Okay, so there's this new skincare trend taking over our feeds and it has everyone and their mother spraying something called “hypochlorous acid” all over their faces. First of all, hypo-WHAT? Second, why does it sound so scary?!
You're probably a little dubious—we know we were—especially after finding out that hypochlorous acid is something people use to disinfect gym equipment, but we digress.
Apart from its, uh, efficiency in keeping gyms squeaky clean, this buzzy ingredient reportedly helps prevent acne, soothe skin inflammation (whether that's redness or itchiness), *and* speeds up skin healing. Sounds too good to be true, huh? There *must* be a catch, right? Well, more on it below:
What is hypochlorous acid?
In the skincare world, hypochlorous acid is usually described as something like a hand sanitizer for your face. Its job is to kill the bad bacteria while keeping the good ones so it won't strip your skin of its natural moisture, making it great for all skin types. It can be found in skincare products like facial cleansers, moisturizers, and serums, but the ones we are seeing online more commonly these days come in a spray format that makes it super easy to reapply throughout the day.
Now, more about hypochlorous acid itself: Upon further research (a.k.a. aggressively scrolling through TikToks and cross-checking claims with numerous published scientific journals), hypochlorous acid is actually something that our bodies *already* produce, much like hyaluronic acid and ceramides. In a nutshell, hypochlorous acid is the compound our white blood cells produce to help our bodies fight bacteria and promote healing. In simpler words, it's a natural disinfectant. Phew, suddenly it's not so scary to slather this thing all over our face, right?
Hypochlorous acid is considered a "weak acid" that has strong antimicrobial properties which is why many people can attest to its efficacy in keeping acne at bay. This is why it's also a great way to freshen up after a gym sesh to make sure your skin stays fresh and clean even after a sweaty workout. Apart from this, hypochlorous acid is also an anti-inflammatory agent that can help soothe and prevent itchiness caused by skin conditions like atopic dermatitis, eczema, and even relieve the effects of psoriasis.
@drjennyliu I like @Tower 28 Beauty and @Prequelskin #hypochlorousacid #hypochlorousacidspray #skincareproducts #skincaretips #skincareproducts #acneproneskin #dermreacts #derm ? original sound - Dr. Jing (Jenny) Liu
How to use hypochlorous acid?
While it can be exciting to learn all about the good stuff you can get from hypochlorous acid, remember: Just like with all things in life, too much of anything is bad. So, don't go ahead and drown your face in this newfound liquid gold. There's a ~science~ to getting the most out of hypochlorous acid.
First things first: Don't use it on wet or damp skin because this can disrupt your skin's balance and break you out. For the same reason, you shouldn't apply your skincare products straight away after using hypochlorous acid. Just like in life, once again: Timing. Is. Everything.
You can use hypochlorous acid on dry skin *after* cleansing and then wait for it to dry before you do your skincare routine. You can also do your skincare routine first, wait for all of it to dry, and *then* spray on your hypochlorous acid. You can also spray throughout the day, just to freshen up and make sure no bad bacteria survives on the surface of your skin.
Other ways you can use hypochlorous acid apart from incorporating it into your skincare regimen:
Post-Gym
Freshen up after a workout sesh. Spray on your face, chest, and back to avoid breakouts and, sure, go ahead and spray hypochlorous acid on your yoga mat—we don’t see why you shouldn’t!
In the plane
If you tend to get pesky zits after a flight, consider packing a travel-sized spray bottle of hypochlorous acid in your handcarry and us it mid-flight so you can avoid breaking out after traveling
As a setting spray
Can’t remember the last time you washed your makeup brushes? Hypochlorous acid to the rescue. Spritz all over your face (and your brushes) and you’re good to go.
Post-wax / Post-shave
If you often experience irritation after a waxing sesh or shaving, hypochlorous acid can work wonders for your skin thanks to its healing and anti-inflammatory properties
@dermguru IYKYK hypochlorous acis is where its at ???? #dermguru #hypochlorousacid #acne #bacne #sunburn #skincare101 #hypochlorousacidspray ? original sound - Dermguru
What *not* to use with hypochlorous acid
If you're not new to skincare, then you already know that there are products that cancel each other out, or worse, cause skin irritation. So, you're probably a bit worried about any contraindications of hypochlorous acid. There's one important thing to note: Hypochlorous acid is an oxidant, so it'll cancel out any antioxidant properties from your skincare products.
The good thing is we have daytime and nighttime skincare routines, so if you like using your Vitamin C Serum—a popular antioxidant—at night, just use the hypochlorous acid spray during the day. The most important thing is that hypochlorous acid and SPF don't cancel each other out, so you can spritz it on throughout the day without any worries.
And if you don't want to compromise any of the benefits you’ll get out of your other skincare products, here's the number one rule of using hypochlorous acid: Spray on dry skin. Make sure your skin has completely absorbed all that skincare goodness. After a good hour or two, that's when you can spray on your hypochlorous acid.
Here's the number one rule of using hypochlorous acid: Spray on dry skin.
Where to buy hypochlorous acid
While hypochlorous acid is a huge trend right now, the market for it is still pretty limited. For now, here are a couple of hypochlorous acid sprays you can add to cart:
Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray, P1,996, Shopee
Sanibreeze Hypochlorous Acid Sanitizer 100ml, P65, Shopee
SkinSmart Antimicrobial Facial Cleanser, US $17.46 (approx. P1,018), SkinSmart
Briotech Skin Renew Toner 120ml, US $15.99 (approx. P932.26), Briotech USA
All things considered, hypochlorous acid—while trendy and a little dubious at first—sounds like a good addition to your daily essentials. That's especially useful when it comes to keeping your skin (among other things) sanitized without stripping it of its natural moisture, ultimately preventing skin irritation and breakouts. Could it be life-changing? When used correctly and for the right purpose, it might just be.
