Glycolic Acid vs Salicylic Acid – Which One Is Better For Your Skin?

If you have ever researched on the internet, the key to glowing skin is exfoliation. And when it comes to exfoliation, the two hero ingredients that often steal the spotlight are Glycolic acid and Salicylic acid. Whether you are suffering from dull skin, uneven texture, or any other skincare issue, these two ingredients always come up as the best solution; however, not for everyone, because different skin types demand different ingredients.

That’s where this blog comes in to help you. To make you an informed decision, let’s discuss Glycolic acid vs Salicylic acid in detail, from its benefits, composition, to everything else. We will cover everything.

What is Glycolic Acid?

Sourced from sugarcane, Glycolic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid, an active ingredient that helps exfoliate the skin. This active ingredient exfoliates the skin by breaking down the dead skin cells and the bonds between the cells on the outer membrane of the skin. As a result, what you enjoy is a smoother and brighter-looking skin.

Benefits of Glycolic Acid

1. Brightens the Complexion

Glycolic acid brightens up your skin complexion by eliminating the dead skin cells and impurities from the outer layer of the skin. This helps reveal a brighter skin glow, much better than what it was.

2. Reduces Pigmentation

Like we mentioned earlier, Glycolic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid. This means it can help reduce pigmentation or discoloration, or any darkened skin spots. In addition to that, glycolic acid facewash also helps improve sun damage and fights different signs of aging.

3. Improves Skin Texture

Using Glycolic acid regularly can give you an exfoliant that gives your skin a clean texture, decreases the presence of wrinkles, and limits the presence of large pores. This results in an improved skin texture.

What is Salicylic Acid?

In contrast to Glycolic acid, Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid that is derived from willow bark. Unlike Glycolic acid, it is oil-based, which enables it to penetrate the skin pores more deeply to dislodge excess sebum and also to unclog the pores. Salicylic acid is especially good for acne-prone skin.

Benefits of Salicylic Acid

1. Unclogs Pores

Salicylic acid penetrates deep into the skin to dissolve oil and dead skin buildup inside the pores. This helps in giving you an acne-free look and improved skin texture.

2. Reduces Acne

Another key benefit of Salicylic acid is that it helps reduce acne. Not just that, it also eliminates and reduces blackheads, whiteheads, and active acne breakouts, which is quite a pesky skin problem nowadays.

3. Minimizes Inflammation

If you suffer from skin inflammation, then Salicylic acid could be your best friend. That’s because, due to the presence of Beta Hydroxy acid, this ingredient helps calm redness and irritation caused by acne.

Key Differences Between Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid

Now it comes down to the discussion of Glycolic acid vs Salicylic acid. Let’s diversify them and understand which ingredient is better in which ways.

1. Type

The key difference when it comes to type, Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid and is known for being an excellent exfoliant for skin. Whereas, Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid which is oil-soluble and has a better ability to get absorbed deeply into the skin.

2. Source

In terms of sourcing, Glycolic acid is naturally derived from sugarcane, but can also be synthetically replicated. Salicylic acid is derived from willow bark, and it cannot be synthetically produced.

3. Function

Glycolic acid will help exfoliate the uppermost layer of the skin and increase the rate at which the skin cells turn over, and improve texture. It is also useful for brightening and improving the skin's overall complexion. Conversely, Salicylic acid penetrates deep into the skin to remove excess oil, unclog pores, and calm skin inflammation.

4. Best Time to Use

For optimal results, glycolic acid should be applied in the evening, since it makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Salicylic acid, on the other hand, can be tolerably used in the morning and evening routines, especially for oily skin.

5. Common Form

For Glycolic acid, the most common formulations are serums, toners, peels, and creams that assist in treating aging and pigmentation of the skin. For Salicylic acid, again, cleansers, toners, and spot treatments benefit the treatment of clogged pores.

Glycolic Acid vs Salicylic Acid – Which is Better?

Making the right choice between Glycolic Acid vs Salicylic acid is super important, and why wouldn't it be? After all, it’s about your skin health. The honest answer to this question, Glycolic Acid vs Salicylic Acid – Which is Better? What suits your skin type can be your ultimate savior.

If your top skin concerns relate to skin dullness, uneven skin texture, or hyperpigmentation, glycolic acid is the best option for your skin. Glycolic acid is also a great choice if you have normal or dry skin.

If, on the other hand, your top skin concern is related to acne, clogged pores, or blackheads, you should look for salicylic acid. Additionally, salicylic acid is also a great choice for oily or combination skin. Both of them are great options for exfoliation if you apply them properly.

How to Use Them Safely

Glycolic Acid

If you are new to this skincare ingredient, start with 2-3 times a week and then increase the frequency as tolerated.

Salicylic Acid

This skincare ingredient can be used daily or every day, depending on your skin’s tolerance.

If using them together, then always use salicylic acid first to clear pores. After that, use glycolic acid for surface exfoliation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that there’s no one answer to this comparison, Glycolic acid vs Salicylic acid. Both of them have their own set of advantages for skin health; it depends on which kind of skincare concern you want to work on. The best part? Both ingredients are readily available and can be your ultimate skincare superhero if used in the right way.