Not to be dramatic, but I would die without AHAs. AHAs, or alpha hydroxy acids, are naturally-derived acids that work to exfoliate skin, promote cell turnover, brighten skin, and smooth fine lines and wrinkles. AHAs can be incorporated into a wide range of skincare products, from cleansers, toners, masks, and moisturizers, but they’re mostly present in potent serums. I’ve rounded up the three AHA serums I’ve tried – let’s get into it!
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum
T.L.C. Framboos is the first exfoliating serum I ever purchased – I bought the Drunk Elephant nighttime holiday kit from Sephora last year and didn’t regret it. This is a 12% AHA/BHA serum that aims to refine and resurface skin to reveal a smoother and more radiant complexion. The AHAs present in the serum are a mix of glycolic, lactic, and citric acids that aim to exfoliate and shed dead skin skills, while the BHA present is salicylic acid that works to unclog pores and refine texture. Additionally, the serum is formulated with raspberry fruit extract and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer to hydrate skin and promote firmness. When incorporated into my routine, I used this serum nightly – this bottle lasted me a solid 3-4 months hen using a single pump nightly. It has a lightweight gel consistency that’s slightly sticky – I found that mixing the serum with 2-3 drops of Drunk Elephant’s Marula Oil made the serum absorb much quicker and without any stickiness. Overall, my skin loved this serum – the formulation is topnotch and the ingredients are all incredibly effective. It wasn’t a magical cure for my skin; however – I still struggled with hormonal breakouts, which are unavoidable, but this serum overall did a fantastic job at keeping my skin clear and refining texture. If you’re in the market for a new nighttime serum, T.L.C. Framboos is definitely worth considering! $90, 1 oz, Sephora
Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment
You’ve probably already heard of this serum if you don’t religiously use it already – it’s for sure a cult-classic, and I 100% purchased this because of the hype surrounding it. I have no regrets. This serum is packed with potent lactic acid to exfoliate skin to clarify and reveal a smoother complexion, as well as licorice root to diminish hyperpigmentation, lemongrass to help boost radiance, and aloe to hydrate and soothe skin. I initially began using about a half pump of the serum in my nighttime routine, and I was unsure about it for the first several weeks. I wasn’t sure if it was working, and I suspected it was breaking me out. I stopped using it for a couple weeks, realized I was still breaking out, and reintroduced it to my routine. My skin began to improve drastically – it was much smoother, my skin looked and felt more plump, it was fading my dark spots, and was helping to diminish my breakouts. Eventually, after I read an article claiming that the myth vitamin C and AHAs shouldn’t be used in the same routine was in fact, a myth, I rotated Good Genes to my morning routine. Good Genes, along with my vitamin C serum, fades hyperpigmentation much more quickly than if used separately – it’s absolutely a staple in my morning routine. It’s an insanely hydrating serum, as well – I only need to apply super light layers of moisturizer on top because of how nourishing it is. I will repurchase Good Genes over and over and over. The cult status is real as hell. $105, 1 oz, Sephora
Herbivore Botanicals Prism Potion
This serum is packed with a 5% blend of naturally-derived acids – glycolic from sugarcane, lactic from bilberry, citric from oranges, and salicylic acid from willow bark. Additionally, it contains kaduku plum, which is rich in vitamin C to brighten the appearance of skin, as well as aloe water, rose water, and vegan sodium hyaluronate to hydrate and soothe skin. Sounds like the natural exfoliating serum of your dreams, right? I’ll admit that I didn’t need this serum when I bought it – I was already using Good Genes religiously – but I love all the Herbivore products I’ve tried, so I jumped on it. I incorporated this serum into my night routine, but I’ll fully admit I didn’t give up Good Genes to test the effectiveness of this product. I just can’t. I won’t. So I continued to use Good Genes in the morning, and 4-5 drops of Prism Potion at night. What I like about Prism is its consistency – it’s incredibly lightweight, watery, absorbs immediately and isn’t sticky. It’s like a facial oil and serum combined in one bottle. I used about half the bottle before I realized it may not be doing anything for me, other than helping to hydrate my skin. As someone who is used to heavy-duty acids like T.L.C. Framboos (a 12% acid blend) and Good Genes, Prism (only a 5% acid blend) didn’t cut it for me. I still love the formula and believe it could work miracles for those with sensitive skin, or those who are brand new to acids – but if you’re already an avid acid user, you can skip it. $62, 1 oz, Sephora
Overall
If you’ve been eyeing any of these serums – go for it. If you have sensitive skin or worry your skin may not tolerate strong acids very well, Herbivore’s Prism Potion may be your best bet; however, you could always slowly introduce stronger serums into your routine by only using them 1-3 times a week until your skin is able to comfortably handle it. If you’re looking for a serum that does it all, Good Genes is my holy grail. I’ll repurchase it forever, and using it in conjunction with my vitamin C serum during my morning routine delivers the smoothest and brightest skin I’ve ever had. If you’re looking for a heavy-duty serum, get your hands on T.L.C. Framboos – that 12% blend of AHAs is no joke. There’s a new acid on my radar and it’s the Farmacy Honeymoon Glow – similar to TL.C. Framboos, it also contains a 14% blend of AHAs, BHA, and flower acids – and I plan on getting my hands on it soon.
As always, make sure you’re following the acids in your routine with tons of hydration and SPF during the day!
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