LHA (Lipohydroxy or Capryloyl Salicylic Acid)

LHA is an exfoliating ingredient, regarded for its ability to unclog pores, soften the skin and improve skin texture. The main benefits of LHA to the skin include:

• Speeds up skin cell turnover, revealing fresher, smoother skin, resulting in visibly improved skin clarity and contributing to a radiant complexion.
• Lifts the top layer of dead skin cells to expose the newer, brighter-looking cells underneath.
• Removes rough or scaly skin and helps skin cells bind to moisture, supporting softer, smoother skin.
• Brightens and evens out skin tone by removing dark patches on the skin's surface.

Please note: Clinical and aesthetic dermatology plays a major role in recommending LHA as a skincare solution. For tailored skincare recommendations, it's best to discuss with a dermatologist.

Yes! LHA is able to dissolve into lipids and oils to penetrate the pores and remove excess oil, dead skin cells and impurities that contribute to breakouts. In addition to unclogging pores to prevent breakouts, LHA also helps smooth out the surface layer of skin for a clearer, brighter complexion.

LHA is a milder form of salicylic acid that doesn't penetrate the skin as deeply, making it a better exfoliating option for most sensitive skin types. However, it's still an exfoliant, and sensitive skin should use the ingredient in moderation. Gradually introduce an LHA product to your skincare routine, starting with 1-2 times a week and increasing if your skin tolerates it. For very sensitive, irritation-prone skin, a gentler exfoliant, like the Retexturing Activator Exfoliating Serum is a better option. Always follow an LHA product with hydrating products formulated with humectants like hyaluronic acid or glycerin, and finish your daily routine with a broad-spectrum, high SPF sunscreen.

Although the gentle exfoliating effect of LHA results in thinning of the outermost layer of the skin, it's also associated with thickening of the dermis, a deeper layer. This anti-ageing effect is thought to be the result of increasing the levels of hyaluronic acid and the structural skin proteins; collagen and elastin. LHA can also be used to speed up skin cell turnover, helping to support the skin's natural cycle that slows down as we age.

• LHA Cleansers: SkinCeuticals Blemish and Toner is an exfoliating cleanser with LHA that foams to decongest skin and improve clarity.
• LHA Toners: SkinCeuticals Blemish and Age Toner is a Clarifying Toner to help clear clogged pores and remove dead skin cells from the surface with lipo-hydroxy acid.
• LHA Serums: SkinCeuticals Blemish and Age Serum is an oil free facial serum that reduces blemishes and targets visible signs of ageing.

Yes, lipohydroxy acid can be used with vitamin C. These two ingredients work in tandem to exfoliate, brighten and promote a more even skin tone, texture and radiant complexion. If you have more sensitive skin, consider alternating between a vitamin C and LHA product, using them every other day or incorporating vitamin C during into your morning routine and LHA in your evening routine. If you're unsure about the right skincare products for your skin type, consult with a dermatologist.

As a general rule, SkinCeuticals recommends using a chemical exfoliant around three times a week. However, the mild exfoliating action of LHA may be suitable for more tolerant oily skin types to use daily without compromising the moisture barrier. Regardless of your skin type, you should gradually build up to daily use, monitor for reactions before increasing the frequency.

Although it’s a gentle exfoliant, and both skincare ingredients can be used to address blemish and ageing concerns, SkinCeuticals advises caution before combining LHA with retinol. If you decide to do so, introduce each to your skin slowly, at lower concentration and reduced frequency, and work up to a staggered application at different times, preferably on alternate nights, whilst your skin builds its tolerance levels. When using LHA it's also important to support a strong skin moisture barrier by following your LHA product with a hydrating serum or moisturiser, and finishing your morning routine with a broad-spectrum, high SPF sunscreen. This minimises the risk of irritation and skin sensitivity.

Lipohydroxy acid is a derivative of salicylic acid, which means it has a similar chemical structure and works similarly, but with its own unique properties.

• LHAs are lipophillic, meaning they dissolve well in oils and lipids. It penetrates the skin slowly and more gently and, due to its larger molecular size, doesn't penetrate the skin as deeply as salicylic acid. LHA also has a pH similar to the skin, making it an ideal, milder exfoliant for dry or sensitive skin types.
• Salicylic acid is a stronger beta hydroxy with a smaller molecular size, so it's able to penetrate the pores more deeply and provide a stronger exfoliation. Salicylic acid is oil soluble, penetrating deep into the pores and doing so rapidly. This makes salicylic acid better for thicker oily or blemish-prone skin types looking to target deeper layers of the skin to manage excess oil production and persistent breakouts. Because of its deeper penetration, salicylic acid can also be an effective anti-ageing ingredient as it helps speed up skin cell turnover.

Whether one is better than the other really comes down to your skin type. Both dissolve in oils and sebum (natural skin oils) so are able to penetrate sebum-rich sebaceous glands, but salicylic acid is able to penetrate the skin more deeply for a deeper exfoliation. This makes it a lot stronger than LHA, making it better for oily and blemish-prone skin, but potentially too strong for sensitive or dry skin. For sensitive, dry and normal skin, LHA is generally considered a better tolerated ingredient for unclogging pores and removing dead skin cells.

No. Same-same, but different! LHA and AHA are both types of chemical exfoliants, LHA is a derivative of salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid (or BHA), whereas an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) refers to a range of chemical exfoliants that work more on the surface layers of skin. AHAs include glycolic acid, lactic acid and citric acid, and have similar but not identical properties.