Mandelic Acid

Evens skin tone in 5 weeks!
Mandelic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) derived from bitter almonds. Among its fellow AHAs, like glycolic and lactic acids, mandelic acid has one of the largest particle sizes, allowing it to absorb into skin more slowly, uniformly, and superficially. It also stays on the surface of skin longer. As a result, mandelic acid is less likely to cause irritation — even for those with sensitive skin and deeper skin tones.

Mandelic acid is also one of the best acid selections for those with darker complexions because it isn't melanotoxic. In other words, it doesn't kill melanocytes and won't exacerbate discoloration. Instead, it will decrease the appearance of dark spots due to acne, sun exposure, or otherwise in all the right ways.

Despite its larger particle size, mandelic acid also delves deeper into skin than other AHAs because it's oil-soluble. Glycolic and lactic acids, on the other hand, are water-soluble, so they only work on the top layers of skin.