e l p a d s a r e
super convenient
for traveling.
Sephora Collection
Glow Pe el Pads, $15,
sephora.com4oily
skin
Two percent
salicylic acid cuts
through oil and
dead skin cells,
leaving behind a
clear, dewy
complexion with
noticeably smaller
pores. This one’s a
Cosmo beauty team
f a v o r i t e ( a n d w e t r y
eeeverything, so
you know it’s legit).
Paula’s Choice Skin
Perfecting 2% BHA
Liquid, $29.50,
paulaschoice.com1234chemicals—but not
scary ones! I’m talk-
ing about gentle
acids that dissolve
the sticky substance
that binds pore-
clogging dead skin
cells together,
leaving you with
Zendaya-like glowy
skin. Basically, goals
on goals on goals.A little more
about these
chemicals tho
There are two main
types of skin-
smoothing acids:
alpha hydroxy acids
(AHAs) and beta
hydroxy acids
(BHAs). It’s pretty
e a s y t o f i g u re o u t
which is right for
your skin. AHAs (like
mandelic, glycolic,
tartaric, and lactic
acids) exfoliate
while also hydrating,
making them idealfor sensitive, dry, or
redness-prone skin.
B H A s (t h e m o s t p o p -
ular one is salicylic
acid) dissolve dead
skin cells on the sur-
face of your face
and also deep-clean
your pores, breaking
down any oil lodged
inside. (Translation:
They’re great for pre-
venting zits and
treating blackheads
and whiteheads.)
B u t ke e p in min d t h a t
even gentle chemi-
cal exfoliants can
irritate or dry out
yo u r s k in if t h ey ’re
used too often or in
too-high concentra-
tions. So always
start out slow and
low (use 1 percent
salicylic acid for one
month to make sure
your skin can handle
it before upgrading
to 2 percent, for
example).Smoothacids
>gri
ttys
cru
bs64 Cosmopolitan October 2019beauty