Around one in seven (14%) say using facial skincare products is not a very masculine thing to do. One that can be used daily to remove the excess oil, dirt, and other grime that accumulates on our skin during the day. Here, we’re breaking down one of the lesser-known skin acid varieties: Phytic acid. What is phytic acid and what skin benefits does it offer? "While it may offer mild exfoliating benefits, it is commonly used in skincare for its antioxidant properties," explains Joshua Zeichner, Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research, Department of Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. People with a skin condition such as acne or eczema should speak with a dermatologist to determine whether there are any foods that may make symptoms worse. That might sound bad, because in general minerals are beneficial to our health, but specific ones can have detrimental effects on the skin when they become too abundant. If you have sensitive skin and have been weary of using acids in the past, phytic could be your best option. Phytic acid, because its antioxidant properties tend to overpower those of exfoliation, does this in a gentler manner than its other AHA counterparts.

Even though it is gentle, phytic acid concentrations in skin care formulas typically range between just 0.5-5%, depending on what the product is intended to do (for exfoliation, percentages skew higher), and also because most products will also contain other hydroxy acids. You can also try a different whitening product to see if you can avoid a reaction. What’s more, because lactic acid is derived from milk, it can cause irritation in certain groups of people. What’s even more confusing is that some of these "acids" aren’t even acids at all, and they each work in much different ways, with many different potential benefits. And on top of it all, NO PARABENS! Essential oils figure in many at-home remedies to smooth the skin, soothe the spirit, and calm the mind. Essential for maintaining the skin’s moisture balance, Hyaluronic Acid also helps smooth skin texture. Hyaluronic Acid is a sugar that is naturally produced by the body. What are Hyaluronic Acid benefits for skin?

What are the best ways to use phytic acid? If you really want to maximize its strength, phytic acid might be more powerful when used in combination with glycolic, which is why you’ll often see the two formulated together. Some of our favorite phytic acid at-home peel products are Peter Thomas Roth’s PRO Strength Exfoliating Super Peel, which contains a whopping 35% phytic acid extreme (yet is still surprisingly gentle on the skin), and Kate Somerville’s Liquid ExfoliKate Triple Acid Resurfacing Treatment, Renew Skin Cream Reviews which contains glycolic, malic and lactic acids (in addition to phytic). Salicylic, glycolic, kojic, lactic, hyaluronic, ascorbic… Its gentle formula can help soothe and protect the skin, making it a great option for those with sensitive or irritated skin. In the order from strongest to the gentlest on skin, it goes like this: Renew Skin Cream Ingredients Glycolic acid, lactic acid, then phytic acid as the mildest option, explains cosmetic chemist Ginger King. The list goes on.

Like other antioxidants, phytic acid can help to neutralize free radical damage in the skin: "for this reason, it is commonly incorporated into products designed to brighten pigmentation and treat conditions like melasma," Zeichner continues. With such a high percentage of acids, it could cause irritation, dryness or even skin damage if left on too long or used too often. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Click here to find out the best acids to use in every decade of your life. As long as you're truly washing off all of your makeup, you can stick to switching out your towels on a weekly basis. If your skin is irritated or dry, using an electrical razor with safeguards can help. Eczema is a chronic skin condition characterized by irritated patches of Renew Skin Cream which may be dry, red, and/or scaly, and weeping eczema will have additional symptoms of oozing and crusting of skin sores.