What is Azelaic Acid?

Meet Azelaic Acid - the ingredient you need in your skincare routine if you're dealing with  breakouts, redness, and dark spots. This gentle multitasking ingredient is a dermatologist favorite for calming and clearing the skin. Here is everything you need to know about azelaic acid benefits and how to add it to your skincare routine for acne or uneven skin tone. 

What is Azelaic Acid?

Despite the word "acid" in its name, Azelaic Acid is an incredibly gentle skincare ingredient. Azelaic Acid is a naturally occurring dicarboxylic acid that is produced by the yeast that naturally lives on our skin but can also be derived from grains like barley, wheat, and rye.

Unlike acids like AHAs (like glycolic acid) or BHAs (like salicylic acid) which are primarily exfoliants, Azelaic Acid is versatile, acting as a gentle leave-on exfoliant, a potent antioxidant, and a powerful anti-inflammatory all at once making azelaic acid great for rosacea, acne, hyperpigmentation, redness and sensitive skin. 

The Key Skin Benefits of Azelaic Acid: 

Azelaic Acid is a true multitasking powerhouse. Here are the key benefits of adding it to your skincare routine:

• Clears Breakouts: Azelaic Acid is great for acne, is highly antibacterial and specifically targets the bacteria responsible for inflammatory acne, helping to clear existing blemishes and prevent future ones.

• Protects your Skin: Azelaic Acid is an antioxidant, meaning it can protect your skin from damaging free radicals. 
  
  

• Calms Redness and Rosacea: One of the few ingredients FDA-approved to treat rosacea, azelaic acid has severe anti-inflammatory properties that can quickly soothe irritation, reduce visible redness, and calm angry, inflamed skin. 

• Fades Hyperpigmentation: Azelaic Acid is also a tyrosinase inhibitor, meaning it interrupts the enzyme that causes your skin to produce excess melanin making it highly effective for hyperpigmentation and dark spots, fading post-acne marks (PIE and PIH), melasma, and sun spots.

• Gently Exfoliates: Azelaic Acid is also mildly keratolytic and can gently stimulate cellular turnover, breaking down dead skin cells so your skin heals quickly, minimizes scarring, prevents clogging and results in smoother texture.

Who Can Use Azelaic Acid

Because Azelaic Acid is much gentler than traditional acne treatments or strong chemical exfoliants, it is generally well-tolerated by all skin types and is a great skincare ingredient for these skin types: 

• Sensitive skin that cannot handle strong retinoids or ingredients like benzoyl peroxide.

• Acne-prone skin that also struggles with the post-acne scars left behind after a breakout.

• Rosacea-prone skin looking to manage flare-ups, irritated skin and redness. 

• Pregnant or nursing mothers looking for a safe alternative to retinol and salicylic acid (always consult your OBGYN first).

How to Add It to Your Routine

Incorporating Azelaic Acid is like introducing any new active ingredient to your skincare routine - slowly. 

• Start slow: Apply it 2 to 3 times a week to start, working your way up to daily use as your skin builds tolerance.
• When to apply: Azelaic acid can be used morning or night. If using it in the morning, always follow with SPF.
• Where it goes: Apply it after cleansing and lightweight serums, but before your moisturizer.
• What to avoid: Avoid layering Azelaic Acid directly with strong retinoids or high-percentage AHAs/BHAs in the same routine to prevent over-exfoliating your skin barrier. If you use both, apply Azelaic Acid in the morning and your Retinol at night.

Our Best-selling Azelaic Acid Product

Meet SkinCeuticals Phyto Brightening Treatment - a lightweight gel moisturizer with azelaic acid for acne-prone skin that helps soothe and correct skin to improve brightness, texture, and clarity.

Sources: 
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/what-to-know-about-azelaic-acid-skin
https://www.healthline.com/health/azelaic-acid-acne#summary