Glycolic vs Retin-a

Starting a retinol product can be gnarly. Purging, stinging, and redness are common side affects of starting a higher strength retinoid product. It's not a fun stage to go, through but let us tell you, its worth it!

Retin-a helps regulate cell turn over, improves skin texture, prevents acne, evens out discoloration, controls oil, smoothes fine lines and wrinkles, lifts hyperpigmentation, unclogs pores, and more!

Glycolic acid increases exfoliation and makes skin smoother and more even. Also great to improve uneven skin, oiliness, and clogged pores.

But, the two are not the same. 

If you are not ready to start a retin-a or didn't have a good experience with one in the past, we recommend our Power Glow pad (20% Glycolic) as the next best thing to achieve skin radiance! 

Can I use both Retin-a and Glycolic acid?

Yes! and you should. Retin-a does not exfoliate the dead skin that is getting pushed forward to the surface by your retinoid. So, it's important to use an exfoliant like Glycolic to actually get that old skin off, so you can actually see those new healthy skin cells! But, this is where a good relationship with a licensed professional comes in hand. It's important to understand when and how to fit these two into your routine. We suggest using MK peel pads as AM use OR an off night of your retinoid product. 

Glycolic acid will help the penetration of your retinoid product into deeper layers of the skin, allowing the retinoid to do its work by increasing collagen and elastin!