PRODUCT REVIEW: THE INKEY LIST GLYCOLIC ACID EXFOLIATING BODY STICK - Is it good to use Glycolic Acid everyday? Is Glycolic Acid good as deodorant? How does the Glycolic Acid deodorant hack work?
THE INKEY LIST GLYCOLIC ACID EXFOLIATING BODY STICK
If you’ve been following my blog and social channels for a while now, you likely know a few key things about me.
I bet you’re aware I’m no fan of hyperbolic marketing and overpriced “luxury” skincare. You probably assume that I love my cat more than the people in my life. And you must know I was an early adopter of a now popular hack for Glycolic Acid.
Six years ago, I gave up my go-to Old Spice deodorant stick and began applying a Glycolic Acid toner to my underarms every morning.
Since that day, I have probably gone through two dozen bottles of The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner – probably the brand’s best-selling product. I’ve used up an equal number of The INKEY List’s Glycolic Acid Toner, too. At just $14, it makes the best natural deodorant!
I first read about the crazy skincare hack for Glycolic Acid in a February, 2018 article on the website Racked titled, “The Best Natural Deodorant Is Acid”. I immediately tried it myself and have never looked back.
So every day for more than six years now I have massaged Glycolic Acid into my underarm skin. While each acid toner from The Ordinary and The INKEY List is highly effective, rubbing liquid into my underarms has never been all that pleasant. As you can imagine, it can be messy. But it’s ridiculously effective at stopping odor.
I’ve waited all this time for a brand to introduce a conventional stick deodorant with Glycolic Acid. And the wait is over. Kind of! Last month, The INKEY List introduced Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick. Formulated with 7% Glycolic Acid, it makes the perfect deodorant – though INKEY doesn’t call it a deodorant and doesn’t make any deodorant-like claims.
So my favorite hack continues. Catch my full product review of it below…
BEST PRODUCTS FROM THE INKEY LIST
Oddly enough, I have a love hate relationship with Glycolic Acid. While I acknowledge the powerful acid’s exceptional benefits for the skin, I have never been a regular user of really harsh treatments like exfoliating toners with Glycolic Acid.
They’re just so extra!
And they’re too much for my skin to tolerate on a regular basis. In fact, I can count on one hand how many times I’ve actually applied The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner or The INKEY List’s Glycolic Acid Toner to my face! Almost never.
Don’t get me wrong. Both popular acid toners are good products for instantly brightening your complexion. Lots of toners with alpha hydroxy acids are effective for that. Among them is the new Paula’s Choice 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant. It’s formulated with two AHAs that are less irritating to the skin than Glycolic Acid. I was an instant fan. Catch my review of it on the blog here.
But there’s nothing like Glycolic Acid!
PRODUCT REVIEW: PAULA'S CHOICE SKIN PERFECTING 6% MANDELIC ACID + 2% LACTIC ACID LIQUID EXFOLIANT
What does Glycolic Acid do for your skin?
Well, the most potent of the six AHAs commonly used in skincare works by gently removing the top layer of dead skin cells that can dull your skin and impede the penetration of the beneficial actives in even the best anti-aging serums and creams. You know, those overpriced, luxury ones.
By sloughing off dead skin, Glycolic Acid exposes the fresher cells below, revealing a smoother and brighter complexion – instantly. That’s why exfoliating toners with Glycolic Acid are so popular. Who wants to go out on date night looking dull and lackluster?
Its small size allows the Glycolic Acid molecule to penetrate far deeper into your skin where it helps to promote collagen production, minimize hyperpigmentation, and reduce the look of surface lines and wrinkles. It’s because of that deeper penetration into the skin barrier that Glycolic Acid is so effective – and so irritating.
That irritation is the reason I generally avoid applying Glycolic Acid to my face. But my underarms are another matter entirely…
THE SKINCARE HACK THAT ROCKED MY WORLD!
Before I get into my detailed The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick product review just below, I wanted to explore some of the most frequently asked questions about Glycolic Acid and why it makes the best natural deodorant…
1. Is it good to use Glycolic Acid everyday?
While your skin may learn to tolerate Glycolic Acid every day, the truth is you don’t need it. And over exfoliating tents to sensitize the skin, leading to hyper-sensitivity, severe redness, and even pain or tingling when touched.
The truth is, your skin actually needs very little exfoliation as it’s one thing it tends to do very well on its own. The process is called desquamation. Also known as skin peeling, desquamation is the natural shedding dead skin cells from the outermost layer of the skin – the epidermis.
A best practice is to use an exfoliating treatment with Glycolic Acid once, maybe twice weekly. But definitely not every day!
Explore my picks of the best products from The INKEY List on the blog here.
Sources: WebMD: What to Know About Peeling Skin (Desquamation); Reddit: [Product Question] Is it ok if I use glycolic acid everyday?
2. Is Glycolic Acid good as deodorant?
Yes, due to its ability to neutralize the skin surface, Glycolic Acid is one of the best ingredients for use as a deodorant as it makes the skin an inhospitable place for odor-causing bacteria to thrive.
So why do skincare marketers shy away from its use as a deodorant then?
As many skincare ingredients, the popular alpha hydroxy acid has strong appeal for addressing a specific skin concern – and it’s not deodorizing. With Glycolic Acid, it’s exfoliation. In fact, the strongest of the AHAs is among the best chemical exfoliants for skin. And it’s pigeon-holed as such. Much like Salicylic Acid is marketed as a solution for acne; and it is. But Salicylic Acid is also ideal for unclogging pores, something all healthy skin requires. I have neither oily nor acne-prone skin and I use a Salicylic Acid toner twice daily to keep my pores clear.
Skincare marketers are also highly risk averse. They are most concerned with reliable sales and their own performance reviews. They’re not evangelists of niche uses for specific ingredients.
And, importantly, the deodorant category is cannibalized by mass market brands with big marketing budgets; they’re not big innovators.
Explore my picks of the best products from The INKEY List on the blog here.
Sources: Byrdie: Can You Really Use Glycolic Acid as Deodorant?; Refinery29: Why People Are Using Glycolic Acid As Deodorant
3. How does the Glycolic Acid deodorant hack work?
One of the features of Glycolic Acid is its ability to neutralize the surface of the skin, making it inhospitable for odor-causing bacteria to thrive in. Think about Mars and how it’s nearly impossible for life to exist on the surface of the inhospitable planet.
More specifically, Glycolic Acid has a very low pH of about 2.0, which in turn lowers the skin’s pH when applied. This newly acidic environment is a hostile place for odor-causing bacteria, reducing body odor for up to 72 hours after application.
Explore my picks of the best products from The INKEY List on the blog here.
Sources: InStyle: Should You Really Be Using Glycolic Acid for Armpits? Experts Explain; WebMD: Glycolic Acid - Uses, Side Effects, and More
4. Does Glycolic Acid stop body odor?
Yes, Glycolic Acid stops body odor. In fact, Glycolic Acid is one of the best natural deodorizers! The most potent of the alpha hydroxy acids, Glycolic Acid has a very low pH of about 2.0. When applied to the skin, as with an exfoliating toner with Glycolic Acid or exfoliating Glycolic Acid wipes, it lowers the skin’s pH, resulting in an acidic environment that prevents odor-causing bacteria from proliferating.
In fact, this acidic effect can last for up to 72 hours, meaning you only need to apply Glycolic Acid to your underarms or other areas of the body once every three days.
Explore my picks of the best products from The INKEY List on the blog here.
Sources: InStyle: Should You Really Be Using Glycolic Acid for Armpits? Experts Explain; Refinery29: Why People Are Using Glycolic Acid As Deodorant
5. Product Review
The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick
The first thing to know about The INKEY List’s Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick is that it’s not a deodorant. Despite the fact that I’m using it that way, and that it’s shaped like a deodorant – it’s not a deodorant.
At least it’s not marketed as a deodorant. Even though it makes the perfect underarm deodorizer! Straight up, the brand’s new Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick is exactly what INKEY says it is: an exfoliating stick with Glycolic Acid.
Imagine all the uses for something like that. According to The INKEY List, their cool new, “specialist treatment delivers deep, effective exfoliation and is proven to tackle stubborn concerns including KP bumps, ingrown hairs, rough skin, and body breakouts in as little as 7-days.”
So it does a lot of amazing things for the body. But deodorizing isn’t one of them!
There are so many amazing uses for this thing, it’s almost funny to me that I’m using it for something it isn’t even intended for.
Like KP, or keratosis pilaris, for example. Anyone who struggles with KP bumps will tell you there aren’t enough effective treatments for it. The skin condition has been traditionally difficult to treat – and is simply under-treated, even ignored.
One of the only and best KP treatments I’ve come across is the Skinfix KP + PsO Smoothing Body Treatment. So The INKEY List’s new Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick is a welcome, less expensive option if you’re a KP sufferer.
The other notable usage that INKEY claims for their Glycolic Acid stick is underarm discoloration. Whenever I post about my Glycolic Acid deodorant hack, I get questions about whether it’s also good for fading hyperpigmentation in the underarm area.
Well, folks, here’s a potent Glycolic Acid treatment that’s actually intended to do just that. In fact, the brand claims that in a 4-week consumer study of 100 people, it was proven to “reduce the appearance of underarm and bikini line discoloration in 28 days.”
Catch it on TikTok!
But back to how I use it. As my daily deodorant.
With 7% Glycolic Acid, The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick has about the same concentration of the alpha hydroxy acid as my two go-to toners – though INKEY’s Glycolic Acid Toner is formulated with even more Glycolic Acid at 10%.
What makes the new exfoliating stick a better option is two fold. First, it’s a solid, not a runny liquid. As effective as a Glycolic Acid is, it’s never been all that convenient or pleasant to apply something with the literal texture of water to my underarms. Plus, you can’t travel with it unless you’re a bag-checker. I haven’t checked a bag in decades.
The other important point is the addition of 10% Shea Butter. The rich, plant-derived emollient is super soothing and highly effective at preventing the dryness and irritation common to Glycolic Acid.
One more thing. You only need to swipe it into your underarm once every three days. That’s right, it fights odor for up to 72 hours. Yes, I’ve put it to the test…
6. Pros & Cons
What I like about it: The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick is a welcome product for treating so many things. But for me, it’s the perfect Glycolic Acid deodorant hack. Given its optimal 7% concentration of the deodorizing AHA and 10% shea butter, it doesn’t get any better. It prevents irritation while fighting odor for 3 days. And it’s just $18.
What I don’t like about it: I like everything about it.
Who it’s for: All skin types.
SHOP THE BLOG: Want to try it for yourself? Purchase The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick for $18 here.
CATCH THE ORIGINAL DEODORANT HACK ON MY TIK TOK!
FIND OUT WHICH SERUM PERFORMED BETTER – AND BY HOW MUCH!
The Ingredient List of The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick:
Ocytyldodecanol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Glycolic Acid, Ozokerite, Cetearyl Alcohol, Water (Aqua/Eau), PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Salicylic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil.
IS IT REALLY A SCAM?
Find out on my TikTok channel.
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