AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) used in Skincare

Get a brighter complexion using natural  (AHA) Alpha Hydroxy Acids in the form of  fruits.   Oh…that’s a mouthful.   What does that really mean?   First questions that come to mind is what is an AHA anyway and what can it do for me.  You said “brighter. “  and that sounds good to me but how does that work?   Read on and I will fill you in.  Also to experience how AHA’s work,  you can try the an easy to make homemade glycolic mask for healthier and brighter skin.

What is an AHA?

AHA’s is a selection of fruit and milk acids used in skincare to exfoliate dead skin cells revealing a fresher smoother appearance.  These acids include Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Malic Acid and Tartaric Acid.

Here are the basics:  Lactic Acid basically comes from a milk product such as yogurt, or any sour milk product. Malic Acid is especially found in an apple and when used topically not only exfoliates but also is used in reducing wrinkles by the production of collagen.  “I like that!
Citric acids are found in any citrus fruit.  Glycolic acid is basically found in sugar and Tartaric Acid is found in grapes and one of the main acids in wine.

Mask Recipe

Make a thin paste out of yogurt and sugar cane, add a little avocado oil (substitute with an oil of your choice) and add the juice from a lemon and or orange.   You can add a drop or two of lavender essential oil.   The amount of ingredients will vary on how much you want, but in the end what you want is a thin consistency paste that can glide easily over your face and neck-not your eyes.  Enjoy for 20 minutes, then wash off with warm water and apply your favorite lotion, serum or crème.

I use a mask with acids my face feels so smooth, pinky and yes “bright.”   You can make it your own by changing some of the ingredients.  For example you can use lemon, orange, grapes, strawberries or whatever you have available to add acids to your mask.

AHA’s  found in skincare

AHA’s are often found in skincare because of their excellent exfoliating qualities.  As you get older, your skin cells don’t renew as fast as a younger person.  So to help it along, it is important to exfoliate dead skin cells to reveal fresher skin by using a scrub, lotion or serum.

The AHA’s I use in my Ageless C Serum  are comprised of Bilberry, Sugar Cane, Orange,  Lemon and Sugar Maple.  When combined these botanical extracts deliver five natural AHAs to the skin: Lactic Acid (from Bilberry), Glycolic Acid (from Sugar Cane), Citric Acid (from Orange and Lemon), and Malic and Tartaric Acids (from Sugar Maple).

Check out my line of Zenjenskin care plant based products and sign up for my newsletter to get easy tips on skincare.  I would love your comments on the exfoliating mask found in this post.