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First of all, you’re welcome! I read the most boring scientific research papers of all time so that you don’t have to. No offense to the authors. More and more skincare brands are adding lactobionic acid to their products and it looks like we’ll be seeing more of it. Spoiler alert, lactobionic acid is about to become your favorite skincare ingredient for smooth, radiant, clear, and more importantly, plump skin.
We’re full to the brim with alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid and beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) like salicylic acid. Similar to them, lactobionic acid is also a chemical exfoliant. It works to remove the dead skin cells from the outermost layer of the skin, revealing smoother, brighter, and healthier skin. But it does this so much better and way gentler than your typical BHA or AHA.
What is Lactobionic Acid?
Lactobionic acid (LA) is a type of polyhydroxy acid (PHA) and it’s derived from milk. It’s actually a polyhydroxy bionic acid. Gluconolactone and maltobionic acid are in the same family, which are also exfoliating acids (1).
Due to its compounds and its atomic structure, LA is one of the least irritating chemical exfoliants. This can be a curse for some, but a blessing if you’re the right person for it.
LA is not as fast-absorbing or deeply penetrating as, say, glycolic acid. It works on the surface level of the skin which is as gentle as it gets.
It removes dead skin cells at a slower rate, so it doesn’t irritate your skin. These less penetrative properties make it significantly preferable for people with sensitive skin, eczema, and rosacea.
The Benefits of Lactobionic Acid For The Skin
1. It exfoliates without irritation.
All acids remove dead skin cells by plowing through the skin, which can damage the skin barrier. For that reason, people with an already compromised skin barrier can highly benefit from LA’s gentle exfoliation (2).
Additionally, this non-irritating characteristic of LA makes your skin less prone to inflammation, which usually happens with sun exposure after the use of AHAs or BHAs.
Several studies show that LA is the acid when it comes to exfoliating without irritating (3). All chemical exfoliants are irritating to the skin and not all skin types can tolerate this.
Plus, this irritation increases the skin’s vulnerability to the sun, making it prone to sunburn. So, LA is suggested as an alternative to mainstream hydroxy acids.
2. It protects the skin.
UV exposure, aging, and skin inflammation stimulate certain enzymes in the skin. These enzymes are called Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs). It’s a mouthful, I know.
But too much activity in the MMPs department actually causes damage to the outer layer of the skin, the skin barrier, and collagen cells. This results in wrinkles and saggy skin.
It turns out, lactobionic acid prevents these enzymes from damaging collagen cells. What’s more preventative and anti-aging than protecting your existing collagen?
3. It has antioxidant properties.
A lesser-known fact about hydroxy acids is that some have antioxidant properties. For example, alpha-hydroxy acids such as citric acid and malic acid are antioxidants. Similarly, lactobionic is also an antioxidant (4).
Since oxidation and free radical damage from UV exposure are causes of aging skin, it’s suggested that lactobionic acid is majorly anti-aging because of its antioxidant properties.
4. It hydrates the skin.
Apparently, lactobionic acid is more humectant than regular humectants found in our moisturizers. You must have heard about glycerin or sorbitol from your favorite moisturizer. Well, lactobionic acid is able to attract and retain water better than those!
And when drying down, it forms a gel layer on the skin thanks to its strong ability to retain water (5). A dream come true for dry skin that also needs exfoliation sans the stripping.
5. It gives you clear skin.
The anti-aging benefits of lactobionic acid were tested on 31 females who were instructed to use a face cream infused with 8% lactobionic acid. The women used this cream twice a day for 12 weeks.
The results are jaw-dropping on so many levels like improved skin thickness, wrinkles, pore size, and firmness. But the most impressive improvements are a 100% increase in skin clarity and radiance and a 70% improvement in rough skin texture (6).
6. It plumps up the skin.
As lactobionic acid is a strong humectant, it has amazing plumping effects on the skin. Because it’s able to hold and retain moisture, your skin looks plumper for longer compared to other humectants.
This is also handy when you have wrinkles because plump skin reduces the visibility of wrinkles. Lactobionic acid keeps the skin hydrated and gives it a fresh and radiant look.
The Side Effects of Lactobionic Acid For The Skin
Overall, lactobionic acid has no prominent side effects such as irritation or sensitivity which are usually associated with chemical exfoliants. However, there’s always the potential for irritation especially if you have very sensitive skin.
But this is usually the result of using a lactobionic acid product that also contains other active ingredients. If you’re using lactobionic acid and your skin is irritated, check to see what other active ingredients the product has.
The Best Lactobionic Acid Skincare Products
From toners to serums, below are the best lactobionic acid skincare products.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Tri-Acid Peel
This one comes with an alpha-hydroxy acid, namely mandelic acid. It is a rinse-off face peel for your skin to get rid of all the build-up on the surface of the skin.
Besides hyaluronic acid to hydrate, it’s enriched with Asiatic acid aka Centella Asiatica for its anti-inflammatory properties, making it an amazing lactobionic acid peel for all skin types.
Product: Rinse-off peel
Key Ingredients: Lactobionic acid, mandelic acid, Centella Asiatica
Key Benefits: Smoothes skin, softens wrinkles, brightens
Skin Type: All
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Contains fragrance
Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Multi-Action Toning Lotion/Refiner
This is a super gentle exfoliating toner made with lactobionic acid. It’s the perfect way to introduce your skin to LA. The toning lotion also contains a rich blend of antioxidants to add glow to your glow.
The combination of zinc PCA and witch hazel manages oil production while algae extract and hyaluronic acid replenish the skin. The toner refines the skin texture and improves the skin tone while making sure it doesn’t dry out.
Product: Face toner
Key Ingredients: Lactobionic acid, witch hazel, caffeine, hyaluronic acid
Key Benefits: Gently exfoliates, refines pores
Skin Type: All
Size: 6.7 oz/200 ml
Good To Know: Contains fragrance
Neostrata Bionic Face Serum
Here’s the thing you need to know about Neostrata. They also own Exuviance, the skincare brand right below. The two are practically the same company. But they are the two pioneers in incorporating PHAs into skincare products. PHAs are their thing.
Their prices are a little above average. But they know their way around these acids and make the best ones on the market. So whenever you’re on the lookout for a lactobionic acid or a gluconolactone product, their names will come up.
Formulated with 10% lactobionic acid, the lightweight serum provides gentle exfoliation. In doing so, it gets rid of the dead weight sitting on top of your skin messing up your glow.
The formula is fragrance-free. And it hydrates dry and sensitive skin and improves the skin barrier while providing the skin with antioxidant benefits against free radical damage.
Product: Face serum
Key Ingredients: Lactobionic acid, vitaminA, vitamin C, vitamin E
Key Benefits: Neutralizes free radicals, softens skin texture, brightens
Skin Type: All, including sensitive
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Fragrance-free
COSRX Hydrium Triple Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Ampoule
As we’ve established, lactobionic acid is an amazing humectant. So it’s no wonder it comes in a lot of hydrating face serums. This Korean face serum contains different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid for maximum absorption.
And to amplify the effects, it has panthenol (vitamin B5) and two polyhydroxy acids, including lactobionic acid, to quench dry, thirsty skin.
Product: Face serum
Key Ingredients: Lactobionic acid, gluconolactone, hyaluronic acid
Key Benefits: Hydrates, plumps skin
Skin Type: All
Size: 1.35 oz/40 ml
Good To Know: Cruelty-free
Exuviance Radiance Serum
This polyhydroxy acid serum has both gluconolactone and LA, plus the gentle mandelic acid from the AHAs family. It gets more anti-aging as you go through the list of ingredients.
With retinyl palmitate, the serum is an antioxidant & fatty acid infusion for the ultimate skin rejuvenation. Additionally, vitamins C and E help to brighten, moisturize and nourish the skin while warding off free radicals.
This is a powerful anti-aging serum that’s perfect for improving skin texture, softening the look of lines, and revitalizing the complexion.
Product: Face serum
Key Ingredients: Lactobionic acid, gluconolactone, mandelic acid
Key Benefits: Boosts radiance, repairs free radical damage
Skin Type: All
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Contains fragrance
Eve Lom Rescue Peel Pads
These are multi-acid exfoliating pads. Besides lactobionic acid, the peel pads also contain glycolic acid and salicylic acid. So the concentration is a bit stronger. Having a PHA in the formula makes sure your skin doesn’t feel dry or tight after exfoliation.
If a glycolic acid peel feels uncomfortable, try these pads for a more balanced exfoliation. The peel pads help decongest skin, get rid of dead skin cells, and increase skin turnover without drying your skin out.
Product: Peel pads
Key Ingredients: Lactobionic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid
Key Benefits: Exfoliates, smoothes wrinkles, unclogs pores
Skin Type: All
Size: 60 pads
Good To Know: Biodegradable
So this is how lactobionic acid works in skincare and the best products to get started on. As you can see, even if you have sensitive skin, you can safely exfoliate all thanks to gentle acids like these.
FAQs
References:
- Grimes, P. E., Green, B. A., Wildnauer, R. H., & Edison, B. L. (2004). The use of polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) in photoaged skin. Cutis, 73(2 Suppl), 3–13.
- Algiert‐Zielińska, B., Mucha, P. and Rotsztejn, H. (2019), Lactic and lactobionic acids as typically moisturizing compounds. Int J Dermatol, 58: 374-379. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijd.14202
- Tasić‐Kostov, M, Lukić, M, Savić, S. A 10% Lactobionic acid‐containing moisturizer reduces skin surface pH without irritation—An in vivo/in vitro study. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019; 18: 1705– 1710. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.12908
- Baran, R., & Maibach, H. I. (2017b). Textbook of Cosmetic Dermatology. CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315160504
- Algiert‐Zielińska, B, Mucha, P, Rotsztejn, H. Comparative evaluation of skin moisture after topical application of 10% and 30% lactobionic acid. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2018; 17: 1096– 1100. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.12485
- Green, B.A. & Edison, Brenda & Sigler, M.L.. (2008). Antiaging effects of topical lactobionic acid: Results of a controlled usage study. Cosmetic Dermatology. 21. 76-82.
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