If you have been into skincare for a while, you should be very familiar with the term BHAs, aka Salicylic Acid. There are also other acids such as AHAs, PHAs and even LHAs. It’s common knowledge that these acids help exfoliate the skin, removes dead skin cells, and heal acnes etc. Nowadays, they are the preferable skincare methods to exfoliate the skin compared to facial scrubs and physical exfoliator.

In this blog, let’s look at the two popular acids, BHAs and AHAs, what are the difference between them and which acids to choose for your skin concern. We will also be introducing a new kbeauty brand we recently curated – BE THE SKIN – and it’s range of BHAs skincare.

What are BHAs?

BHAs (Beta Hydroxy Acid) are oil-soluble acid that gets down into pores and cuts through oil. The most common type of BHA is salicylic acid. BHA is known to fight bacteria and can be used to treat calluses. BHA works on skin’s surface and deep inside the pore. As they are oil-soluble, it is most often preferred by those with normal to oily skin type, and those who are prone to acne, blemishes and enlarged pores.

What about AHA?

AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) are water soluble acids that derived from sugar cane or other fruit plant, they are sometimes referred to as fruit acids. AHAs are commonly known as glycolic acid, and is recommended for normal to dry skin. AHAs can help stimulate collagen, exfoliates and increase the shedding of dead surface skin cells.

How to choose between AHA & BHA?

To determine which acids to use on your skin, you will have to first work out what your skin concerns are. If you have oily skin and skin issues on a deeper level, such as cystic acne or acne in general, you will want to incorporate BHA in your skincare routine. The best would be a combination of BHA and AHA to better address the skin concern.  BHA will go deep into your pores to remove excess oils and dead skin cells and unclog your pores, while AHA will work on a surface level to exfoliate and heal the skin.

On the other hand, if you have dryer skin, and would like to exfoliate the top layer of the skin, AHA will be your best choice. AHA is also great if you would like to target mild hyperpigmentation (age spots, melasma and acne scars), fine lines and surface wrinkles and uneven skin tone.

Do note that AHAs and BHAs are strong ingredients that may have a peeling effect (especially on higher concentration) and can cause the skin to dry out if overused. Therefore, we always recommend using these acids only a few times a week.

BHAs: Salicylic Acid, derived from Willow Bark Extract (Salix Alba)

Willow bark Extract is derived from the bark of the willow tree and has been used for centuries to soothe irritated skin. It contain salicin (an original pure form of salicylic acid), which have both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, help clearing pores and alleviating acne and irritation.

How can Willow Bark Extract benefit my skin?

• Helps reduce acne and excess oil
• Helps reduce signs of aging and the appearance of wrinkles
• Refines pores and minimizes pore size
• Helps alleviate conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea

About the Brand: BE THE SKIN

Be the Skin's founder went on a five-year quest to find the perfect combination of luxurious herbs, botanicals and technology to create this remarkable brand that focuses on clean, natural ingredients. We're privileged to bring you Be the Skin New BHA+ Pore Zero Range.

BE THE SKIN: Willow-BHA

Willow-BHA is a naturally-derived BHA ingredient extracted from white willow bark calms angry skin with Puleanly (pure + clear) and gently cares for various troubles and dead skin cells that are prone to early aging without irritation. This particular technology is used in all BE THE SKIN BHA+ Pore skincare range.

BE THE SKIN BHA+ Pore Series

Main Ingredients:

Willow-BHA: Contains 1% for smooth and soft skin

AHA: Fruit acid or alpha-hydroxyacid Sour fruits, high in sugarcan. Regulates keratinization by acting on the peptide. Boundary between the keratinocytes, Anti-drying role in AHA biomechanism

Centella Asiatica: Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid (Four effective ingredients of CA to help anti-inflammation)

Evening Primrose: Rich in gamma-linolenic Acid to reduce inflammation

Arrowhead Root, pine needles, ulmus sacrocarpa: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effect

Recommended for:

Those who want to control sebum and take care of pores at the same time

Those who want to have fresh skin by preventing excessive sebum secretion

Those who want to convert dull and tired skin to glowing and energetic skin

BE THE SKIN BHA+ PORE ZERO CLEANSING FOAM

Be The Skin BHA+ PORE ZERO Cleansing Foam is a daily cleansing foam that removes dead skin cells, clogged pores, and other impurities without irritation. 

BE THE SKIN BHA+ PORE ZERO TONER

Be The Skin BHA+ PORE ZERO Toner is a gentle daily toner which quickly calms irritated or troubled skin. 

BE THE SKIN BHA+ PORE ZERO SERUM

Be The Skin BHA+ PORE ZERO Serum is a soothing serum that helps with troubled and rough skin, excess sebum and clogged pores. 

BE THE SKIN BHA+ DARK SPOT ZERO CREAM

Be The Skin BHA+ Dark Spot ZERO Cream is a dual-function brightening and wrinkle-improvement cream that intensively cares for dark spots and wrinkles.