Talk to me about glycolic acid!!

[Muppet7410]

Do I need this in my life?
I'm 35, with fine lines starting to appear, a bit of acne scarring, a bit of sun damage, combination skin (oily tzone, normal cheeks).

Prefer salicylic myself. The Garnier Pure Active sensitive soothing moisturiser (the white tube not the blue one) is good. Use before your normal moisturiser. Paula's Choice salicylic is also good but more ££.

Glycolic if you must (Pixie Glow tonic or Liquid Gold) then once or twice a week only (use a with cotton pad) and use SPF30 (or higher) daily.

I use glycolic daily. Currently the Aldi version. It's excellent, not as strong as others but brightens up my sluggish complexion. Superdrug also do one which feels a little harsher but still OK to use each day.

(SPF is a given whatever your skincare routine!)

Fab, thanks for the recommendations. What does the stuff actually do?

The Ordinary does the best one. Very reasonable. Has won awards.

Gets rid of everything you mention! Makes you look younger and fresher and healthier!

Only use every 3 days and let your skin get used to it. Yes, do not put your face near the sun with it on, best to put it on at night.

You'd need at least SPF 50.

Takes maybe 2/3 weeks to notice a difference?

Some people have very resistant skin and can use acids everyday. Using acids regularly can make your skin look fantastic for several months but can cause huge problems too. So use sparingly and safely, don't damage your skin barrier or flora. Salicylic and lactic are better than glycolic and less likely to cause problems.