Deliver proven exfoliation with superior skin comfort.
Sensitive skin is one of the fastest-growing segments in skincare - but traditional AHAs often fall short. Evonik’s advanced AHA and aldobionic acid (ABA) portfolio empowers formulators to create high-performance, barrier-conscious products for daily use and pro-aging routines. By tailoring molecular size and structure, our portfolio provides effective renewal with moderated irritation potential, opening new opportunities across leaveon and rinseoff formats.
Designed for Sensitive Skin and Everyday Comfort
Evonik’s AHAs are designed for sensitive skin consumers, including older individuals focused on graceful aging. They’re ideal for brands seeking nature-inspired, science-backed exfoliation that prioritizes comfort, and for formulators developing daily-use products where skin tolerability is essential.
Partner with Evonik
From concept to commercialization, Evonik supports you with ingredient selection, prototype development, and claims testing pathways for sensitiveskin success.
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FAQ
Alpha Hydroxy Acids are organic compounds featuring a carboxylic acid with a hydroxyl group on the alpha (first) carbon. Common cosmetic AHAs include glycolic, lactic, citric, and malic acids. While many AHAs occur naturally in foods (e.g., glycolic from sugar cane, malic from apples, citric from citrus fruits), most cosmeticgrade materials today are produced synthetically or via fermentation to ensure purity, consistency, and supply.
AHAs are valued for exfoliating the uppermost layers of the skin and offering additional functional benefits such as moisturization, antioxidant, and buffering support. When used appropriately, AHAs are associated with smoother fine lines and surface wrinkles, improved skin texture and tone, unblocked pores, and overall skin condition improvements.
Longerterm observations in the literature highlight:
- Increased skin turnover via desquamation for a fresher appearance
- Improved skin hydration
- Support for cell and fibroblast proliferation, collagen production, and increased epidermal/dermal thickness over time
- Decades of use and strong consumer recognition
AHAs help decrease corneocyte cohesion in the stratum corneum, advancing the skin’s natural desquamation and renewal. Research suggests this can occur through multiple, complementary pathways:
Chelation of calcium ions reduces Ca²⁺ at corneodesmosomes and other junctions, weakening adhesion.
Disruption of hydrogen bonds among cadherin protein chains at higher AHA concentrations, facilitating cell shedding.
Interference with intercellular lipids, including ceramide ester bonds/formation, which helps accelerate desquamation.
Because they actively accelerate exfoliation, high levels or frequent, chronic use of AHAs and PHAs can weaken the skin barrier—potentially causing irritation, heightened sun sensitivity, and other undesirable effects, particularly for sensitive skin types.