The benefits of Mandelic Acid in skincare

Our Mandelic Serum 5% is one of the most popular products in our PoreInfusion skincare collection and with good reason! If you’re unsure if you should be using this serum to help your acne, you’re in luck! I’m giving you a deeper insight on this hero product so you can learn why this amazing pore refining serum can help stubborn acne, as well as reduce scarring, fine lines, and wrinkles.

What is Mandelic Acid?

Mandelic acid is a gentler version in the alpha hydroxy acid family. It is used in skincare products to help gently exfoliate the skin and reduce pigmentation and dark spots. The main source of Mandelic acid is bitter almonds. One of the reasons I prefer to use this ingredient for clients with adult acne because of its unique molecular weight (152.1 daltons to be exact) which is larger than other alpha hydroxy acids. By being a larger molecule size, mandelic acid isn’t able to penetrate your skin as fast as smaller sized molecules (such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid) which helps reduce irritation generally caused by acid based products. The second reason I like to incorporate mandelic acid based product into my clients homecare when they are having breakouts because of its antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory effects on the skin.

The PoreInfusion Mandelic Serum was formulated in three different strength to suit your skin’s tolerance level and sensitivity.

The three specific potencies are: 5%, 10%, and 15% for back acne.

Top 3 Benefits of Mandelic Acid

1. Clear up Acne and Folliculitis
Mandelic acid is an amazing way to help your acne recovery journey or treat current acne issues. Full of anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, Mandelic acid is a go-to for acne treatment. Besides its ability to combat folliculitis (a skin fungal infection), mandelic acid is prized for helping to regulate sebum production which in turn can help to decrease outbreaks as well as improve the skin of even painful cystic acne. Mandelic acid is safe for long term use in acne care and will help rejuvenate the aftermath of acne such as scars and discoloration. Because of Mandelic acid’s gentleness, side effects or irritation are very low.

2. Fine Lines and Wrinkles
This anti-aging powerhouse ingredient is a must in any skincare routine. Mandelic acid works to accelerate cell turnover, which helps to remove dead skin to reveal a smoother skin surface as well as brighter complexion. It also can help boost collagen, one of the key building blocks of youthful looking skin, to give the appearance of firmness and suppleness. By increasing the rate of cell turnover, the dull outer layers of our textured skin disappear along with the softening of fine lines and wrinkles. Mandelic acid is the perfect way to gently revamp the skin’s surface.

3.Lightens Acne Scars, Discoloration and Hyperpigmentation
Darkened or discolored skin can be caused by a variety of reasons; acne scars, sun damage or skin issues like melasma. When skin changes from its normal, healthy color to a dark brown or grey pigmentation, it causes blotchiness and dissatisfaction with an uneven complexion. By incorporating a Mandelic acid-based serum in your skin care routine, you’ll notice a reduction in discoloration intensity as well as an overall even colored complexion.     
 

How Do I Use Mandelic Serum?

If you are new to our Mandelic Serum, I recommend starting with the lowest percentage, 5%, first.

Apply a thin layer on one side of your face and wait a couple of minutes to see if you feel any tingling or stinging sensation. If you don’t feel anything that you are ready to start using it every other day the first two weeks. After consistently using it for two weeks, every other day, you can increase your application to every day.

If you do feel a little stinging or tingling on your skin after applying it, it means that your skin is very sensitive or currently irritated from previous products you have used in the past. In this case I would recommend to start with a more gentler non acid based serum such as the PoreInfusion Oxygen serum, to help strengthen your skin before you try to reintroduce this serum again.

For continued use, I recommend using Mandelic Serum 5% every morning for another 2-3 months  to help continue your at home acne care regimen. Once you have used 5% for a couple of months with no irritation, you can then increase the strength to 10%, alternating between the 5% and 10% for an additional two weeks until you can build your skin to tolerate 10% every day. A good rule of thumb is to always check-in with your acne specialist or esthetician when switching to a higher percentage to make sure it is the right product for your skin.

I recommend applying Mandelic Serum to your face after cleansing and toning. Use one to two pumps of serum onto clean, dry hands then gently pat over entire face and neck. Wait until the product is completely absorbed into your skin before moving on to your moisturizer. This product may increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun so during the day make sure to follow it’s application with a broad spectrum acne safe sun protections such as the PoreInfusion Clear Shield SPF50.

Our unique Mandelic serum is a paraben, fragrance, and cruelty-free formula. We specially formulated our Mandelic acid serums with unique strengths to help everyone to achieve their goals of clear, beautiful and healthy skin.  

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