When & How Do You Use Azelaic Acid In Your Skincare Routine?

With so many ingredients and options for your skincare routine, it's easy to get overwhelmed with knowing how to use them. When considering some of the less mainstream ingredients, it's easy to get confused about how exactly to add them to your routine. Ingredients such as retinol or hyaluronic acid have become staples in many skincare routines, making their usages well-known and regulated. However, when you turn to skincare ingredients like azelaic acid, you may have more questions.

Although many people believe and trust in azelaic acid, others are still unaware of the benefits of and uses for this ingredient. Azelaic acid is best used for acne and hyperpigmentation, making it beneficial to many. Those suffering from rosacea or other skin issues can also apply high concentrations of azelaic acid to help relieve some of their symptoms. This ingredient can help clear the skin of bacteria that causes these skin issues and can come in almost all formulas. To get the most out of azelaic acid, you must know how to use it properly, as improper usage of any skincare ingredient is not only wasteful but also potentially harmful for your skin.

Like any topical ingredient you add to your routine, you want to use it in the correct order. Applying your products in the incorrect order can weaken their effectiveness or cause further damage to your skin. Before trying azelaic acid or any new ingredient for the first time, you should conduct a patch test before applying it all over your face. Conducting a patch test is the easiest and quickest way to determine if you have a skin reaction with azelaic acid. If you have an adverse skin reaction, you'll notice immediate burning or a painful redness to the area. If there's no reaction, it's safe to continue applying it all over your face.

Before applying azelaic acid, wash and cleanse your face like usual. After cleansing and washing your skin of any makeup or dirt, use toner to remove any leftover product clinging to the skin. If your skincare routine includes hyaluronic acid, you should apply it immediately after your toner. This step ensures your moisture gets locked in and your skin doesn't get dehydrated. After hyaluronic acid, you can place your azelaic acid product in whatever form it comes. Once your skin becomes accustomed to the product, you can apply it both morning and night. However, when trying out the product for the first time, you'll want to use it just once a day.

Like any other skincare ingredient, there are a few things to consider when using azelaic acid. Even though you should be using sunscreen every day, you want to be extra cautious of using it when you have azelaic acid on your face. Because this ingredient makes your skin more sensitive, you want to give your skin extra coverage against UV rays. Ideally, azelaic acid should be used once a day for a few days a week. Once your skin has gotten used to it, you can increase it to twice a day. In the end, you can increase usage to twice a day every day.

Although azelaic acid is generally safe for most people to use, there are other particular ingredients you should avoid using in combination with azelaic acid when you're new to the ingredient. AHAs is among them. Because both skincare ingredients can increase skin sensitivity, this combination can be harmful for your skin. Once you've gotten used to azelaic acid, you can slowly start bringing AHAs back into your routine. The same suggestion applies to BHAs, vitamin C, and retinol. Because azelaic acid can be potent, you want to give your skin a break before using other powerful skincare ingredients. Although these combinations won't hurt your skin down the line, it's a matter of giving your skin some space to welcome in these newer skincare ingredients.