They’re the pits. Ingrown hairs, that is. And razor bumps, smelly underarms, and hyperpigmentation. See how glycolic acid helps with all of the above.
What are ingrown hairs and razor bumps?
When a hair that’s been removed curves into the skin while it’s growing back, that’s an ingrown hair. They happen after shaving, tweezing, waxing, even laser hair removal.
What to look for:
- Itching, stinging, and redness
- Itty bitty swollen bumps where you remove hair
- Small bumps that are filled with pus
- Bumps that are darker than surrounding skin (hyperpigmentation)
Razor bumps are sometimes the same thing as ingrown hairs—little inflamed, red bumps caused by the hair being stuck under the surface.
But sometimes razor bumps are caused by irritation when you shave with a dull razor or without shaving cream, leaving your skin rough and unhappy.
How does glycolic acid help?
The glycolic acid in my Glycolic Body Scrub is a little legend at breaking down sebum and dead skin cells.
Imagine when your hair is trying to grow back, and there’s stuff obstructing its way out of the follicle. Glycolic acid clears away that stuff AKA sebum and dead skin cells.
My scrub also has the exfoliant pumice to physically help those hairs pop out and be free, reducing irritation.
The pits: hyperpigmentation and odour.
Hyperpigmentation is skin that is darker than the surrounding area of skin. There’s a really common skin condition (acanthosis nigricans) that causes this in folds around the body.
- Armpits
- Back of neck
- Groin
- Elbows
- Knees
You might also itch or get a bit whiffy in those areas.
Smelly pits also occur when bacteria breaks down the otherwise odourless sweat on your skin. That’s why you might notice you smell more in summer or while exercising.
How does glycolic acid help?
Glycolic acid goes hard on hyperpigmentation. As a chemical exfoliant, it gobbles up that top layer of dead skin where hyperpigmentation is the strongest. Consistent use reveals a fresh layer of skin and evens out your skin tone over time.
While you’re scrubbing there, leave my Glycolic Body Scrub on your pits for a few minutes to let me do my thing. I’ll help inhibit bacteria growth and assist to reduce body odour.
If you’re a natural deo lover (go you, babe), then this can be an especially helpful shower step to neutralise odour throughout the day.
Hot tip: My Glycolic Body Scrub also gets rid of the garlic smell on your fingers after cooking.
Feeling like a deep dive? Get under the hood and into the pore and read about how glycolic helps with hyperpigmentation.