AHA's: The Acid Toners You Need

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post on the basics of acid toning which is a now essential step in my skincare routine but a lot of the products I had included, I hadn't used for long so thought it was about time I did a bit of a follow up post for people who wanted to get onto the whole AHA bandwagon and weren't sure where to start- and I have a variety of price options!

So a company I featured in my first post is Bravura London which is definitely a game changer if you're after reasonably priced AHA products (most products range from £8-£15). I linked the purifying calendula toner in that post but not too long ago, did another little shop and purchased the Detoxifying Eucalyptus Toner which has 15% AHA and BHA - a combination of glycolic and salicylic acid. Glycolic acid is brilliant for for skin cell exfoliation and is a key part for a brighter complexion and salicylic acid is ace for deep pore cleansing; the two work really well tomorrow and are ideal for people that may suffer from blackheads or spots. Similarly to the Calendula toner, it smells a bit funky but I'm willing to push past that as it works so well. I've definitely noticed an improvement in my skin and love this when I have troubled skin as it really sorts it out overnight.

Another Bravura product I love is a bit more intense, and is the Lactic Acid 10% Chemical Peel  but it's really not as scary as it may seem (and definitely not what you may think...). The concept of a chemical peel is terrifying but as this is an at home product, it's far less intense. I love this for sundays as it really gets rid of the week's worth of skin cells, and leaves me with a brighter and less pigmented complexion. Because it's quite strong, it essentially removes the top layer of skin cells which means that redness is reduced and less likely to reappear. I apply it with my fingers, leave it for about half an hour and then wash it off with a warm flannel. It's brilliant. And it's £10.

If I'm just after a quick skin routine, I reach for my First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads which are textured pads soaked in a solution that contains AHA's and is more of a quick fix. They're not my favourite product and as they're around £19, I probably wouldn't buy them again as the Bravura products are better.

A beauty cult product is Alpha H Liquid Gold which is definitely more pricey for £33.50 but that's the price for 200ml. I love this because it's quite concentrated glycolic acid which really helps to reduce redness. The first night I used it, I broke out like crazy the next day but then the following day, my skin was almost flawless, so definitely try it for about a week before you make a judgement. This is probably my favourite product for clearing up spots as it gives a near instant result.

And finally, a more intense product which is the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask. The one pictured is a sample but it normally comes in a pump bottle at a price of £32. Definitely pricey but this is incredible. I've just got over a significant amount of stress from exams and assignments so I haven't been eating properly which had made my skin look slightly sallow and dull but this has essentially given me new skin. It's such an odd texture, almost like a thick gel and it smells terrible (like citrus fruit gone bad) but it's worth the bad smell as it has reinvented my skin. Definitely a good Sunday mask as it will clear your skin from a weeks worth of makeup and completely rejuvenate it. Yet another glycolic acid product, it's a brilliant product to have in you're stash if you're still not too sure about using heavy duty acid products.

What do you think of my choices? Have you used any AHA products lately? 

16 comments beauty, manchester beauty blog, skincare

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