One of the things you can not prevent from appearing on your skin as a result of how the skin leaves off old skin to reveal a new one is dead skin cells. Removing these dead skin cells via chemical means requires skincare products containing AHAs or BHAs. 

AHAs & BHAs are skincare acids that enable you to remove the dead skin cells on the outer layer of your skin through chemical exfoliation. 

In one of our articles, we talk about the benefits of exfoliating and how these AHAs and BHAs are vital components in skincare products that help to exfoliate the skin chemically. 

Apart from knowing the benefits of exfoliating and the two skincare acids used for chemical exfoliation, there have been questions asked by most skincare users about these skincare acids like - What are the differences between the two? Which one works better? What are the examples of AHAs and BHAs?  And many other questions that we will cover in this piece.

What are AHAs and BHAs and their differences?

As we said earlier, AHAs and BHAs are acids that play a vital role in wiping away dead skin cells that build up on the skin surface. These acids are known as chemical exfoliants. 

To crown it up, they are significant components in skin care products used for chemical exfoliation. 

Although these two acids do the same function when applied to the skin, there are still some differences in how they work to achieve the same result. 

Starting with AHAs, AHAs ( Alpha-hydroxy acids) are naturally occurring acids derived from sugarcane and fruits. They work by weakening the bonds between the cells on the skin surface, thereby sloughing them off. 

You should note that AHAs are water-soluble and work well on the skin surface. 

BHA (Beta- hydroxy acids) are acids derived from plant parts such as willow tree bark, wintergreen leaves etc. BHAs work by loosening the attachment of dead skin cells, thereby making it easy for them to shed off. 

They are oil soluble and work beyond the skin surface as they penetrate more deeply into the skin to keep pores clean and reduce sebum production. 

Types of AHAs and BHAs & the skin type they are suitable to

You must be hearing about AHAs and BHAs as ingredients used in some skincare products but still wondering which acids belong to the AHAs and BHAs. If you don’t know the examples of these AHAs and BHAs, that’s not something big to worry about because we have you covered. 

As a skincare user, It is vital to know the types of AHAs and BHAs if you are using skincare products with any of these skincare acids as part of its ingredients. 

Types of AHAs

These are some of the popular types of AHAs you will likely see in your skincare products;

• Glycolic acid: This is the strongest type of AHA and originated from sugarcane. If you have normal & dry skin type, then this type of AHA will be most suitable for you. 

• Lactic acid: This is another stronger AHA after glycolic acid used in various skincare products. This acid is derived from milk and is most suitable for individuals with dry skin.

• Mandelic acid: This is another type of AHA that you should look out for. Mandelic acid isn’t as strong as lactic & glycolic acids. So mandelic acid is mild & weaker. It is combined with other acids most times. Mandelic acid would be good for you if you have an oily or normal skin type. 

• Citric acid: Just like mandelic acid, this is another weak AHA used in skincare products equally. As the name implies, it originated from citrus fruits. It does a great job of regulating the skin’s PH and acts as a preservative.  

Types of BHAs

• Salicylic acid: This is the most popular type of BHAs. It also happens to be the strongest. One advantage of Salicylic is its anti-inflammatory nature. It is suitable for individuals with acne-prone skin.

• Another type of BHA is citric acid. 

What skin conditions can you treat with any of these skincare acids?

It will interest you to know that these skincare acids are beneficial in treating certain skin conditions. 

If you apply and use these skincare acids the right way, then you are one foot ahead of getting rid of any of these skin conditions; 

Skin conditions you can treat with AHAs;

• Dryness & Dullness
• Dark Spots
• Wrinkles
• Sun damage

Skin conditions you can treat with BHAs:

• Acne
• Inflammation
• Clogged pores 
• Excess oil 
• Redness

Which one of the skincare acids works better?

Ideally, none of the skincare acids is better or more superior to the other. Whichever one you choose to use on your skin, they both have a similar function of helping you remove dead skin cells from the surface of your skin and reveal newer ones. 

And again, if you are looking for skincare products to use to enable you to benefit from these skincare acids, then look no more, as many skincare products contain these skincare acids, and our chiso glow collections have a good number of products with either AHAs/BHAs as part of the ingredients (excluding lactic acids as Nashé Beauty's products are vegan. 

With all these interesting facts about these skincare acids, you will agree that they are a must-have ingredient in your skincare products. As a beauty brand, we understand the importance of having these skincare acids in skincare products, and this is why we don’t fail to include them in some of our products.