Erasing blemishes, tightening enlarged pores, brightening the complexion, reducing brown spots... one of the ingredients capable of improving the appearance, texture, and radiance of the skin is tartaric acid. But how can this active ingredient be incorporated into your skincare routine? Should it be applied in the evening or in the morning? And at what frequency?
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Tartaric Acid: How to Use It?
Summary
- What is tartaric acid?
- When should tartaric acid be used?
- Tartaric Acid, how to use it regularly?
- How to use our tartaric acid peeling mask?
Published February 14, 2023,
updated on July 26, 2024,
by
Maylis, Chemical Engineer
—
7 min read
What is tartaric acid?
Thetartaric acid is the common name for 2,3-dihydroxybutanedioic acid. It is naturally present in a wide variety of plants. Tartaric acid is the main concentrated acid in wine, in its natural form. In the 18th century, it was first isolated from grapes by Carl Wilhem SCHEEL, a Swedish apothecary.
The uses of tartaric acid are diverse and varied: manufacturing tablets for indigestion and headaches, food, gravimetric analysis, and of course, dermo-cosmetics. Tartaric acid belongs to the family of alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) just like glycolic acid and lactic acid. It has a brightening effect and enhances the skin's luminosity. It acts on accelerating cell renewal as well as stimulating the synthesis of collagen and elastin.
When should tartaric acid be used?
Most skin types can benefit from the use of a tartaric acid-based skincare product. It is particularly suitable for dry, normal, combination to oily skin, prone to imperfections (enlarged pores, pimples, blackheads), dull, hyperpigmented, rough, and mature skin. However, this active ingredient may not be favorable for some individuals. If you have sensitive skin, tartaric acid-based skincare products are probably not for you. We strongly advise you to consult a dermatologist before trying one. Indeed, this active ingredient can cause allergic reactions as well as irritations.
Tartaric acid seamlessly integrates into formulas designed for combination to oily skin types as a sebum regulator, thus preventing new acne breakouts, pore clogging, and the formation of blackheads. For dry skin, this ingredient is recommended to increase skin hydration. Tartaric acid can even help skin with a lot of pigmentation (sun spots, melasma, acne marks), by making them less visible and evening out the skin tone.
It is also renowned for helping tired and dull-looking skin appear more radiant, fresher, brighter, and younger. On mature skin, treatments containing tartaric acid are appreciated for their brightening properties, their tightening effect, and their ability to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Moreover, by removing the outer layer of dead cells and promoting cell renewal, it facilitates the absorption of other skincare products into the skin.
Tartaric Acid, how to use it regularly?
There are several types of skincare products containing tartaric acid in their composition (cream, serum, mask, shampoo, hair serum...). It is most often incorporated at concentrations between 1 and 10%, alone or in combination with other alpha-hydroxy acids. It has a pH between 3.5 and 4. The use of skincare products containing this active ingredient should be reasonable and limited.
It is advisable to use this active ingredient during the evening daily routine to minimize any risk of photosensitivity. Indeed, tartaric acid increases the skin's sensitivity to the sun, thus increasing the risk of sunburn. We also recommend consistently applying a SPF cream every morning and limiting or even avoiding prolonged sun exposure, as long as you are using a product containing tartaric acid and up to a week after its last application.
In the same vein, it is preferable to apply products containing tartaric acid in fall/winter, rather than in the summer period. However, it is still possible to start or continue applying tartaric acid solutions during sunny periods (spring and summer), provided of course that it is combined with a minimum SPF30 sun protection and as much as possible, sun exposure is avoided.
The frequency of use depends on your skin type, skin tolerance level, as well as your needs and expectations. We advise you to start atspaced intervals, such as every other night or even every three nights, then increase the frequency after one to two weeks if your skin tolerates this active ingredient well. It is normal to temporarily feel a slight sensation of warmth, some tingling, or a slight dryness of the skin during the first few days. If your skin is naturally dry or if you are applying a tartaric acid treatment for the first time, start with a treatment with a low concentration so that your skin can adjust (around 5%).
It is recommended to apply a tartaric acid treatment onlyonce a day, at most, in order to avoid all the side effects mentioned above.
For tartaric acid to function properly on the skin, it is often combined with other acids such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, citric acid, or mandelic acid. Therefore, it is not uncommon for several of these ingredients to be found in the same formulation. However, it is not recommended to pair tartaric acid with another ingredient with a dermabrasive action like salicylic acid. Using two exfoliating treatments at the same time can affect the overall health of the skin. Therefore, it is important to check the composition of all treatments used during a beauty routine.
It should be noted that there are also hair care products containing tartaric acid, whose effect on the scalp is identical to that of tartaric acid on the skin. Therefore, the precautions for use are the same for hair products as they are for skin care treatments.
How to use our tartaric acid peeling mask?
The principle of our AHA + PHA peeling mask is simple. The treatment is to be spread on the face to form a mask. This mask hardens and "sticks" to the skin during a 10-minute application period that must be adhered to. This adherence to the skin allows the mask to work, as it is during this resting phase that the mask's ingredients take action. The tartaric acid peeling mask thus undertakes to regulate the pH of the face, which results in:
To lighten the skin and enhance its brightness;
To regulate comedolytic activity;
To accelerate cellular renewal;
To stimulate the synthesis of collagen and elastin.
This mask is applied once to twice a week on clean and dry skin, only in the evening.
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