Can I use Betaine Salicylate and Glycolic Acid together?
Piel's routine check says: Caution
Two exfoliating acids in one routine is more exfoliation than most skin needs. Keep one, or alternate nights. This applies when applied at the same time.
This is a dose question rather than an interaction. Two exfoliating acids do not react with each other; they simply exfoliate twice, and skin has no way of telling that the second one came from a different bottle. A cleanser, a toner and a leave-on serum can each be carrying one, which is how a routine ends up at twice the exfoliation nobody planned.
Piel's exfoliating-acid family spans both the AHAs and the salicylic-acid side, so a glycolic toner and a salicylic cleanser count as two.
Keeping one, or alternating nights, gives the same result without the flaking and tightness that over-exfoliation brings. If skin already feels rough or tight, or stings when moisturiser goes on, pause both and let it settle first.
Betaine Salicylate belongs to Piel's family of exfoliating acids; Glycolic Acid to exfoliating acids.
About Betaine Salicylate
CosIng classes Betaine Salicylate as:
- antimicrobial
- keratolytic
Read the Betaine Salicylate page
About Glycolic Acid
CosIng classes Glycolic Acid as:
- pH buffering
The smallest of the alpha-hydroxy acids, which is why it penetrates readily. It is commonly used for surface texture and tone, and it increases sun sensitivity while a routine includes it.
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