You may be familiar with hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and niacinamide, but there are so many other incredible ingredients out there that we think every beauty lover should know about. One of these ingredients that we love is azelaic acid. It may be an ingredient that you haven’t heard of before, but you might be surprised to discover that it may be used in some of your favourite skincare products. If you haven’t already heard of it, we’re going to be talking you through everything you might need to know so you’re convinced to make this hardworking ingredient a mainstay in your skincare routine. Keep on reading to find out more about azelaic acid.
What is azelaic acid?
Azelaic acid is part of a family of acids known as dicarboxylic acids. It’s a natural ingredient that comes from grains (like barley, rye, or wheat). However when you see it in one of your skincare products, it’s probably been lab-engineered, this is so that it is as stable and effective as possible.
Who can use azelaic acid?
Azelaic acid is a great skincare ingredient that can anyone can use, regardless of their skin type. It is generally very well-tolerated, even by people who have sensitive or acne-prone skin. But, like with any skincare ingredient, reactions can sometimes happen. If you do notice any sort of reaction after using azelaic acid, we’d recommend applying it less often or removing it from your skincare routine altogether.
Benefits of using azelaic acid
This multi-functional skincare ingredient has a whole range of different benefits that you can enjoy when using it on a regular basis. The main reason we love azelaic so much is because of its ability to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation and brighten your overall skin tone. This is because the acid inhibits something called tyrosinase, which is one of the enzymes that can trigger hyperpigmentation.
Azelaic acid also gently exfoliates your skin, removing dead skin cells and anything else that can potentially clog up your pores. Along with its antibacterial properties, it’s a highly effective ingredient at stopping acne in its tracks. Finally, the last of the key benefits is its ability to reduce inflammation and soothe irritation, which is why it is such an effective ingredient for people with sensitive skin to use.
When you should use azelaic acid
Azelaic acid is a good ingredient to add to your skincare routine if you’re dealing with acne, uneven skin tone, or bumpy skin. You can use azelaic acid every day as part of your skincare routine, but you may need to reduce the frequency of use if you notice any reactions.
What other products can you use with azelaic acid?
We all know that with some acids it’s advised to be careful about the different products you use with it, however, azelaic acid is an ingredient that plays well with others so you don’t have to worry about switching up your entire routine. There isn’t really any research that would suggest that there are any ingredients that you should not mix with azelaic acid. However, if you are using a prescription-strength version of this acid, we’d recommend double-checking with your pharmacist or doctor just in case.
Ingredients like vitamin C in particular work especially with azelaic acid and can speed up the fading of hyperpigmentation. Also, AHA and BHA exfoliants work with azelaic acid – just because they’re both acids doesn’t mean that you should be worried about using them in the same routine.
Best products that contain azelaic acid
Azelaic acid can come in varying different concentrations, the higher the concentration the more potent and powerful the formula will be – but it’s not always necessary to go straight for the highest concentration possible. You can buy azelaic acid on its own, but it’s much more common to find it as an additional ingredient in various serums, creams and lotions.
Azelaic acid is one of the key ingredients in our best-selling product, Meladerm. Combined with a range of other skin-lightening ingredients, azelaic acid helps to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation and dark spots to give you a glowy, clear complexion. We mix this acid with other natural ingredients like vitamin C, niacinamide, licorice root extract, and kojic acid (plus many more) to create a powerful serum that brightens your skin and can prevent the appearance of further pigmentation.
