6 replies to this topic

[piniu]

Anybody who want to try AHA product, I will recommend walgreen AHA, 4oz for 6.99 dollars.
It's non irritating and drying to me. I tried alpha hydrox 10% oil free AHA for 3 months, not working and always break me out.
My skin is sensitive to many product, such as 2.5% BP, 2% BHA, 10% AHA, 0.05% retinol. I always find them to be too drying and irritating.
This time I tried walgreen brand AHA , 8% AHA of 70% solution, so the concentration is 5.6% in the jar. I do not find it irritating at all and it heals my acne slowly.
So I guess we should better start at lower concentration for tolerance.
Good luck!

[SmallTreasures]

Hmmm, that's very strange that the AHA is working for you at such a low concentration. Usually it's most effective for acne when it's at a concentration of 8% - 10%. Oh well, I'm glad it's working for you!

How long have you been using the 6.5% concentration, and do you by any chance know the pH of the product? I'm very interested!

[piniu]

I had a pH test paper to test the pH of the cream and it's around pH4
The 8% glycolic acid in 70% solution would be around pH2 (too acidic), so they put some NH4OH (I found in the ingradient list) to neutrolize the pH and make it 4.
PS, I am a biochemist.
I have been using this product for over a week now, I do not have any big acne any more, only a few tiny zits.

[Kohkane]

I saw this at Walgreen's today it was on sale for 4.99 but the TTO & aloe vera was expensive enough..lol

[SmallTreasures]

I had a pH test paper to test the pH of the cream and it's around pH4
The 8% glycolic acid in 70% solution would be around pH2 (too acidic), so they put some NH4OH (I found in the ingradient list) to neutrolize the pH and make it 4.
PS, I am a biochemist.
I have been using this product for over a week now, I do not have any big acne any more, only a few tiny zits.

Aaaahh, I understand! Makes perfect sense now. haha. I've had about the same success as you with glycolic acid. It's about as effective for me as benzoyl peroxide, strangely. Whenever I get one of those big hormonal pimples, I dab on some AHA, and the pimple is greatly reduced in size by the next morning.


And you're a biochemist? My boyfriend is studying to become one as well! He always shakes his head when I use my AHA lotion and retinol cream together. I know this is slightly off topic, but do you by any chance know if glycolic acid can deactivate retinol when both substances are used together? I don't know much about retinol at all really.

[piniu]

I do not think glycolic acid will deactivate retinol, but I will not use them together.
Avoid irratation
Moisturize well
Sometimes, less is good.

[SmallTreasures]

I do not think glycolic acid will deactivate retinol, but I will not use them together.
Avoid irratation
Moisturize well
Sometimes, less is good.

Thanks so much!

And yep, that's exactly what I do! I always use more in the summer though. My skin needs LOTS of exfoliation during the summer. In the winter, I usually just wash my face.

What other ingredients are in the Walgreens brand of AHA by the way? I have a Walgreens right by my house, and it would be so much easier to go there than to run all the way out to Ulta just for the Alpha Hydrox brand of AHA. (Especially with today's gas prices!) I'm nervous to put anything else on my face though, unless I know exactly what's in it.